Abstract

The current biodiversity crisis calls for rapid and wide-ranging surveys to assess living organisms. However, some taxa are more elusive than others, making monitoring challenging. This is the case for soil invertebrates, but new molecular technologies such as eDNA metabarcoding could help to alleviate this problem. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of using an eDNA approach to survey dung beetles, adapting existing monitoring methods for surveying dung fauna to enable eDNA collection in a non-destructive way. The main design idea is to capture species secretions and excretions from a serum-soaked nonwoven compress in a baited non-destructive trap. While the attractiveness of the device to dung beetles and the sampling protocol would benefit from further development, eDNA allowed the identification of more than 68% of trapped species and an identification of relative abundance match rate of 79%. The results of the study demonstrate the effectiveness of eDNA-based detection tools for the monitoring of dung beetles compared to standard surveying and identification techniques. Moreover, the adapted collecting device developed for the study could be used for similar surveys of other terrestrial invertebrates or even re-adapted. Ultimately, we hope this study encourages more non-invasive studies of insects by enabling others to utilize these emerging, non-destructive molecular techniques and therefore foster wide insect monitorings and conservation programs.

Implications for insect conservation

Standardization and optimization of sampling protocols for inventorying and monitoring is key to unlock invertebrates’ studies and conservation evaluations. Here we show how molecular tools, such as eDNA, are a promising way to gather rapidly ecological information without killing targeted populations by adapting traditional inventory tools. Newly developed NDC traps for dung beetles, inspired by CSR traps, allowed qualitative and quantitative information gathering in temperate agropastoral ecosystems opening the way to large scale eDNA monitoring to inform management and conservation schemes.

中文翻译：

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使用 eDNA 元条形码对蜣螂进行非致死监测的新型陷阱设计

摘要

当前的生物多样性危机需要快速和广泛的调查来评估生物体。然而，一些分类群比其他分类群更难以捉摸，这使得监测具有挑战性。土壤无脊椎动物就是这种情况，但诸如 eDNA 元条形码之类的新分子技术可以帮助缓解这个问题。在这项研究中，我们评估了使用 eDNA 方法调查粪甲虫的可行性，采用现有的监测方法来调查粪便动物群，以便以非破坏性方式收集 eDNA。主要设计理念是在一个带饵的非破坏性陷阱中从浸有血清的无纺布敷布中捕获物种的分泌物和排泄物。虽然该设备对蜣螂的吸引力和采样协议将受益于进一步的发展，eDNA 允许识别超过 68% 的被困物种和 79% 的相对丰度匹配率。研究结果表明，与标准调查和识别技术相比，基于 eDNA 的检测工具在监测蜣螂方面的有效性。此外，为研究开发的适应收集装置可用于其他陆生无脊椎动物的类似调查，甚至可以重新适应。最终，我们希望这项研究能够让其他人利用这些新兴的非破坏性分子技术来鼓励更多的昆虫非侵入性研究，从而促进广泛的昆虫监测和保护计划。研究结果表明，与标准调查和识别技术相比，基于 eDNA 的检测工具在监测蜣螂方面的有效性。此外，为研究开发的适应收集装置可用于其他陆生无脊椎动物的类似调查，甚至可以重新适应。最终，我们希望这项研究能够让其他人利用这些新兴的非破坏性分子技术，从而鼓励对昆虫进行更多的非侵入性研究，从而促进广泛的昆虫监测和保护计划。研究结果表明，与标准调查和识别技术相比，基于 eDNA 的检测工具在监测蜣螂方面的有效性。此外，为研究开发的适应收集装置可用于其他陆生无脊椎动物的类似调查，甚至可以重新适应。最终，我们希望这项研究能够让其他人利用这些新兴的非破坏性分子技术，从而鼓励对昆虫进行更多的非侵入性研究，从而促进广泛的昆虫监测和保护计划。

对昆虫保护的影响

清点和监测采样协议的标准化和优化是开启无脊椎动物研究和保护评估的关键。在这里，我们展示了分子工具（如 eDNA）如何通过调整传统的清单工具，成为一种快速收集生态信息而不杀死目标人群的有前途的方法。受 CSR 陷阱的启发，新开发的用于蜣螂的 NDC 陷阱允许在温带农牧生态系统中收集定性和定量信息，为大规模 eDNA 监测开辟道路，为管理和保护计划提供信息。