Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

A new sampling device for metabarcoding surveillance of port communities and detection of non-indigenous species

2023; Cell Press; Volume: 27; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.isci.2023.108588

2589-0042

Jesús Zarcero, Adrià Antich, Marc Rius, Owen S. Wangensteen, Xavier Turón,

Marine Ecology and Invasive Species

Metabarcoding techniques are revolutionizing studies of marine biodiversity. They can be used for monitoring non-indigenous species (NIS) in ports and harbors. However, they are often biased by inconsistent sampling methods and incomplete reference databases. Logistic constraints in ports prompt the development of simple, easy-to-deploy samplers. We tested a new device called polyamide mesh for ports organismal monitoring (POMPOM) with a high surface-to-volume ratio. POMPOMS were deployed inside a fishing and recreational port in the Mediterranean alongside conventional settlement plates. We also compiled a curated database with cytochrome oxidase (COI) sequences of Mediterranean NIS. COI metabarcoding of the communities settled in the POMPOMs captured a similar biodiversity than settlement plates, with shared molecular operational units (MOTUs) representing ca. 99% of reads. 38 NIS were detected in the port accounting for ca. 26% of reads. POMPOMs were easy to deploy and handle and provide an efficient method for NIS surveillance.