Microfluidic eDNA analysis of Sipsey River, AL, USA

Biodiversity has long been a proxy for measuring environmental change, but comprehensive assessments of biodiversity have been hindered by technological, species life history, or analytical challenges. The advancements in eDNA techniques have improved detection of rare or cryptic species that are often missed by traditional sampling thereby offering the potential for more robust and comprehensive sampling of species. We developed a microfluidic metabarcoding array that targets a wide range of species, from invertebrates to fishes, with an emphasis on detecting Unionid mussels known to be present in the Sipsey River, Alabama. We compared mussel species diversity across 6 sites with well-studied mussel assemblages using eDNA surveys and traditional quadrat surveys in 2016.