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Sedimentary DNA tracks decadal-centennial changes in fish abundance
Michinobu Kuwae1, Hiromichi Tamai2, Hideyuki Doi3
1Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University, Matsuyama, 790-8577, Japan. mkuwae@sci.ehime-u.ac.jp.
Communications Biology
|October 9, 2020
Summary
Sedimentary DNA analysis successfully reconstructed past fish populations over 300 years. This method tracks decadal-centennial dynamics of marine fish abundance, offering new insights into ecological history.
Area of Science:
- Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis
- Paleoecology
- Marine population dynamics
Background:
- Understanding long-term population dynamics of marine macro-organisms is limited.
- Sedimentary DNA (sDNA) offers a potential method for reconstructing past species abundance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the utility of sedimentary DNA techniques for reconstructing historical pelagic fish abundance in marine waters.
- To validate sDNA as a tool for tracking decadal-centennial population dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to analyze sedimentary DNA from sediment cores.
- Samples were collected from anoxic bottom sediments in Beppu Bay, Japan.
- DNA from anchovy, sardine, and jack mackerel was quantified over the last 300 years.
Main Results:
- Sedimentary DNA concentrations for anchovy, sardine, and jack mackerel showed temporal changes.
- These changes correlated with historical fish landings in Japan for all three species.
- sDNA concentrations also aligned with historical sardine fish scale concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Sedimentary DNA is a viable method for reconstructing past pelagic fish abundance in marine environments.
- sDNA analysis can provide valuable insights into decadal-centennial population dynamics.
- This technique enhances our understanding of long-term ecological changes in marine ecosystems.
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