Small Bugs, Big Data: Metagenomics for Arthropod Biodiversity Monitoring

Obtaining genome-wide data from complex samples, such as environmental material or bulk species collections, is increasingly feasible, yet inferring species presence and population genomic insights remains challenging. We applied metagenomic sequencing to 40 arthropod bulk samples collected with Malaise traps across Sweden and compared results with metabarcoding of the same material. Using a custom genome database, we achieved genus-level classification largely consistent with metabarcoding. While metagenomics detected all genera identified by metabarcoding, conservative filtering thresholds designed to minimise false positives also excluded some true signals, particularly for low-abundance taxa. Taxonomic overlap between methods was further constrained by limited reference database representation. Beyond taxonomic assignment, metagenomic sequencing yielded genome-level information: we inferred haplotype diversity, heterozygosity and geographic population structure for several abundant species, including variable degrees of hybrid origin in red wood ants and the genetic distinctiveness of Gotland bumblebees. Finally, by-catch plant DNA present in the bulk samples revealed plausible arthropod-plant interactions, several of which align with known ecological associations. Together, these results demonstrate the potential of metagenomics for biodiversity monitoring and population genomics, while underscoring the importance of filtering criteria and comprehensive reference databases.