Environmental DNA Metabarcoding in Marine Ecosystems: Global Advances, Methodological Challenges, and Applications in...

Area of Science:

• Marine Ecology
• Molecular Biology
• Biodiversity Monitoring

Background:

• Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding revolutionizes marine biodiversity assessment through non-invasive, high-resolution species detection.
• Traditional methods face limitations in detecting rare, cryptic, or invasive species, especially in understudied regions like the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize global and regional advances in eDNA metabarcoding applications for marine biodiversity monitoring.
• To emphasize the potential and challenges of eDNA in the unique environmental context of the MENA region.
• To identify needs for advancing eDNA-based marine biomonitoring in the MENA region.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across Google Scholar, Scopus, and Qatar University Library databases.
• Screening and selection of peer-reviewed publications based on predefined inclusion criteria.
• Synthesis of findings on eDNA metabarcoding applications, challenges, and recent developments.

Main Results:

• eDNA metabarcoding often surpasses traditional methods in detecting diverse taxa, including rare and invasive species.
• Technical challenges (e.g., incomplete databases, primer bias, PCR inhibitors) and inconsistent methodologies hinder effectiveness, particularly in the MENA region.
• Emerging technologies (multi-marker, autonomous samplers, NGS) improve precision and enable real-time monitoring.
• Early MENA studies show eDNA's utility for habitat, biogeography, pollution, and non-indigenous species research, but progress is limited by infrastructure and regulatory gaps.

Conclusions:

• Urgent need for regional collaboration, standardized protocols, and capacity-building to overcome eDNA implementation barriers in the MENA region.
• Integrating eDNA with traditional methods and new technologies can position the MENA region as a leader in marine biomonitoring.
• Actionable insights for conservation and sustainable management of unique MENA marine ecosystems can be generated through advanced eDNA applications.