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Invertebrates for vertebrate biodiversity monitoring: comparisons using three insect taxa as iDNA samplers
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  • Aimee Massey,
  • Roberta Bronzoni,
  • David da Silva,
  • Jennifer Allen,
  • Patrick de Lazari,
  • Manoel dos Santos Filho,
  • Gustavo Canale,
  • Christine Bernardo,
  • Carlos Peres,
  • Taal Levi
Aimee Massey
Oregon State University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Roberta Bronzoni
Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - Campus Sinop
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David da Silva
Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - Campus Sinop
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Jennifer Allen
Oregon State University
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Patrick de Lazari
Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso
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Manoel dos Santos Filho
Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso
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Gustavo Canale
Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - Campus Sinop
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Christine Bernardo
Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - Campus Sinop
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Carlos Peres
University of East Anglia
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Taal Levi
Oregon State University
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Abstract

Metabarcoding of environmental DNA (eDNA) is now widely used to build diversity profiles from DNA that has been shed by species into the environment. There is substantial interest in the expansion of eDNA approaches for improved detection of terrestrial vertebrates using invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) in which hematophagous, sarcophagous, and coprophagous invertebrates sample vertebrate blood, carrion, or feces. Here, we use metabarcoding and multiple iDNA samplers (carrion flies, sandflies, and mosquitos) to profile gamma and alpha diversity in a dry, tropical forest in the southern Amazon. Our main objectives were to (1) compare diversity found with iDNA to camera trapping, which is the conventional method of vertebrate diversity surveillance and (2) compare each of the iDNA samplers to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and potential biases associated with each sampler. Carrion flies were the most effective sampler, despite the least amount of sampling effort and the fewest number of individuals captured for metabarcoding, in describing vertebrate biodiversity followed by sandflies. Camera traps had the highest median species richness at the site-level but showed strong bias towards carnivore and ungulate species and missed much of the diversity described by iDNA methods. Mosquitos showed a strong feeding preference for humans as did sandflies for armadillos, thus presenting potential utility to further study related to host-vector interactions.
16 Apr 2021Submitted to Molecular Ecology Resources
28 Apr 2021Submission Checks Completed
28 Apr 2021Assigned to Editor
28 Apr 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
02 Jul 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
12 Aug 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
17 Sep 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Sep 20211st Revision Received
29 Sep 2021Editorial Decision: Accept
03 Oct 2021Published in Molecular Ecology Resources. 10.1111/1755-0998.13525