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Osathanunkul M. Species-specific eDNA assay development for enhanced box jellyfish risk management in coastal environments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 931:172900. [PMID: 38697547 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Human interaction with marine creatures holds both positive and negative dimensions. Coastal communities benefit from marine environments, relying on them for sustenance and livelihoods. Fishing activities support economies, and marine biodiversity contributes to overall ecosystem health. However, challenges like overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution pose threats to both marine life and human communities. Recently, there has been widespread concern regarding the potential increase in jellyfish populations across global marine ecosystems, attributed mainly to environmental factors such as climate drivers and anthropogenic forces, or their complex interactions. Encounters with hazardous marine species, such as box jellyfish, exemplify the dangers associated with coastal activities. Unintended interactions may lead to stings, injuries, and even fatalities, necessitating proactive measures and advanced technologies. This study addresses the inadequacies of existing measures in preventing box jellyfish incidents by introducing environmental DNA (eDNA) assays for detecting the deadly Chiropsoides buitendijki and focuses on developing qPCR and dPCR-based eDNA assays. Emphasising prevention over treatment, the study establishes a proactive system to assess C. buitendijki distribution across 63 tourist beaches in the Gulf of Thailand. Comparative analysis highlights the superior performance of dPCR over qPCR and traditional surveys. The dPCR experiment yielded positive results for all eDNA samples collected at sites where C. buitendijki had previously been identified. Remarkably, the eDNA testing also detected positive results in 16 additional sample locations where no physical specimens were collected, despite reported jellyfish stings at some of these sites. These findings underscore the precision and efficacy of the proposed eDNA detection technology in the early detection and assessment of box jellyfish distribution. This advancement therefore not only aids ecological research but also serves as a valuable tool for safeguarding public health, providing an early warning system for potential jellyfish encounters. Balancing positive human-marine interactions with effective risk mitigation strategies is crucial for sustainable coexistence, the preservation of marine ecosystems, and human well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maslin Osathanunkul
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
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Ye L, Peng S, Ma Y, Zhang W, Wang L, Sun X, Zhang C, Yeasmin M, Zhao J, Dong Z. Biodiversity and distribution patterns of blooming jellyfish in the Bohai Sea revealed by eDNA metabarcoding. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:37. [PMID: 38500049 PMCID: PMC10946145 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02224-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mass occurrence of scyphozoan jellyfish severely affects marine ecosystems and coastal economies, and the study of blooming jellyfish population dynamics has emerged in response. However, traditional ecological survey methods required for such research have difficulties in detecting cryptic life stages and surveying population dynamics owing to high spatiotemporal variations in their occurrence. The environmental DNA (eDNA) technique is an effective tool for overcoming these limitations. RESULTS In this study, we investigated the biodiversity and spatial distribution characteristics of blooming jellyfish in the Bohai Sea of China using an eDNA metabarcoding approach, which covered the surface, middle, and bottom seawater layers, and sediments. Six jellyfish taxa were identified, of which Aurelia coerulea, Nemopilema nomurai, and Cyanea nozakii were the most dominant. These three blooming jellyfish presented a marked vertical distribution pattern in the offshore regions. A. coerulea was mainly distributed in the surface layer, whereas C. nozakii and N. nomurai showed a upper-middle and middle-bottom aggregation, respectively. Horizontally, A. coerulea and C. nozakii were more abundant in the inshore regions, whereas N. nomurai was mainly distributed offshore. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed a strong correlation between the eDNA of the three dominant blooming jellyfish species and temperature, salinity, and nutrients. CONCLUSIONS Our study confirms the applicability of the eDNA approach to both biodiverstiy evaluation of blooming jellyfish and investigating their spatial distribution, and it can be used as a supplementary tool to traditional survey methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijing Ye
- Yantai University, 264005, Yantai, Shandong, China
- Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 264003, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Saijun Peng
- Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 264003, Yantai, Shandong, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanqing Ma
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Restoration, Shandong Marine Resource and Environment Research Institute, 264006, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Wenjing Zhang
- Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 264003, Yantai, Shandong, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 264003, Yantai, Shandong, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Xiyan Sun
- Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 264003, Yantai, Shandong, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 264003, Yantai, Shandong, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Munjira Yeasmin
- Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 264003, Yantai, Shandong, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Jianmin Zhao
- Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 264003, Yantai, Shandong, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Zhijun Dong
- Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 264003, Yantai, Shandong, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
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Peng S, Wang L, Ma Y, Ye L, Hou C, Liu Y, Li Y, Sun T, Zhao J, Dong Z. Application of environmental DNA metabarcoding and quantitative PCR to detect blooming jellyfish in a temperate bay of northern China. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10669. [PMID: 37915801 PMCID: PMC10616739 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Frequently occurring jellyfish blooms have severe impacts on the socioeconomics of coastal areas, which stress the importance of early detection and assessments of blooming jellyfish taxa. Environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques (quantitative PCR and eDNA metabarcoding) have the advantage of high sensitivity and are an emerging powerful tool for investigations of target species. However, a comprehensive analysis of the biodiversity and biomass of jellyfish taxa in the target area by combining the two eDNA techniques is still lacking. Here, we developed eDNA metabarcoding and quantitative PCR for the detection and assessment of jellyfish taxa in the temperate Yantai Sishili Bay (YSB) and estimated the spatial distribution of Aurelia coerulea. Species-specific quantitative PCR assays targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene of A. coerulea were developed. Additionally, eDNA metabarcoding based on the mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences identified six jellyfish species in YSB. Moreover, our results indicate that A. coerulea aggregations were more likely to occur in the inner part of the bay than in the outer part, and they gathered in the bottom layer of seawater rather than in the surface layer. Our results demonstrate the potential of two eDNA techniques in jellyfish biomass investigation and jellyfish taxa detection. These eDNA techniques may contribute to the discovery of jellyfish aggregation so as to achieve early warning of large-scale jellyfish blooms in coastal areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saijun Peng
- Muping Coastal Environment Research StationYantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantaiShandongChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Lei Wang
- Muping Coastal Environment Research StationYantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantaiShandongChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yuanqing Ma
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological RestorationShandong Marine Resource and Environment Research InstituteYantaiShandongChina
| | - Lijing Ye
- Muping Coastal Environment Research StationYantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantaiShandongChina
| | - Chaowei Hou
- Muping Coastal Environment Research StationYantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantaiShandongChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yongliang Liu
- Muping Coastal Environment Research StationYantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantaiShandongChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yongxue Li
- Muping Coastal Environment Research StationYantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantaiShandongChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Tingting Sun
- Muping Coastal Environment Research StationYantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantaiShandongChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Jianmin Zhao
- Muping Coastal Environment Research StationYantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantaiShandongChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Zhijun Dong
- Muping Coastal Environment Research StationYantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantaiShandongChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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Shim KY, Shin H, Yeo IC, Kim KR, Kwak IS, Jeong CB. Environmental DNA surveillance of biocontamination in a drinking water treatment plant. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 456:131656. [PMID: 37236104 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
A clean and adequate supply of drinking water is essential to life and good health. However, despite the risk of biologically derived contamination of drinking water, monitoring of invertebrate outbreaks has relied primarily on naked-eye inspections that are prone to errors. In this study, we applied environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding as a biomonitoring tool at seven different stages of drinking water treatment, from prefiltration to release from household faucets. While the composition of invertebrate eDNA communities reflected the communities of the source water in earlier stages of the treatment, several predominant invertebrate taxa (e.g., rotifer) were shown to be introduced during purification, but most were eliminated in later treatment stages. In addition, the limit of detection/quantification of PCR assay and read capacity of high-throughput sequencing was assessed with further microcosm experiments to estimate the applicability eDNA metabarcoding to the biocontamination surveillance in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). Here we propose a novel eDNA-based approach for sensitive and efficient surveillance of invertebrate outbreaks in DWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyu-Young Shim
- Department of Marine Science, College of Natural Sciences, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Heesang Shin
- Department of Marine Science, College of Natural Sciences, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Cheol Yeo
- Department of Marine Science, College of Natural Sciences, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu Ri Kim
- Hoseo Toxicology Research Center, Hoseo University, Asan 31499, Republic of Korea
| | - Ihn-Sil Kwak
- Department of Ocean Integrated Science, Chonnam National University, Yeosu 59626, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Bum Jeong
- Department of Marine Science, College of Natural Sciences, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea.
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