Doctoral Degrees (Botany and Zoology)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Botany and Zoology) by browse.metadata.advisor "Carvalho, Gary"

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    Using environmental DNA metabarcoding to reveal fish biodiversity in marine ecosystems of South Africa
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-03) Czachur, Molly Victoria; Von der Heyden, Sophie; Creer, Simon; Seymour, Mat; Carvalho, Gary; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Botany and Zoology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: South Africa is the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, where marine biodiversity thrives, and coastlines range from cool-temperate to tropical climates. This dynamic oceanographic regime supports over 2,000 fishes that utilise a range of habitat types, including seagrass meadows, mangrove and kelp forests, coral reefs and rocky and sandy shores. Here we describe the fish biodiversity of these coastal habitats using a metabarcoding method that, when compared with traditional methods, provides rapid species lists with reduced bias and less reliance on taxonomic expertise. Results: We applied an aquatic environmental DNA metabarcoding approach for describing the distribution of South African coastal fishes. Extensive troubleshooting and method optimisation led to a biomonitoring method that encompassed multiple coastal habitat types and allowed for large-scale datasets to be generated with a seasonal component. We have established the baseline knowledge for eDNA-based fish distribution in the region, with trends reflecting known patterns of fish biodiversity. Significance: It has been demonstrated that eDNA metabarcoding is a useful biomonitoring tool for South African coastal fishes, proving successful across large spatial scales with the use of a single method that is inclusive of different coastal habitat types and climates, and across varying levels of coastal development and marine protection. This data is a stepping-stone to producing more rapid coastal fish datasets, and an important layer for evidence-based marine spatial planning in the future.