Environmental DNA Metabarcoding Reveals Diversity and Spatiotemporal Variations of Benthic Invertebrates in Hun River Basin, China

Abstract

Simple Summary Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has emerged as a revolutionary tool for freshwater ecosystem conservation and biodiversity monitoring, yet its feasibility and applicability to benthic invertebrates still require further study. In this study, eDNA metabarcoding was employed to reveal the diversity and spatiotemporal variations in benthic invertebrates in the Hun River Basin. The number of detected taxa surpassed that obtained from previous conventional survey efforts. Seasonality exerted a highly significant effect on community structure, whereas the differences among spatial groups were not significant. These findings confirm the potential applicability of eDNA metabarcoding for the spatiotemporal monitoring of benthic invertebrates in typical freshwater ecosystems, providing a valuable reference case for refining eDNA-based aquatic biomonitoring strategies.