Environmental DNA Metabarcoding for Catchment-Scale Biodiversity Assessment

Investigators at the University of Strasbourg have pioneered a groundbreaking approach to monitoring plant biodiversity in large river systems. The research, led by Armando Espinosa Prieto, employed multi-marker environmental DNA metabarcoding to analyze aquatic and terrestrial plant diversity from river water samples. The innovative method successfully detected 24 aquatic plant species, 16 exotic plant species, and land-use indicators, such as crop and ornamental species, in the Upper Rhine River between Basel, Switzerland, and Strasbourg, France. This non-invasive and scalable tool has significant implications for catchment-wide vegetation monitoring and environmental management in large river systems.

Key Takeaways:

• The researchers used multi-marker environmental DNA metabarcoding to monitor plant biodiversity in the Upper Rhine River, a large river system with challenging logistical conditions.
• The method successfully detected 24 aquatic plant species, representing 18% of reads, underscoring its potential for monitoring macrophytes in large rivers.
• Land-use indicators, including crop and ornamental species, comprised 5.5% of reads, contrasting between the human-modified canal of the Rhine and the natural river channel.
• The researchers detected 16 exotic plant species, highlighting the method's potential for monitoring and managing invasive populations.
• The spatial resolution of species detection could benefit from closer sampling along the river and additional samples across its cross-section.
• This study demonstrates the utility of environmental DNA metabarcoding as a non-invasive tool for catchment-wide vegetation monitoring and environmental management in large river systems.
• The research highlights the importance of monitoring plant biodiversity in large river systems to inform ecological assessment and environmental management decisions.

Statistics:

• 24 aquatic plant species were detected using multi-marker environmental DNA metabarcoding, representing 18% of reads.
• 16 exotic plant species were detected, highlighting the potential of this approach for monitoring and managing invasive populations.
• 5.5% of reads were attributed to land-use indicators, including crop and ornamental species.
• The Upper Rhine River is a large river system with challenging logistical conditions, making conventional visual surveys impractical.

Sources:

• Espinosa Prieto, A., et al. "Environmental DNA metabarcoding for catchment-scale detection of aquatic plants, invasive species, and land-use indicators in a large river." Ecological Indicators 178 (2025): 113943, doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113943 (Elsevier).
• NewsRx. "Data on Invasive Species Reported by Researchers at University of Strasbourg (Environmental DNA metabarcoding for catchment-scale detection of aquatic plants, invasive species, and land-use indicators in a large river)." Life Science Weekly. September 9, 2025; p 979.