Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals comparable responses to agricultural stressors on different trophic levels of a freshwater community
Molecular Ecology, vol. 31, pp. 1430–1443
Abstract
Freshwater habitats are under stress from agricultural land use, most notably the influx of neonicotinoid pesticides and increased nutrient pressure from fertilizer. Traditional studies investigating the effects of stressors on freshwater systems are often limited to a narrow range of taxa, depending heavily on morphological expertise. Additionally, disentanglement of multiple simultaneous stressors can be difficult in field studies, whereas controlled laboratory conditions do not accurately reflect natural conditions and food webs. To overcome these drawbacks, we investigated the impacts of two agricultural stressors (the neonicotinoid insecticide thiacloprid and fertilizer) in full-factorial design in a semi-natural research site, using environmental DNA sampling to study three different taxonomic groups representing three trophic levels: bacteria (decomposers), phytoplankton (primary producers), and chironomids (consumers). The results show considerable impact of both stressors across trophic levels, with an additive effect of fertilizer and thiacloprid on community composition at all levels. These findings suggest that agricultural stressors affect the entire food web, either directly or through cascade reactions. They are also consistent with morphological assessments that were performed in the same study site, even at a lower number of replicates. The study presented shows that the use of multimarker environmental DNA provides a more comprehensive assessment of stressor impacts across multiple trophic levels, at a higher taxonomic resolution than traditional surveys. Additionally, many putative novel bioindicators for both agricultural stressors were discovered. We encourage further investigations into stressors impacts at different trophic levels, which will lead to more effective monitoring and management of freshwater systems.
Authors 7
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Kevin K. Beentjes corresponding Aachen Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University Leiden the Netherlands Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden The Netherlands
Leiden University · Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden The Netherlands
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S. Henrik Barmentlo Aachen Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
Leiden University · University of Amsterdam
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics University of Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
Institute of Environmental Sciences Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
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Ellen Cieraad Aachen Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
Leiden University · Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Environmental Sciences Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
Nelson‐Marlborough Institute of Technology Nelson New Zealand
Nelson-Marlborough Institute of Technology Nelson New Zealand
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Menno Schilthuizen Aachen Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University Leiden the Netherlands Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden The Netherlands
Leiden University · Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Biology Leiden Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden The Netherlands
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Krijn Baptist Trimbos Aachen Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Environmental Sciences Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
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