Temporal and spatial variability in mudflat and mangrove foraminiferal eDNA communities in subtropical environments and their implication for sea-level reconstruction
A two-year monitoring study reveals high stability in mangrove foraminiferal eDNA relative to mudflats, indicating mangrove zones provide reliable proxies for sea-level reconstruction.
Key Points
To assess the temporal and spatial stability of intertidal foraminiferal eDNA communities across varying tidal elevations and evaluate their reliability for relative sea-level reconstruction.
Conducted a 2-year monitoring program across three stations of differing tidal elevations in Hong Kong.
Sampled foraminiferal eDNA across alternating wet and dry seasons within mangrove and mudflat environments.
Mangrove eDNA-based elevation models consistently matched observed elevations within 95% credible intervals, while mudflat samples displayed an overprediction bias during wet seasons due to exogenous eDNA influx.