Open AccessAn analysis of metadata reporting in freshwater environmental DNA research calls for the development of best practice guidelines
Author(s) -
Nicholson Andrew,
McIsaac Daniel,
MacDonald Caitlin,
Gec Peter,
Mason B. Eric,
Rein William,
Wrobel Jordan,
Boer Mats,
MiliánGarcía Yoamel,
Hanner Robert H.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
environmental dna
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2637-4943
DOI - 10.1002/edn3.81
Subject(s) - metadata , rubric , environmental dna , data science , sampling (signal processing) , set (abstract data type) , computer science , scale (ratio) , information retrieval , data mining , biology , ecology , geography , world wide web , biodiversity , psychology , cartography , filter (signal processing) , mathematics education , computer vision , programming language
As environmental DNA (eDNA) becomes more widely used in research, it becomes increasingly important to have a standard set of reporting guidelines for metadata. The unique properties of eDNA combined with the physical characteristics of the surrounding environment produce highly varied sampling conditions which can influence how an organism is detected. There are also various ways of quantifying and identifying species using eDNA, from sampling and filtering methods to extraction and genetic analysis. It is important to report sufficient metadata to account for this variability and allow for replication of the study. We conducted a systematic review of 160 eDNA studies to determine which data are reported and to assess whether these studies can be replicated. Focusing solely on freshwater studies, we developed a rubric to evaluate each study on 53 criteria based on previous analyses of eDNA research. We found a trend in the data suggesting better reporting at a broad scale, and decreased reporting as categories become more specific. Many of the metrics found to be insufficiently reported are essential to replicability. Our goal is to identify gaps in metadata reporting and develop a framework for developing standard reporting guidelines for eDNA studies.