USING ENVIRONMENTAL DNA (EDNA) FOR BIODIVERSITY MONITORING IN ENDANGERED AMPHIBIANS

Abstract

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis has emerged as a transformative approach for biodiversity monitoring, particularly for endangered amphibians facing global population declines. This study investigated the efficacy of eDNA-based methodologies across multiple freshwater habitats to detect amphibian presence, assess biodiversity patterns, and evaluate environmental parameters influencing detection success. Our multi-site analysis revealed that eDNA offers superior sensitivity in detecting rare and cryptic amphibian species compared to traditional visual encounter methods. From single water samples, multiple species were reliably identified, with consistent detection across technical replicates, reinforcing the method’s reproducibility. DNA concentration levels correlated positively with moderate water temperatures and near-neutral pH values, indicating optimal detection windows. Spatial analyses demonstrated higher species richness in shaded, less disturbed wetland sites, while primer evaluation identified the mitochondrial 16S rRNA marker as the most effective for broad taxonomic resolution. Higher concentrations of peony dormant buds were seen in the spring and progressed into early summer. Adding eDNA records together with environmental metadata and earlier studies proved the current locations of species and found new locality information. Throughout the study, several figures and tables summarize changes in eDNA signal, number of species and variable factors in different habitats. The results show that monitoring amphibians with eDNA is strong, reliable, non-damaging and highly suitable for conservation planning that involves looking carefully at biodiversity. For eDNA to be used to its utmost in conservation science, standardized procedures in sampling and analysis, plus larger databases and more citizen science, are required.