Composition, structure, and distribution of ichthyofauna in the coastal islands of São Paulo using environmental DNA

• Grant number: 25/01448-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Applied Zoology
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Rodrigues Domingues
• Grantee: Gabriela Maria do Carmo Santana
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/10201-0 - Marine biodiversity: an exploration of São Paulo coastal islands using environmental DNA metabarcoding, AP.BTA.JP

Abstract

Biological diversity is a property of ecosystems that has received increasing attention in recent years, primarily because biodiversity loss is one of the most critical environmental issues today. Specifically, marine biodiversity can undergo rapid changes due to anthropogenic influences such as fishing, habitat loss, the introduction of invasive species, and oil and gas exploitation. To accumulate data that can support future biodiversity monitoring, particularly in depauperate populations and ecosystems, the development of techniques that minimize the risk of injury or even death of animals is imperative, allowing for species identification in specific ecosystems. Biodiversity surveys using DNA from environmental samples are known as environmental DNA (eDNA). This method can detect traces of genetic material released into the sea through feces, gametes, skin, and decaying carcasses from various organisms. Environmental DNA can be amplified, sequenced, and used to identify the species of origin using second-generation sequencing techniques (NGS), such as metabarcoding-a fast and efficient method for assessing species richness in a natural community. However, this technique has yet to be applied in the marine environment of Brazil. Thus, this pioneering project aims to fill gaps in the knowledge of the fish diversity in both protected and unprotected marine areas of the State of São Paulo, including the Laje de Santos Marine Park, Alcatrazes Archipelago, Queimada Grande Island, and Búzios Island. Specifically, water samples will be collected from these islands to improve understanding of the composition, distribution, and structure of fish. Therefore, this project will provide crucial and much-needed information on fish diversity, which will be disseminated to both scientists and public managers, contributing to better conservation management actions for the marine environment. (AU)