eDNA-based survey of the marine vertebrate biodiversity off the west coast of Guadeloupe (French West Indies)

Biodivers Data J. 2024 Jun 21:12:e125348. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e125348. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Background: In the marine environment, knowledge of biodiversity remains incomplete for many taxa, requiring assessments to understand and monitor biodiversity loss. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is a powerful tool for monitoring marine biodiversity, as it enables several taxa to be characterised simultaneously in a single sample. However, the data generated by environmental DNA metabarcoding are often not easily reusable. Implementing FAIR principles and standards for eDNA-derived data can facilitate data-sharing within the scientific community.

New information: This study focuses on the detection of marine vertebrate biodiversity using eDNA metabarcoding on the leeward coast of Guadeloupe, a known hotspot for marine biodiversity in the French West Indies. Occurrences and DNA-derived data are shared here using DarwinCore standards combined with MIMARKS standards.

Keywords: 12S mitochondrial ribosomal RNA; West Indies; environmental-DNA; fish; marine mammals; metabarcoding; temporal variations.