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Using environmental DNA metabarcoding to reveal fish biodiversity in marine ecosystems of South Africa

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Czachur, Molly Victoria
Other Authors: Von der Heyden, Sophie
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2022
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access_status_str Open Access
author Czachur, Molly Victoria
author2 Von der Heyden, Sophie
author_browse Czachur, Molly Victoria
Von der Heyden, Sophie
author_facet Von der Heyden, Sophie
Czachur, Molly Victoria
author_sort Czachur, Molly Victoria
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/125069
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:47:03.084Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2022
publishDateRange 2022
publishDateSort 2022
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/125069 Using environmental DNA metabarcoding to reveal fish biodiversity in marine ecosystems of South Africa Czachur, Molly Victoria Von der Heyden, Sophie Creer, Simon Seymour, Mat Carvalho, Gary Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Botany and Zoology. Biodiversity -- South Africa Marine biodiversity -- Indian Ocean Fishes -- South Africa -- Geographical distribution Fishes -- Habitat -- South Africa Environmental DNA Metabarcoding Marine ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Atlantic Coast UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: South Africa is the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, where marine biodiversity thrives, and coastlines range from cool-temperate to tropical climates. This dynamic oceanographic regime supports over 2,000 fishes that utilise a range of habitat types, including seagrass meadows, mangrove and kelp forests, coral reefs and rocky and sandy shores. Here we describe the fish biodiversity of these coastal habitats using a metabarcoding method that, when compared with traditional methods, provides rapid species lists with reduced bias and less reliance on taxonomic expertise. Results: We applied an aquatic environmental DNA metabarcoding approach for describing the distribution of South African coastal fishes. Extensive troubleshooting and method optimisation led to a biomonitoring method that encompassed multiple coastal habitat types and allowed for large-scale datasets to be generated with a seasonal component. We have established the baseline knowledge for eDNA-based fish distribution in the region, with trends reflecting known patterns of fish biodiversity. Significance: It has been demonstrated that eDNA metabarcoding is a useful biomonitoring tool for South African coastal fishes, proving successful across large spatial scales with the use of a single method that is inclusive of different coastal habitat types and climates, and across varying levels of coastal development and marine protection. This data is a stepping-stone to producing more rapid coastal fish datasets, and an important layer for evidence-based marine spatial planning in the future. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Suid-Afrika is die ontmoetingspunt van die Atlantiese en Indiese Oseaan, waar mariene biodiversiteit floreer, en kuslyne wissel van koel-gematigde tot tropiese klimate. Hierdie dinamiese oseanografiese stelsel ondersteun meer as 2 000 vis spesies wat 'n verskeidenheid habitatte gebruik, insluitend seegrasweie, mangrovewoude en rotsagtige en sandstrande. Hier beskryf ons die -biodiversiteit van die kushabitat met behulp van 'n meta- strepieskoderingsmetode wat, in vergelyking met tradisionele metodes, vinnige spesielyste bied met verminderde vooroordeel en minder afhanklikheid van taksonomiese kundigheid. Resultate: Ons het 'n water-eDNS -meta-strepieskodering -benadering toegepas om die verspreiding van Suid -Afrikaanse kusvisse te beskryf. Uitgebreide probleemoplossing en metodeoptimalisering het gelei tot 'n biomoniteringsmetode wat verskeie tipes kushabitat insluit en grootskaalse datastelle met 'n seisoenale komponent gegenereer het. Ons het die basiskennis vir eDNS-gebaseerde visverspreiding in die streek gevestig, met neigings wat bekende patrone van visdiversiteit weerspieël. Betekenis: Ons het getoon dat eDNA -meta- strepieskodering 'n nuttige biomonitoringsinstrument is vir Suid -Afrikaanse kusvisse, wat oor groot ruimtelike skale suksesvol blyk te wees met die gebruik van 'n enkele metode. Wat ook verskillende tipes en klimate van die kus insluit, en op verskillende vlakke van kusontwikkeling en mariene beskerming toegapas kan word. Hierdie gegewens is 'n wegspringblok vir die totstandkoming van vinnige kusvisdatastelle en 'n belangrike komponent vir bewys-gebaseerde mariene ruimtelike beplanning in die toekoms. Doctorate 2022-03-07T06:29:09Z 2022-04-29T12:52:38Z 2023-03-31T03:00:13Z 2022-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/125069 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xvii, 119 pages : illustrations (some color), maps application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Biodiversity -- South Africa
Marine biodiversity -- Indian Ocean
Fishes -- South Africa -- Geographical distribution
Fishes -- Habitat -- South Africa
Environmental DNA
Metabarcoding
Marine ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Atlantic Coast
UCTD
Czachur, Molly Victoria
Using environmental DNA metabarcoding to reveal fish biodiversity in marine ecosystems of South Africa
title Using environmental DNA metabarcoding to reveal fish biodiversity in marine ecosystems of South Africa
title_full Using environmental DNA metabarcoding to reveal fish biodiversity in marine ecosystems of South Africa
title_fullStr Using environmental DNA metabarcoding to reveal fish biodiversity in marine ecosystems of South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Using environmental DNA metabarcoding to reveal fish biodiversity in marine ecosystems of South Africa
title_short Using environmental DNA metabarcoding to reveal fish biodiversity in marine ecosystems of South Africa
title_sort using environmental dna metabarcoding to reveal fish biodiversity in marine ecosystems of south africa
topic Biodiversity -- South Africa
Marine biodiversity -- Indian Ocean
Fishes -- South Africa -- Geographical distribution
Fishes -- Habitat -- South Africa
Environmental DNA
Metabarcoding
Marine ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Atlantic Coast
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/125069
work_keys_str_mv AT czachurmollyvictoria usingenvironmentaldnametabarcodingtorevealfishbiodiversityinmarineecosystemsofsouthafrica