Harnessing Environmental DNA Metabarcoding for the Detection and Mapping of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea

A total of seven VME Indicator (VMEI) taxa were detected. A Joint Species Distribution Model (JSDM), using Hierarchical Modelling of Species Communities (HMSC), was used to investigate possible relationships between VMEI taxa and environmental covariates. Predicted distribution patterns of VMEI taxa were used to calculate a richness-weighted VME index.

Taxon richness was highest at sites with high VME Index values. These findings demonstrate the potential of eDNA metabarcoding to effectively map the distribution of VMEI taxa, identify key environmental drivers influencing their occurrence and assess overall ecosystem vulnerability. We argue that an integration of eDNA-based approaches with traditional fisheries surveys could significantly enhance biodiversity assessments and improve conservation strategies in data-limited marine environments.