Simultaneous detection of native and invasive crayfish and Aphanomyces astaci from environmental DNA samples in a wide range of habitats in Central Europe
Crayfish of North American origin are amongst the most prominent high-impact invasive invertebrates in European freshwaters. They contribute to the decline of European native crayfish species by spreading the pathogen causing crayfish plague, the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci. In this study we validat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Pensoft Publishers
2020-06-01
|
| Series: | NeoBiota |
| Online Access: | https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/49358/download/pdf/ |
| _version_ | 1811264203641585664 |
|---|---|
| author | Johannes C. Rusch Michaela Mojžišová David A. Strand Jitka Svobodová Trude Vrålstad Adam Petrusek |
| author_facet | Johannes C. Rusch Michaela Mojžišová David A. Strand Jitka Svobodová Trude Vrålstad Adam Petrusek |
| author_sort | Johannes C. Rusch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Crayfish of North American origin are amongst the most prominent high-impact invasive invertebrates in European freshwaters. They contribute to the decline of European native crayfish species by spreading the pathogen causing crayfish plague, the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci. In this study we validated the specificity of four quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays, either published or newly developed, usable for environmental DNA (eDNA) screening for widely distributed native and non-native crayfish present in Central Europe: Astacus astacus, Pacifastacus leniusculus, Faxonius limosus and Procambarus virginalis. We then conducted an eDNA monitoring survey of these crayfish as well as the crayfish plague pathogen in a wide variety of habitat types representative for Central and Western Europe. The specificity of qPCR assays was validated against an extensive collection of crayfish DNA isolates, containing most crayfish species documented from European waters. The three assays developed in this study were sufficiently species-specific, but the published assay for F. limosus displayed a weak cross-reaction with multiple other crayfish species of the family Cambaridae. In the field study, we infrequently detected eDNA of A. astaci together with the three non-native crayfish species under examination. We never detected eDNA from A. astaci together with native crayfish, but in a few locations eDNA from both native and non-native crayfish was captured, due either to passive transport of eDNA from upstream populations or co-existence in the absence of infected crayfish carriers of A. astaci. In the study, we evaluated a robust, easy-to-use and low-cost version of the eDNA sampling equipment, based mostly on items readily available in garden stores and hobby markets, for filtering relatively large (~5 l) water samples. It performed just as well as the far more expensive equipment industrially designed for eDNA water sampling, thus opening the possibility of collecting suitable eDNA samples to a wide range of stakeholders. Overall, our study confirms that eDNA-based screening for crayfish and their associated pathogen is a feasible alternative to traditional monitoring. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:58:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6914ea75e909435fab99909c7216a684 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1314-2488 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:58:58Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Pensoft Publishers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeoBiota |
| spelling | doaj.art-6914ea75e909435fab99909c7216a6842022-12-22T03:18:35ZengPensoft PublishersNeoBiota1314-24882020-06-015813210.3897/neobiota.58.4935849358Simultaneous detection of native and invasive crayfish and Aphanomyces astaci from environmental DNA samples in a wide range of habitats in Central EuropeJohannes C. Rusch0Michaela Mojžišová1David A. Strand2Jitka Svobodová3Trude Vrålstad4Adam Petrusek5University of OsloCharles UniversityNorwegian Veterinary InstituteT. G. Masaryk Water Research InstituteNorwegian Veterinary InstituteCharles UniversityCrayfish of North American origin are amongst the most prominent high-impact invasive invertebrates in European freshwaters. They contribute to the decline of European native crayfish species by spreading the pathogen causing crayfish plague, the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci. In this study we validated the specificity of four quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays, either published or newly developed, usable for environmental DNA (eDNA) screening for widely distributed native and non-native crayfish present in Central Europe: Astacus astacus, Pacifastacus leniusculus, Faxonius limosus and Procambarus virginalis. We then conducted an eDNA monitoring survey of these crayfish as well as the crayfish plague pathogen in a wide variety of habitat types representative for Central and Western Europe. The specificity of qPCR assays was validated against an extensive collection of crayfish DNA isolates, containing most crayfish species documented from European waters. The three assays developed in this study were sufficiently species-specific, but the published assay for F. limosus displayed a weak cross-reaction with multiple other crayfish species of the family Cambaridae. In the field study, we infrequently detected eDNA of A. astaci together with the three non-native crayfish species under examination. We never detected eDNA from A. astaci together with native crayfish, but in a few locations eDNA from both native and non-native crayfish was captured, due either to passive transport of eDNA from upstream populations or co-existence in the absence of infected crayfish carriers of A. astaci. In the study, we evaluated a robust, easy-to-use and low-cost version of the eDNA sampling equipment, based mostly on items readily available in garden stores and hobby markets, for filtering relatively large (~5 l) water samples. It performed just as well as the far more expensive equipment industrially designed for eDNA water sampling, thus opening the possibility of collecting suitable eDNA samples to a wide range of stakeholders. Overall, our study confirms that eDNA-based screening for crayfish and their associated pathogen is a feasible alternative to traditional monitoring.https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/49358/download/pdf/ |
| spellingShingle | Johannes C. Rusch Michaela Mojžišová David A. Strand Jitka Svobodová Trude Vrålstad Adam Petrusek Simultaneous detection of native and invasive crayfish and Aphanomyces astaci from environmental DNA samples in a wide range of habitats in Central Europe NeoBiota |
| title | Simultaneous detection of native and invasive crayfish and Aphanomyces astaci from environmental DNA samples in a wide range of habitats in Central Europe |
| title_full | Simultaneous detection of native and invasive crayfish and Aphanomyces astaci from environmental DNA samples in a wide range of habitats in Central Europe |
| title_fullStr | Simultaneous detection of native and invasive crayfish and Aphanomyces astaci from environmental DNA samples in a wide range of habitats in Central Europe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Simultaneous detection of native and invasive crayfish and Aphanomyces astaci from environmental DNA samples in a wide range of habitats in Central Europe |
| title_short | Simultaneous detection of native and invasive crayfish and Aphanomyces astaci from environmental DNA samples in a wide range of habitats in Central Europe |
| title_sort | simultaneous detection of native and invasive crayfish and aphanomyces astaci from environmental dna samples in a wide range of habitats in central europe |
| url | https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/49358/download/pdf/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johannescrusch simultaneousdetectionofnativeandinvasivecrayfishandaphanomycesastacifromenvironmentaldnasamplesinawiderangeofhabitatsincentraleurope AT michaelamojzisova simultaneousdetectionofnativeandinvasivecrayfishandaphanomycesastacifromenvironmentaldnasamplesinawiderangeofhabitatsincentraleurope AT davidastrand simultaneousdetectionofnativeandinvasivecrayfishandaphanomycesastacifromenvironmentaldnasamplesinawiderangeofhabitatsincentraleurope AT jitkasvobodova simultaneousdetectionofnativeandinvasivecrayfishandaphanomycesastacifromenvironmentaldnasamplesinawiderangeofhabitatsincentraleurope AT trudevralstad simultaneousdetectionofnativeandinvasivecrayfishandaphanomycesastacifromenvironmentaldnasamplesinawiderangeofhabitatsincentraleurope AT adampetrusek simultaneousdetectionofnativeandinvasivecrayfishandaphanomycesastacifromenvironmentaldnasamplesinawiderangeofhabitatsincentraleurope |