Abstract:

Aims: Scientific protection and effective management of wildlife highly rely on baseline data regarding biological resources, and the precision of survey methods directly affects the objectivity and accuracy of resource assessments. Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology has been widely used in monitoring of fish community, but its application in amphibian surveys still remains relatively limited and is mostly focused on detecting specific species. This study takes Hunan Mangshan National Nature Reserve as a case study to evaluate the detection efficiency and accuracy of eDNA technology in amphibian surveys.

Methods: eDNA test samples were collected from 19 water sampling sites within the reserve between July to August 2023. eDNA data were then compared with data collected during the same period using traditional transect survey methods. By calculating α and β diversity, a comprehensive evaluation of the two methods results was conducted.

Results: Both methods detected 34 amphibian species, with 24 species identified by both approaches. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed between the two methods in terms of the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Simpson dominance index, and Pielou evenness index. PCoA and ANOSIM analysis showed significant differences in species composition between the two methods (P < 0.05), potentially influenced by species behavior, sampling location and timing, and environmental disturbances.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that while eDNA technology offers clear advantages in amphibian resource survey, it cannot yet completely replace traditional transect method. It is suggested that eDNA techniques be integrated with traditional approaches to obtain more comprehensive and accurate baseline data on amphibian resources, thereby supporting more informed conservation and management efforts.

Key words: amphibia, species diversity survey, environmental DNA technology, diversity index, Hunan Mangshan National Nature Reserve