5 Conclusions
Our study used eDNA macrobarcoding technology to investigate the
distribution and composition of fish communities in subtropical river
systems. eDNA-based fish investigation was as effective as
electrofishing-based investigation in both composition and diversity
analysis. The relative OTU richness (%) at the taxon-specific level
could effectively distinguish the dominance of fish communities. The
composition of fish communities in each spatial zone could be indicated
by local biomarkers, which could identify the specificity of the local
environment in each spatial zone. The response between environmental
factors and genus- and species-level OTU richness was effective enough
to indicate the ecological relationships between the environment and
fish communities. Macrobarcoding-based eDNA technology has great
potential to be used in field monitoring of fishes, and even extend to
invertebrates and the food web.