Biodiversity Determination of the Class Aves in Lake Uyuz Using Environmental DNA Metabarcoding Method in Aquatic Ecosystems
Project Coordinator: Ayşegül Er Gökçe
Project Research Team: Emre Keskin
Supported by : Evolutionary Genetics Laboratory (eGL)
Project Status: Completed (2017 - 2018)
This project aimed to determine the species diversity of birds (Aves) in Uyuz Lake, located in the Central Anatolia Region of Türkiye and classified as an important wetland, using eDNA metabarcoding. To overcome the limitations of traditional observation-based methods and develop a non-invasive biological monitoring approach, eDNA samples obtained from the lake water were analyzed using highly sensitive molecular techniques.
In metabarcoding analysis, highly sensitive species identification was achieved using universal primers that specifically target avian mitochondrial DNA regions. The obtained data were evaluated in terms of species richness, seasonal variation, and the presence of potentially endemic or threatened species. As a result of the research, it was revealed that Lake Uyuz is an important habitat for both local and migratory bird species.
This study demonstrates that environmental DNA-based monitoring methods are an effective tool for the conservation and sustainable management of Aves class biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems, and also highlights the importance of establishing local DNA barcode databases.
