基于环境DNA与影像技术的卡罗琳海山八放珊瑚多样性研究OACSCD

Octocorals are a group of macrobenthos,key to deep-sea seamount ecosystems and play a crucial role in maintaining deep-sea biodiversity.However,due to technological limitations in traditional deep-sea survey methods,studies on the octocoral diversity in deep-sea seamounts remain insufficient.This study combined environmental DNA(eDNA)metabarcoding with imaging techniques to comprehensively analyze octocoral diversity on the Caro-line Seamount and evaluate the feasibility of eDNA technology in seamount surveys.eDNA analysis detected 65 molecular species and 19 genera,belonging to 11 families and 2 orders.In contrast,imaging techniques identified 29 morphospecies and 9 genera,belonging to 6 families and 2 orders.Both methods detected deep-sea octocoral groups,such as Chrysogorgiidae,Keratoisididae,Primnoidae,and Acanthogorgiidae,common to the tropical West-ern Pacific.They also revealed variations in the community structure and species composition.eDNA technology was more sensitive in detecting cryptic and rare species,whereas imaging methods exhibited greater advantages in quantitative analysis and morphological characterization.This study thus demonstrates that integrating eDNA and imaging techniques can significantly enhance the comprehensiveness and reliability of deep-sea octocoral diversity assessments,providing a new technical approach for deep-sea biodiversity research.