Comparing qPCR and eDNA-metabarcoding for detection of elusive lampreys

Abstract

In this study I compared the detection sensitivity of qPCR and DNA-metabarcoding for lamprey in 45 locations, with two samples collected from each location. I compared if the samples were positive or negative for lamprey DNA within each method, and then compared the result from both methods to investigate presence and absence of lamprey for each location. The results suggest that both methods can detect lamprey, and the results from both methods show a similar spatial distribution for lampreys.