Biology subjects

Maity, J. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Maity, J. P..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Environmental DNA Metabarcoding Effectively Detects Invasive Species, Pests, and Community Changes in Taiwan Rice Fields

Rice fields represent man-made semi-aquatic wetlands primed for invasive pests. Monitoring rice field biodiversity using conventional methods, however, is time-consuming and laborious. Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods can provide a fast and effective means to monitor rice field communities and inform management decisions. Our study provides proof-of-concept of rice field eDNA biodiversity assessments, with a focus on native and non-native pests across cultivation phases. We collected eDNA samples from locations in southern Taiwan during planting and harvesting, employing eDNA metabarcoding (COI) to detect diverse taxonomic groups. We assigned 77 ASVs across all sites to animal taxa, 34 of which were identified to species. Overall, 18 species were designated as native or non-native (83.3% and 16.6%, respectively), including three major rice pests, Chilo suppressalis (native), Coptotermes formosanus (native), and Pomacea canaliculata (non-native). Cultivation status affected overall diversity, with higher species richness during planting compared to harvesting. No significant differences were observed between native and non-native taxa between cultivation phases. Altogether, we detected a complex environment across trophic levels comprised of both native and non-native agricultural pests using limited sampling effort, demonstrating eDNA analysis as an efficient biomonitoring approach in rice agroecosystems with direct applications for pest, invasive species, and vector surveillance within Taiwan.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

Harnessing Environmental DNA (eDNA) to Explore Frugivorous Interactions: A Case Study in Papaya (Carica papaya) and Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

Plant-animal interactions (PAIs) are critical in ecosystem function, mediating energy flow and species interactions. Traditional methods of tracking PAIs, such as morphological identification and camera trapping, are limited in speed and scalability, posing challenges for comprehensive biodiversity monitoring. Recently, environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has emerged as a promising technique for detecting species interactions non-destructively. This pilot study explores the application of eDNA metabarcoding to investigate interactions involving partially consumed and intact fruits of Carica papaya and Ananas comosus. eDNA metabarcoding were performed from of 36 partially consumed and 6 intact fruit samples. Metabarcoding of mitochondrial COI gene fragments revealed a diverse range of taxa, with Arthropoda, particularly insects, being the most abundant. Results indicated significant differences in taxonomic composition between pineapple and papaya samples, where both the fruit hold some unique as well as shared taxa. Furthermore, the diversity also differed between consumed and intact fruits, suggesting that partially consumed fruits serve as rich eDNA sources, capturing interactions with various frugivores and decomposers. Signal from various organisms detected through eDNA metabarcoding from consumed and damaged fruits allowed us to capture a wide array of taxa, revealing insights into species composition and ecological relationships. The unique ASVs associated with each fruit type suggest that certain taxa may showing preferences based on fruit characteristics such as sugar content, texture, or chemical profile. Present work highlighted the importance of eDNA based methods in unraveling the taxonomic composition of fruit-associated plant-animal interactions. This method needs limited taxonomic expertise, less labors, fast and effective, which can be implemented in monitoring ecological and economical species interactions.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

The unseen invaders: tracking phylogeographic dynamics and genetic diversity of cryptic Pomacea canaliculata and P. maculata (Golden Apple Snails) across Taiwan

The cryptic invasion of golden apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata and P. maculata) in Taiwan has caused significant ecological and economical damage over last few decades, however, their management remains difficult due to inadequate taxonomic identification, complex phylogeny and limited population genetic information. We aim to understand the current distribution, putative population of origin, genetic diversity and potential path of cryptic invasion of Pomacea canaliculata and P. maculata across Taiwan to aid in improved mitigation approaches. The present investigation conducted a nationwide survey with 254 samples collected from 41 locations from 14 counties or cities across Taiwan. We identified P. canaliculata and P. maculata based on mitochondrial COI and compared their genetic diversity across Taiwan, as well as other introduced and native countries (based on publicly available COI data) to understand the possible paths of invasion in Taiwan. Based on mitochondrial COI barcoding, sympatric and heterogeneous distributions of invasive P. canaliculata and P. maculata were noted. Our haplotype analysis and mismatch distribution suggested multiple introductions of P. canaliculata in Taiwan was likely originated directly from Argentina, whereas P. maculata was probably introduced from a single, or a few, introduction event(s) from Argentina and Brazil. Our population genetic data further demonstrated a higher haplotype and genetic diversity for P. canaliculata and P. maculata in Taiwan compared to other introduced regions. Based on our current understanding, the establishment of P. canaliculata and P. maculata is alarming and widespread beyond geopolitical borders, requiring a concerted and expedited national and international invasive species mitigation program.

ecology↗