Barcoding Brazilian mammals to monitor biological diversity and threats: Trends, perspectives, and knowledge gaps

• Published in: Environmental research 2024-10, Vol.258, p.119374, Article 119374
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Hernani Fernandes Magalhães, Freire-Jr, Geraldo Brito, Silva, Daiana Cardoso, Mata, Vanessa Alves, Abra, Fernanda Delborgo, Camargo, Nícholas Ferreira de, Araujo Goebel, L.G., Longo, Gabriela Rodrigues, Silva, Joaquim Manoel, Colli, Guarino Rinaldi, Domingos, Fabricius Maia Chaves Bicalho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amazonia; biodiversity; Biomonitoring; Brazil; Conservation; DNA barcoding; Environmental DNA; environmental monitoring; Lagomorpha; Mammalia; mammals; Neotropics; probability; species
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119374

DNA barcoding and environmental DNA (eDNA) represent significant advances for biomonitoring the world's biodiversity and its threats. However, these methods are highly dependent on the presence of species sequences on molecular databases. Brazil is one of the world's largest and most biologically diverse countries. However, many knowledge gaps still exist for describing, identifying, and monitoring of mammalian biodiversity using molecular methods. We aimed to unravel the patterns of the presence of Brazilian mammal species on molecular databases to improve our understanding of how effectively it would be to monitor them using DNA barcoding and environmental DNA, and contribute to mammalian conservation. We foundt many gaps in molecular databases, with many taxa being poorly represented, particularly from Amazonia, the order Lagomorpha, and arboreal, gomivorous, near extinct, and illegally traded species. Moreover, our analyses revealed that species description year was the most important factor determining the probability of a species to being sequenced. Primates are the group with the highest number of species considered a priority for sequencing due to their high level of combined threats. We highlight where investments are needed to fill knowledge gaps and increase the representativity of species on molecular databases to enable a better monitoring ability of Brazilian mammals encompassing different traits using DNA barcoding and environmental DNA. •Only 62.19% of Brazilian mammal spp. have COI sequences on BOLD.•The Amazon Forest had the highest proportion of missing species sequences.•Description year and IUCN category best predict species sequenced for COI.•Forty five Brazilian mammal species have been listed as priorities to be sequenced.