Meeting Abstract
Artificial sampling units (ASUs) allow for standardized sampling in the hard-bottom marine benthic environment, an area that is difficult to access for ecological studies. We deployed ASUs in 7 regional seas (the Baltic, Adriatic, Black, and Red Seas, the English Channel, the Bay of Biscay, and the Gulf of Lions) at a depth of 10-15 m for 12-14 months to measure the diversity and community composition of macroinvertebrates within and among sites. 3 sites were used per region, with 3 replicates per site. We identified invertebrates to the class level using traditional taxonomy, and used COI metabarcoding to identify to the lowest possible level. We compared community composition and diversity metrics using both kinds of data. All seas were significantly different in composition, though metabarcoding provided stronger separation among groups than traditional taxonomy. The Black Sea showed notably low diversity relative to other seas using both data types. Although metabarcoding of ASUs allowed for robust comparisons of community composition, comparisons with taxonomy showed that not all groups were sequenced successfully (e.g. mussels). The use of both methods in conjunction is therefore currently a better technique for marine monitoring of these groups than either of them separately when using ASUs.
