Applications of Environmental DNA for Fish and Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment
A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity Conservation".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 12
Special Issue Editors
Interests: ecology; fish; eDNA
Interests: aquatic ecosystems; biodiversity; benthic communities; fish fauna; litter decomposition; macroinvertebrates
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis has transformed the detection and monitoring of aquatic biodiversity through non-invasive sampling of water bodies. This Special Issue aims to showcase innovative applications of eDNA for assessing fish diversity alongside other aquatic organisms across diverse environments, including marine, freshwater, and brackish systems. While fish are the key focus, studies exploring broader aquatic communities and their interactions are also welcome. Special attention will be given to cryptic, endemic, and poorly studied species that are often overlooked by traditional survey methods, as well as populations in remote and understudied locations. Additionally, this Special Issue will address the role of eDNA in detecting and monitoring biological invasions. Methodological optimisations and technical advances in eDNA applications will be considered. However, particular emphasis will be placed on studies where eDNA is employed as a tool to answer specific ecological or conservation questions. Aligned with the aims and scope of Diversity, this Special Issue seeks to promote interdisciplinary research that advances our understanding and supports the sustainable monitoring of aquatic ecosystems through the use of eDNA-based biodiversity assessments.
Dr. Cristina Nardi
Dr. Maurizio Pinna
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- eDNA metabarcoding
- targeted eDNA
- aquatic biodiversity
- biological invasions
- biodiversity monitoring
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