DNA metabarcoding for environmental biodiversity evaluation

Abstract

The decline of biodiversity and aquatic ecosystem functioning is triggered by human activities that generate pollution, habitat degradation, flow modification, overexploitation and the spread of invasive species as well as climate change. Various legislation documents were globally adopted, including the Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC) at the European level, to reduce the degradation of aquatic ecosystems. The WFD has confirmed that the focal point of ecosystem integrity should be based on its biology rather than its chemical and physical characteristics.