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<p>In order to understand anthropogenic influences on meiofauna communities, molecular approaches based on meaningful reference libraries are, among other methods, an essential tool. As part of the pilot mission “MGF Ostsee” of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM), the first curated DNA barcode libraries for harpacticoid copepods from the Baltic Sea were developed, focusing on the Fehmarn Belt and Oderbank. Using an integrative taxonomy approach, mitochondrial COI and nuclear 18S (V1–V2) gene fragments from 818 individuals were sequenced, 629 of which were morphologically identified to species level. The resulting dataset comprises 141 COI and 136 18S sequences, representing 42 species across 30 genera and 15 families, including 25 species sequenced for the first time. Comparison with public databases revealed significant sequence divergence (19–25%) in six species between North and Baltic Sea populations, indicating mitochondrial lineage separation and possible cryptic speciation. In the majority of these cases, morphological identification from archived North Sea vouchers confirmed species-level assignments, underscoring the importance of voucher access for sequence validation. General Mixed Yule Coalescent species delimitation confirmed greater resolution of COI for species-level identification, while 18S tended to underestimate diversity. These findings emphasize the need for dual-marker approaches and accurate morphological validation. Our library establishes a crucial baseline for ongoing and future metabarcoding-based monitoring of meiofaunal biodiversity in the Baltic Sea, especially under changing management scenarios like the exclusion of mobile bottom trawling.</p>

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Baseline studies on meiofauna in the Baltic Sea before bottom-trawl fisheries exclusion IV. First reference barcode libraries for Baltic harpacticoid copepods (Crustacea) reveal cryptic diversity and deep regional divergence

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月26日

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  • Alexandra Ostmann,
  • Denisse Galarza-Verkovitch,
  • Jana Packmor,
  • Kai Horst George,
  • Pedro Martínez Arbizu,
  • Sahar Khodami

摘要

In order to understand anthropogenic influences on meiofauna communities, molecular approaches based on meaningful reference libraries are, among other methods, an essential tool. As part of the pilot mission “MGF Ostsee” of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM), the first curated DNA barcode libraries for harpacticoid copepods from the Baltic Sea were developed, focusing on the Fehmarn Belt and Oderbank. Using an integrative taxonomy approach, mitochondrial COI and nuclear 18S (V1–V2) gene fragments from 818 individuals were sequenced, 629 of which were morphologically identified to species level. The resulting dataset comprises 141 COI and 136 18S sequences, representing 42 species across 30 genera and 15 families, including 25 species sequenced for the first time. Comparison with public databases revealed significant sequence divergence (19–25%) in six species between North and Baltic Sea populations, indicating mitochondrial lineage separation and possible cryptic speciation. In the majority of these cases, morphological identification from archived North Sea vouchers confirmed species-level assignments, underscoring the importance of voucher access for sequence validation. General Mixed Yule Coalescent species delimitation confirmed greater resolution of COI for species-level identification, while 18S tended to underestimate diversity. These findings emphasize the need for dual-marker approaches and accurate morphological validation. Our library establishes a crucial baseline for ongoing and future metabarcoding-based monitoring of meiofaunal biodiversity in the Baltic Sea, especially under changing management scenarios like the exclusion of mobile bottom trawling.