Silvia LIVI, VARRELLA S., CASTRIOTA L., MAGGIO T., LOMARTIRE M.,
VIVONA P. CORINALDESI C., DELL’ANNO A.
Department for the monitoring and protection of the environment and for the conservation of
biodiversity, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, ISPRA, Italy
E-mail: silvia.livi@isprambiente.it
THE INTEGRATION OF ENVIROMENTAL DNA
METABARCODING IN THE MONITORING PROGRAMMES FOR
DESCRIPTOR 2 OF THE MSFD
Abstract
The environmental concerns associated with the presence of non-indigenous species (NIS) in
marine waters led to the definition of Descriptor 2 in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive
(MSFD). In Italy, the monitoring activities related to Descriptor 2 are carried out by the
Sistema Nazionale Protezione Ambientale (SNPA) in most relevant hotspot areas such as ports
and shellfish plants. Along with traditional monitoring, a new methodological approach
(NISME: NIS identification in Marine Environment) based on environmental DNA (eDNA)
metabarcoding has been developed by the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research
(ISPRA) in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Marche (UNIVPM) to improve NIS
detection. The effectiveness of both molecular and morphological approaches for NIS
surveillance could be compared, allowing the identification of challenges and perspectives of
eDNA metabarcoding as a complementary tool to traditional monitoring.
Key-words: Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Non-indigenous species, environmental
DNA, metabarcoding, Descriptor 2
Introduction
Following the Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848, the evaluation of Good
Environmental Status for D2 within the MSFD is primarily focused on the reduction of
new NIS (non indigenous species) introductions (criterion D2C1). This strategy implies
on one hand the implementation of adequate measures by Member States and on the other
hand, an efficient monitoring network to detect the new NIS introductions. In Italy, the
monitoring activities related to Descriptor 2 of MFSD are carried out every year, since
2015, by the Sistema Nazionale Protezione Ambientale (SNPA) in hotspots areas such as
ports with international traffic and, since 2021, in a few selected shellfish plants. Along
with traditional monitoring, a new methodological approach (NISME: NIS identification
in Marine Environment) based on environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has been
developed by the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) in
collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Marche (UNIVPM) in order to improve
NIS detection in compliance with the MSFD D2 Targets. In the present contribution we
provide preliminary results of NIS identified through eDNA metabarcoding in samples
collected in Trieste harbour (North-western Adriatic Sea) as pilot area.
Materials and methods
With the collaboration of SNPA agencies, water and sediments sampling was carried
out at two stations in Trieste harbour. All samples were collected in the same stations
where traditional sampling for benthos, phytoplankton and zooplankton is routinely
2nd Mediterranean Symposium on the Non-Indigenous Species (Genoa, Italy, 22-23 September 2022)
48
VIVONA P. CORINALDESI C., DELL’ANNO A.
Department for the monitoring and protection of the environment and for the conservation of
biodiversity, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, ISPRA, Italy
E-mail: silvia.livi@isprambiente.it
THE INTEGRATION OF ENVIROMENTAL DNA
METABARCODING IN THE MONITORING PROGRAMMES FOR
DESCRIPTOR 2 OF THE MSFD
Abstract
The environmental concerns associated with the presence of non-indigenous species (NIS) in
marine waters led to the definition of Descriptor 2 in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive
(MSFD). In Italy, the monitoring activities related to Descriptor 2 are carried out by the
Sistema Nazionale Protezione Ambientale (SNPA) in most relevant hotspot areas such as ports
and shellfish plants. Along with traditional monitoring, a new methodological approach
(NISME: NIS identification in Marine Environment) based on environmental DNA (eDNA)
metabarcoding has been developed by the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research
(ISPRA) in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Marche (UNIVPM) to improve NIS
detection. The effectiveness of both molecular and morphological approaches for NIS
surveillance could be compared, allowing the identification of challenges and perspectives of
eDNA metabarcoding as a complementary tool to traditional monitoring.
Key-words: Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Non-indigenous species, environmental
DNA, metabarcoding, Descriptor 2
Introduction
Following the Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848, the evaluation of Good
Environmental Status for D2 within the MSFD is primarily focused on the reduction of
new NIS (non indigenous species) introductions (criterion D2C1). This strategy implies
on one hand the implementation of adequate measures by Member States and on the other
hand, an efficient monitoring network to detect the new NIS introductions. In Italy, the
monitoring activities related to Descriptor 2 of MFSD are carried out every year, since
2015, by the Sistema Nazionale Protezione Ambientale (SNPA) in hotspots areas such as
ports with international traffic and, since 2021, in a few selected shellfish plants. Along
with traditional monitoring, a new methodological approach (NISME: NIS identification
in Marine Environment) based on environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has been
developed by the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) in
collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Marche (UNIVPM) in order to improve
NIS detection in compliance with the MSFD D2 Targets. In the present contribution we
provide preliminary results of NIS identified through eDNA metabarcoding in samples
collected in Trieste harbour (North-western Adriatic Sea) as pilot area.
Materials and methods
With the collaboration of SNPA agencies, water and sediments sampling was carried
out at two stations in Trieste harbour. All samples were collected in the same stations
where traditional sampling for benthos, phytoplankton and zooplankton is routinely
2nd Mediterranean Symposium on the Non-Indigenous Species (Genoa, Italy, 22-23 September 2022)
48