Assessing patterns of metazoans in the global ocean using environmental DNA.

Documenting large-scale patterns of animals in the ocean and determining the drivers of these patterns is needed for conservation efforts given the unprecedented rates of change occurring within marine ecosystems. We used existing datasets from two global expeditions, and , that circumnavigated the oceans and sampled down to 4000 m to assess metazoans from environmental DNA (eDNA) extracted from seawater. We describe patterns of taxonomic richness within metazoan phyla and orders based on metabarcoding and infer the relative abundance of phyla using metagenome datasets, and relate these data to environmental variables.

Dispersal similarly shapes both population genetics and community patterns in the marine realm.

Dispersal plays a key role to connect populations and, if limited, is one of the main processes to maintain and generate regional biodiversity. According to neutral theories of molecular evolution and biodiversity, dispersal limitation of propagules and population stochasticity are integral to shaping both genetic and community structure. We conducted a parallel analysis of biological connectivity at genetic and community levels in marine groups with different dispersal traits.

Plastic debris in the open ocean.

There is a rising concern regarding the accumulation of floating plastic debris in the open ocean. However, the magnitude and the fate of this pollution are still open questions. Using data from the Malaspina 2010 circumnavigation, regional surveys, and previously published reports, we show a worldwide distribution of plastic on the surface of the open ocean, mostly accumulating in the convergence zones of each of the five subtropical gyres with comparable density.