Environmental DNA effectively captures functional diversity of coastal fish communities.

Robust assessments of taxonomic and functional diversity are essential components of research programmes aimed at understanding current biodiversity patterns and forecasting trajectories of ecological changes. Yet, evaluating marine biodiversity along its dimensions is challenging and dependent on the power and accuracy of the available data collection methods. Here we combine three traditional survey methodologies (underwater visual census strip transects [UVCt], baited underwater videos [BUV] and small-scale fishery catches [SSFc]), and one novel molecular technique (environmental DNA metabarcoding [eDNA]-12S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 [COI]) to investigate their efficiency and complementarity in assessing fish diversity. We analysed 1,716 multimethod replicates at a basin scale to measure the taxonomic and functional diversity of Mediterranean fish assemblages. Taxonomic identities were investigated at species, genus and family levels. Functional identities were assessed using combinations of morphological, behavioural and trophic traits. We show that: (a) SSFc provided the higher taxonomic diversity estimates followed by eDNA, and then UVCt and BUV; (b) eDNA was the only method able to gather the whole spectrum of considered functional traits, showing the most functionally diversified and least redundant fish assemblages; and (c) the effectiveness of eDNA in describing functional structure reflected its lack of selectivity towards any considered functional trait. Our findings suggest that the reach of eDNA analysis stretches beyond taxon detection efficiency and provides new insights into the potential of metabarcoding in ecological studies

Data from: SNP genotyping elucidates the genetic diversity of Magna Graecia grapevine germplasm and its historical origin and dissemination

Background: Magna Graecia is the ancient name used to label the area of South of Italy extensively populated by Greek colonizers. Archeological and historical evidences identified in this region the oldest winegrowing area in Italy, pointing out its importance in the spread of high specialized viticulture around the Mediterranean Sea shores. In this work, the genetic diversity of Magna Graecia grape germplasm was assessed and its role in the grapevine propagation around the Mediterranean basin was underlined. Results: A large collection of grapevines from Magna Graecia was compared with germplasm from Georgia up to the Iberian Peninsula by using the 18K SNP array. High level of genetic diversity of the analyzed germplasm was pointed out; clustering, structure analysis and DAPC (Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components) highlighted the genetic relationships among genotypes from South of Italy and Eastern Mediterranean Sea (Greece). A gene flow from East (Georgia) to West (Iberian Peninsula) was identified throughout the high number of admixed samples detected. Pedigree analysis showed a complex and well-structured network of first degree relationships, where the cultivars from Magna Graecia were mainly involved. Conclusions: This study provided evidence that Magna Graecia germplasm was shaped by historical events that occurred in the area due to the robust link between South Italian and Greek genotypes. The uniqueness of this ampelographic platform was mainly an outcome of a complex natural or man-driven crosses involving elite cultivars