The efficacy of DNA sequencing on samples of terrestrial invertebrates 2018/2019.
Abstract
This publication reports on the accuracy of DNA species identification for invertebrates, and investigates also on the reliability of the BOLD database for undertaking invertebrate identification and whether abundance can be inferred as a part of DNA sequencing. Included in the report are the methods and results of metabarcoding as compared to traditional techniques (including a comparison of turnaround time and cost)as well as recommendations for future work in line with the pros and cons of the two methods. Overall, this report is focused on the DNA element of the work, with a separate report by the Natural England (NE) Field Unit discussing the invertebrates found through the field work.