Abstract:

Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology has been applied to efficiently and accurately carry out research works involving species identification and diversity analysis of organisms in polar aquatic ecosystems (such as polar oceans, coastal waters, lakes, and streams). This is of great value for the development of biological resources in polar region, prediction of changes in the balance and stability of global aquatic ecosystems, and research on ecological issues in extreme habitats. In recent years, eDNA technology has developed rapidly, effectively addressing the disadvantages of traditional methods in the study of aquatic ecosystems, and improving the investigation of aquatic animals. This review describes progress in the application of eDNA technology in biodiversity analysis, species identification, population structure analysis, and other ecological research on aquatic organisms such as fish, benthic organisms, plankton, and viruses in polar aquatic environments. As a new biological survey method, eDNA technology can drastically accelerate the updating of modern biodiversity methodologies in the current molecular era, and has infinite prospects in polar aquatic biodiversity research.

Key words: eDNA, polar, water environment, aquatic organism, biodiversity