Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41843710›Full record

ArticleMolecular ecology resources2026

Developing and Evaluating Aquatic Passive Sampling of Environmental DNA for Microbial Community Profiling.

Cheng Qian, Gert-Jan Jeunen, Wu Han, Tsz Ying Chan, Yan Jiang, Weiqi Fu, Mathew Seymour

Abstract readEvaluation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular ecology resources, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Cheng QianSchool of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7019-2437
Gert-Jan JeunenSchool of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7458-3550
Wu HanSchool of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5779-4348
Tsz Ying ChanSchool of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8803-6424
Yan JiangState Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Health, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9615-8600
Weiqi FuState Key Laboratory of Ocean Sensing & Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7368-383X
Mathew SeymourSchool of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3654-4857

Funding

Marine Conservation Enhancement Fund MCEF21003
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has transformed biodiversity monitoring across taxa from bacteria to mammals, yet sample collection remains a major bottleneck. Passive sampling via adsorption and entrapment has emerged as a promising alternative to overcome the limitations of conventional active filtration. However, the performance of passive sampling for microbial biodiversity monitoring remains unknown. Here, we developed passive sampling-based microbial community profiling by testing five submersion times and three common eDNA extraction methods in mesocosms, and comprehensively evaluated it by comparing results with active filtration in estuarine and coastal environments. We found that passive sampling for 24 h with enzymatic extraction yielded significantly more eDNA and higher biodiversity than shorter durations and mechanical extractions. Passive sampling consistently outperformed active filtration at every field site, with average increases of >100% in eDNA yields and >50% in taxonomic and phylogenetic diversities. Additionally, active filtration and passive sampling yielded significantly different prokaryotic and microeukaryotic community compositions, driven primarily by turnover rather than nestedness (on average 4-fold larger), implying that passive sampling is better suited for spatiotemporal detection than active filtration. Passive sampling showed greater sensitivity in identifying key environmental factors (3 vs. 2) and potential environmental bioindicators (40 vs. 20) compared with active filtration. Overall, this study establishes an efficient and practical passive sampling method for microbial biodiversity monitoring and environmental assessment in aquatic environments.

Indexed as

BiotaDNA, EnvironmentalMetagenomicsSpecimen HandlingBacteriaBiodiversityExtrachromosomal DNAFiltrationDNA, EnvironmentalExtrachromosomal DNAbiodiversityeDNAHong KongmetabarcodingmultitrophicqPCR

Identifiers

PMID41843710
PMCPMC12994876

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.