Pest Alert Tool

Pest Alert Tool screens eDNA metabarcoding datasets to identify and flag marine non-indigenous, notifiable, and other species of concern in New Zealand marine environments.

Key Features:

• Targeted screening: Screens nuclear small subunit 18S ribosomal RNA and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) metabarcoding datasets for detection of marine non-indigenous, unwanted, and notifiable organisms in New Zealand marine environments.
• High-throughput sequencing (HTS) compatibility: Operates on eDNA metabarcoding data generated by HTS technologies.
• Data filtering options: Provides customizable filters based on minimum query sequence length and identity match criteria for precise sequence-level identification.
• Phylogenetic verification: Generates phylogenetic trees for putative matches using the National Center for Biotechnology Information's BLAST Tree View tool to support taxonomic verification.
• Biodiversity records output: Produces detailed biodiversity records derived from sampling-site metabarcoding data.

Scientific Applications:

• Biodiversity assessments: Enables detection and monitoring of taxa to support spatial and temporal biodiversity analyses.
• Incidental detection and biosecurity: Facilitates identification of non-indigenous and pathogenic organisms relevant to invasive species management and notifiable organism reporting.
• Ecological monitoring: Supports ongoing monitoring of marine environmental change using eDNA metabarcoding data.

Methodology:

Processes eDNA metabarcoding datasets (nuclear 18S rRNA and mitochondrial COI), applies filters based on minimum query sequence length and identity match criteria, and generates phylogenetic trees via the National Center for Biotechnology Information's BLAST Tree View tool; designed for input from high-throughput sequencing (HTS) data.