Journal of Environmental Biology

Applications and limitations of DNA barcoding in Environmental Biology 

E.M. Hallerman 

 Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States

*Corresponding Author Email : ehallerm@vt.edu

Received: 29.09.2020                                            Revised: 11.12.2020                                                                   Accepted: 25.12.2020

Abstract

Species identification is often difficult, especially for early life-history stages, poorly known species within diverse taxa, and microbes. Molecular genetics has contributed the technique of DNA barcoding, offering a low-tech, potentially high-impact tool for identification of species. After briefly describing a range of applications, this review focus on its use for identification of larval fishes.

Molecular identification of larval fishes would increase knowledge of larval fish ecology, providing insights into reproductive ecology and population dynamics, and contribute to identification and protection of critical habitat. Other applications of environmental interest include identification of species from fecal starting material and forensic investigation. Limiting application of DNA barcoding is the environmental community's unfamiliarity withthe technique and limited development of DNA sequence archives for some taxa.       

Key words: COI, Larval fishes, Molecular scatology, Species identification

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