Trends in Ecology & Evolution
ReviewDNA barcodes for ecology, evolution, and conservation
Section snippets
DNA barcodes: what, why, and how
In reference to the universal coded labels found on commercial products, the term ‘DNA barcode’ is now commonly applied by biologists to a standardized short sequence of DNA that can be recovered and characterized as a unique identification marker for all species on the planet [1] (see Glossary). For many users of DNA barcodes, identification of an unknown sample by correctly matching a specific genetic marker to a reference sequence library is the primary goal (Box 1). However, DNA barcodes
Taxonomy, systematics, and species discovery
A primary goal of evolutionary biologists and ecologists is to understand the origin of species and the factors causing the disparity in species richness in different biomes across the globe. In many cases, the full diversity of species in a given region is still unknown, especially in the most biodiverse habitats [16]. DNA barcodes have been particularly useful in the discovery of cryptic and previously unrecognized species of animals [17]. For insects, it has been demonstrated that new
Concluding remarks and future contributions of DNA barcodes
Here, we have focused mainly on the basic scientific applications of DNA barcodes to increase our understanding of species relations and boundaries, community ecological processes and networks, and the assessment of biodiversity for effective conservation. In addition, the forensic use of DNA barcodes for identification of endangered species and commercially useful plants and animals is being expanded by local, state, and national governments. DNA barcodes are proving useful as evidence in
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Susanne Renner and two anonymous reviewers of this manuscript for their constructive suggestions. Authors were supported by grants from the NSF-RCN program for ‘Tropical Forests in a Changing World’ (Award ID: 0741956) to D. McClearn, the Smithsonian Institution Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, Global Earth Observatories Program, and the Office of the Under Secretary for Science, and the National Geographic/Waitt Institute Grant (W149-11) to C.G-R. M.U. acknowledges support
Glossary
- Alpha and beta species diversity
- alpha diversity is calculated as the total species diversity in any single site or unit. Beta diversity quantifies site-to-site variability in community composition.
- Community assembly
- ecological communities are created through the arrival, reproduction, and local extinction of individual species. Community assembly processes drive colonization and extinction dynamics, and range from entirely stochastic to entirely deterministic (e.g., competition or environmental
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