Changing ecological communities in response to anthropogenic activities and climate change has become a worldwide problem. The eutrophication of waterbodies in freshwater and seawater caused by the effects of human activities and nutrient inputs could result in harmful algae blooms (HABs), decreases water quality, reductions in biodiversity and threats to human health. Rapid and accurate monitoring and assessment of aquatic ecosystems are imperative. Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis using high-throughput sequencing has been demonstrated to be an effective and sensitive assay for detecting and monitoring single or multiple species in different samples. In this study, we review the potential applications of eDNA approaches in controlling and mitigating eutrophication and HABs in freshwater and marine ecosystems. We use recent studies to highlight how eDNA methods have been shown to be a useful tool for providing comprehensive data in studies of eutrophic freshwater and marine environments. We also provide perspectives on using eDNA techniques to reveal molecular mechanisms in biological processes and mitigate eutrophication and HABs in aquatic ecosystems. Finally, we discuss the feasible applications of eDNA for monitoring biodiversity, surveying species communities and providing instructions for the conservation and management of the environment by integration with traditional methods and other advanced techniques.
Keywords: eDNA; eutrophication; freshwater ecosystem; harmful algae blooms; marine ecosystem.