Environmental DNA metabarcoding decodes biodiversity restoration via artificial reefs: a case study of Xiaoheishan Island in Bohai Sea, China

Zhipeng ZHANG; Jingjing SONG; Feifei QIN; Kaikai LIU; Yanjie WEI; Qirang SHI; Mingqi WANG; Yongshun JIANG

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Environmental DNA metabarcoding decodes biodiversity restoration via artificial reefs: a case study of Xiaoheishan Island in Bohai Sea, China

Updated：2026-07-27

- Environmental DNA metabarcoding decodes biodiversity restoration via artificial reefs: a case study of Xiaoheishan Island in Bohai Sea, China
- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Pages: 1-15(2026)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection Technology on Water Transport, Tianjin Research Institute for Water Transport Engineering, Ministry of Transport, Tianjin 300456, China
  2.Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Intelligent Marine Ranching, Marine Science Research Institute of Shandong Province, Qingdao 266104, China
  3.Marine Science and Technology College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266000, China
- Author bio：
  
  wangmingqi1991@163.com
  jys@qau.edu.cn
- Funds：
- DOI：
  CLC：
- Received：03 September 2025，
  
  Online First：27 July 2026，
- Accepted：
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ZHANG Zhipeng,SONG Jingjing,QIN Feifei,et al.Environmental DNA metabarcoding decodes biodiversity restoration via artificial reefs: a case study of Xiaoheishan Island in Bohai Sea, China[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,
DOI：

ZHANG Zhipeng,SONG Jingjing,QIN Feifei,et al.Environmental DNA metabarcoding decodes biodiversity restoration via artificial reefs: a case study of Xiaoheishan Island in Bohai Sea, China[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, DOI：.

摘要

Abstract

This study surveyed the Xiaoheishan Island artificial reef area in China’s Bohai Sea (deployed in 2014) through year-round ecological surveys conducted in 2023. Using environmental DNA metabarcoding technology

we systematically studied the ecological restoration effects and underlying mechanisms of the artificial reef area. The results revealed 91 genetically identified fish species in the artificial reef area

compared to 87 species in the control area

indicating that artificial reefs play a positive role in restoring biodiversity. Principal Component Analysis demonstrated significant seasonal and spatial differences in biological distribution between the artificial reef and control areas (

0.05). Specifically

the artificial reef area is dominated by small demersal rock-associated fishes such as Gobiidae

Scorpaeniformes

Lateolabrax

japonicus

and

Hexagrammos

otakii

; in contrast

the control area features predominantly pelagic and soft-bottom species including

Liza

haematocheila

Engraulis

japonicus

Mugil

cephalus

Paralichthys

olivaceus

and

Scomberomorus

niphonius

. By Canonical Correspondence Analysis

we propose that seasonal migration driven by water temperature and species’ life-history strategies promote habitat partitioning between the artificial reef and control areas

which in turn influences the distribution of dissolved oxygen and NH

https://html.publish.founderss.cn/rc-pub/api/common/picture?pictureId=114005459&type=

https://html.publish.founderss.cn/rc-pub/api/common/picture?pictureId=114005449&type=

1.18533325

4.48733330

in the water. Through the correlation analyses

it is found that although chlorophyll levels were higher in control area

the category and diversity indices of plankton showed marked declines compared to the artificial reef area. We believe that

compared to control areas

artificial reefs can increase the biodiversity of smaller organisms but cannot support large predators and higher biomass.

关键词

Keywords

references

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