Hello,

I am currently working on marine benthos in Mediterranean habitats. From what I have read in the literature, eDNA may be obtained via samples of seawater, sediment or benthic epifauna's living tissues (not eDNA for living tissues, more like microbiome's DNA). As the sampled habitat is difficult to access, I have to plan my sampling strategy with the least amount of dives. Which kind of samples type is the most suitable for eDNA meta genomic analysis? Are preservation protocols different depending on the sampled material (99% ethanol or DMSO)? If so, could someone recommend me references? At last and sorry for the wall of text, are preservation protocols different depending on the targeted species (prokaryotic/eukaryotic species)?

Thank you for reading it and good research.