Interspecific allometric scaling in <scp>eDNA</scp> production among northwestern Atlantic bony fishes reflects physiological allometric scaling

Relating environmental DNA (eDNA) signal strength to organism abundance requires a fundamental understanding of eDNA production. A number studies have demonstrated that production may scale allometrically—that is, larger organisms tend exhibit lower mass-specific rates, likely due allometric scaling in key processes related (e.g., surface area, excretion/egestion). While most previous examined intraspecific allometry, physiological rates and area also allometrically across species. We therefore hypothesize will similarly interspecific scaling. To evaluate this hypothesis, we reanalyzed previously published data from Stoeckle et al. (ICES Journal Marine Science, 78(1), 293–304, 2021) which compared metabarcoding read count biomass obtained trawl surveys off the New Jersey coast. Using Bayesian model, empirically estimated value coefficient (“b”) for Northwestern Atlantic bony fishes be 0.77 (credible interval = 0.64–0.92), although our model failed converge Chondrichthyan found integrating allometry significantly improved correlations between relative traditional metrics (density biomass) fishes. Although substantial unexplained variation remains relationship abundance, study provides evidence species some contexts. Future investigating fish could potentially by accounting allometry; end, developed an online tool can facilitate integration eDNA/abundance relationships.