Proper experimental design requires randomization/balancing of molecular ecology experiments
- Properly designed (randomized and/or balanced) experiments are standard in ecological research. Molecular methods are increasingly used in ecology, but studies generally do not report the detailed design of sample processing in the laboratory. This may strongly influence the interpretability of results if the laboratory procedures do not account for the confounding effects of unexpected laboratory events. We demonstrate this with a simple experiment where unexpected differences in laboratory processing of samples would have biased results if randomization in DNA extraction and PCR steps do not provide safeguards. We emphasize the need for proper experimental design and reporting of the laboratory phase of molecular ecology research to ensure the reliability and interpretability of results.
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| Author details: | Miklós BálintORCiD, Orsolya Márton, Marlene Schatz, Rolf-Alexander Düring, Hans-Peter GrossartORCiDGND |
|---|---|
| URN: | urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-423878 |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.25932/publishup-42387 |
| ISSN: | 1866-8372 |
| Title of parent work (English): | Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe |
| Publication series (Volume number): | Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe (616) |
| Publication type: | Postprint |
| Language: | English |
| Date of first publication: | 2019/02/18 |
| Publication year: | 2018 |
| Publishing institution: | Universität Potsdam |
| Release date: | 2019/02/18 |
| Tag: | DNA extraction; PCR; batch effect; bias; environmental DNA; laboratory practice; lake community; metabarcoding; nondemonic intrusions; sediment |
| Issue: | 616 |
| Number of pages: | 8 |
| Source: | Ecology and Evolution 8 (2018), pp. 1786–1793 DOI 10.1002/ece3.3687 |
| Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät |
| DDC classification: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 50 Naturwissenschaften / 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik |
| 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 57 Biowissenschaften; Biologie / 570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie | |
| Peer review: | Referiert |
| Publishing method: | Open Access |
| License (German): |  CC-BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International |
| External remark: | Bibliographieeintrag der Originalveröffentlichung/Quelle |
