Editorial: Applications of environmental DNA in the aquatic ecosystem management of East Asia.

This article is an editorial that discusses the applications of environmental DNA (eDNA) in the aquatic ecosystem management of East Asia. eDNA is genetic material from target species that allows for the detection of species without direct observation or capturing whole organisms. The use of eDNA analysis has rapidly developed as a promising tool in various research fields, including biodiversity assessment, invasive species monitoring, and rare species conservation. The article includes six papers on eDNA research in East Asia, covering topics such as fish diversity, larval fish diversity, intracellular DNA detection, bacterial communities in deep-sea sponges, protistan community structures, and the detection of aquatic invasive species. The authors advocate for researchers to participate in the "Making eDNA FAIR" project to improve the discoverability and accessibility of eDNA data. [Extracted from the article]