‘Aerial metagenomics’ best refers to which one of the following situ

‘Aerial metagenomics’ best refers to which one of the following situations?

Collecting DNA samples from air in a habitat at one go
Understanding the genetic makeup of avian species of a habitat
Using air-borne devices to collect blood samples from moving animals
Sending drones to inaccessible areas to collect plant and animal samples from land surfaces and water bodies
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2023
The correct answer is A) Collecting DNA samples from air in a habitat at one go.
Metagenomics is the study of the collective genetic material (DNA and RNA) from a community of organisms in an environmental sample, bypassing the need to isolate and culture individual species. “Aerial” refers to the air. Therefore, “aerial metagenomics” is the technique of collecting samples from the air (which contains DNA from airborne microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, viruses, pollen, spores, environmental DNA from insects, etc.) and analyzing the extracted genetic material to understand the biodiversity and composition of the airborne biome in a specific habitat at a particular time.
This technique allows for the broad-scale monitoring of biodiversity and ecological dynamics in the air, potentially detecting invasive species, monitoring allergens (pollen, spores), or studying pathogen distribution without extensive fieldwork or culturing.
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