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Collapse of the mammoth-steppe in central Yukon as revealed by ancient environmental DNA

Author

Listed:
  • Tyler J. Murchie

    (McMaster University
    McMaster University)

  • Alistair J. Monteath

    (University of Alberta
    University of Southampton)

  • Matthew E. Mahony

    (University of Alberta)

  • George S. Long

    (McMaster University
    McMaster University)

  • Scott Cocker

    (University of Alberta)

  • Tara Sadoway

    (McMaster University
    The Hospital for Sick Children)

  • Emil Karpinski

    (McMaster University
    McMaster University)

  • Grant Zazula

    (Yukon Government, Palaeontology Program, Department of Tourism and Culture
    Collections and Research, Canadian Museum of Nature)

  • Ross D. E. MacPhee

    (American Museum of Natural History)

  • Duane Froese

    (University of Alberta)

  • Hendrik N. Poinar

    (McMaster University
    McMaster University
    McMaster University
    Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University)

Abstract

The temporal and spatial coarseness of megafaunal fossil records complicates attempts to to disentangle the relative impacts of climate change, ecosystem restructuring, and human activities associated with the Late Quaternary extinctions. Advances in the extraction and identification of ancient DNA that was shed into the environment and preserved for millennia in sediment now provides a way to augment discontinuous palaeontological assemblages. Here, we present a 30,000-year sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) record derived from loessal permafrost silts in the Klondike region of Yukon, Canada. We observe a substantial turnover in ecosystem composition between 13,500 and 10,000 calendar years ago with the rise of woody shrubs and the disappearance of the mammoth-steppe (steppe-tundra) ecosystem. We also identify a lingering signal of Equus sp. (North American horse) and Mammuthus primigenius (woolly mammoth) at multiple sites persisting thousands of years after their supposed extinction from the fossil record.

Suggested Citation

  • Tyler J. Murchie & Alistair J. Monteath & Matthew E. Mahony & George S. Long & Scott Cocker & Tara Sadoway & Emil Karpinski & Grant Zazula & Ross D. E. MacPhee & Duane Froese & Hendrik N. Poinar, 2021. "Collapse of the mammoth-steppe in central Yukon as revealed by ancient environmental DNA," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-27439-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27439-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

    1. Christopher R. Burn & Annett Bartsch & Elora Chakraborty & Soumik Das & Regula Frauenfelder & Isabelle Gärtner‐Roer & Kjersti G. Gisnås & Teddi Herring & Benjamin M. Jones & Steven V. Kokelj & Moritz , 2025. "Developments in Permafrost Science and Engineering in Response to Climate Warming in Circumpolar and High Mountain Regions, 2019–2024," Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 36(2), pages 167-188, June.
    2. Jérémy Courtin & Kathleen R. Stoof-Leichsenring & Simeon Lisovski & Ying Liu & Inger Greve Alsos & Boris K. Biskaborn & Bernhard Diekmann & Martin Melles & Bernd Wagner & Luidmila Pestryakova & James , 2025. "Potential plant extinctions with the loss of the Pleistocene mammoth steppe," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-16, December.

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