Diverse plant and animal genetic records from Holocene and Pleistocene sediments.
Genetic analyses of permafrost and temperate sediments reveal that plant and animal DNA may be preserved for long periods, even in the absence of obvious macrofossils. In Siberia, five permafrost cores ranging from 400,000 to 10,000 years old contained at least 19 different plant taxa, including the oldest authenticated ancient DNA sequences known, and megafaunal sequences including mammoth, bison, and horse. The genetic data record a number of dramatic changes in the taxonomic diversity and composition of Beringian vegetation and fauna. Temperate cave sediments in New Zealand also yielded DNA sequences of extinct biota, including two species of ratite moa, and 29 plant taxa characteristic of the prehuman environment. Therefore, many sedimentary deposits may contain unique, and widespread, genetic records of paleoenvironments.
Willerslev
Eske
E
Department of Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Denmark DK-2100 Ø.
Hansen
Anders J
AJ
Binladen
Jonas
J
Brand
Tina B
TB
Gilbert
M Thomas P
MT
Shapiro
Beth
B
Bunce
Michael
M
Wiuf
Carsten
C
Gilichinsky
David A
DA
Cooper
Alan
A
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019068:Bryopsida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D032462:Cycadopsida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D018742:DNA, Chloroplast / Q000032:analysis; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D005580:Fossils; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D049690:History, Ancient; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D008322:Mammals / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D009520:New Zealand; D010802:Phylogeny; D010944:Plants / Q000145:classification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012800:Siberia; D012987:Soil; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics
D018742:DNA, Chloroplast; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D018744:DNA, Plant; D012987:Soil; D004247:DNA