Diverse plant and animal genetic records from Holocene and Pleistocene sediments

E. Willerslev; Anders J. Hansen; J. Binladen; T. B. Brand; M. T. P. Gilbert; B. Shapiro; M. Bunce; C. Wiuf; D. A. Gilichinsky; A. Cooper

doi:10.1126/science.1084114

Diverse plant and animal genetic records from Holocene and Pleistocene sediments

E. Willerslev, Anders J. Hansen, J. Binladen, T. B. Brand, M. T. P. Gilbert, B. Shapiro, M. Bunce, C. Wiuf, D. A. Gilichinsky, A. Cooper

390 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.
Udgivelsesdato: 2003 May 2

Original language	English
Journal	Science
Volume	300
Issue number	5620
Pages (from-to)	791-5
ISSN	0036-8075
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1084114
Publication status	Published - 2003

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10.1126/science.1084114

Cite this

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title = "Diverse plant and animal genetic records from Holocene and Pleistocene sediments",

abstract = "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. Udgivelsesdato: 2003 May 2",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Diverse plant and animal genetic records from Holocene and Pleistocene sediments

AU - Willerslev, E.

AU - Hansen, Anders J.

AU - Binladen, J.

AU - Brand, T. B.

AU - Gilbert, M. T. P.

AU - Shapiro, B.

AU - Bunce, M.

AU - Wiuf, C.

AU - Gilichinsky, D. A.

AU - Cooper, A.

N1 - 673KH Times Cited:82 Cited References Count:28

PY - 2003

Y1 - 2003

N2 - 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. Udgivelsesdato: 2003 May 2

AB - 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. Udgivelsesdato: 2003 May 2

U2 - 10.1126/science.1084114

DO - 10.1126/science.1084114

M3 - Journal article

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SN - 0036-8075

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