A5042733319- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Forensic and Genetic Research
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Cloud Computing and Resource Management
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Livestock and Poultry Management
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
Durham University
2008-2024
University of Copenhagen
2014-2024
Natural History Museum Aarhus
2014-2021
Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales
2021
University of Oxford
2007-2020
Oxford Archaeology
2016-2020
South Australian Museum
2020
Rice University
2013-2018
Churchill Hospital
2016
Natural History Museum of Denmark
2014-2015
Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia ∼8,500 BC. They then spread across the Middle and Near East westward into Europe alongside early agriculturalists. European either independently or more likely appeared so as a result of admixture between introduced wild boar. As result, boar mtDNA lineages replaced Eastern/Anatolian signatures subsequently indigenous domestic pig Anatolia. The specific details these processes, however, remain unknown. To...
Human-induced environmental change and habitat fragmentation pose major threats to biodiversity require active conservation efforts mitigate their consequences. Genetic rescue through translocation the introduction of variation into imperiled populations has been argued as a powerful means preserve, or even increase, genetic diversity evolutionary potential endangered species [1Weeks A.R. Sgro C.M. Young A.G. Frankham R. Mitchell N.J. Miller K.A. Byrne M. Coates D.J. Eldridge M.D. Sunnucks...
Ancient DNA (aDNA) research has long depended on the power of PCR to amplify trace amounts surviving genetic material from preserved specimens.While permits specific loci be targeted and amplified, in many ways it can intrinsically unsuited damaged degraded aDNA templates.PCR amplification produce highly-skewed distributions with significant contributions miscoding lesion damage nonauthentic sequence artefacts.As traditional PCR-based approaches have been unable fully resolve molecular...
Time-scales estimated from sequence data play an important role in molecular ecology. They can be used to draw correlations between evolutionary and palaeoclimatic events, measure the tempo of speciation, study demographic history endangered species. In all these studies, it is paramount have accurate estimates time-scales substitution rates. Molecular ecological studies typically focus on intraspecific that evolved genealogical scales, but often inappropriately employ deep fossil...
Lions were the most widespread carnivores in late Pleistocene, ranging from southern Africa to USA, but little is known about evolutionary relationships among these Pleistocene populations or dynamics that led their extinction. Using ancient DNA techniques, we obtained mitochondrial sequences 52 individuals sampled across present and former range of lions. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three distinct clusters: (i) modern lions, Panthera leo; (ii) extinct cave which formed a homogeneous...
Patagonian megafaunal extinctions reveal synergistic roles of climate change and human impacts.
Archaeological evidence indicates that pig domestication had begun by ∼10,500 y before the present (BP) in Near East, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) suggests pigs arrived Europe alongside farmers ∼8,500 BP. A few thousand years after introduction of Eastern into Europe, however, their characteristic mtDNA signature disappeared was replaced haplotypes associated with European wild boars. This turnover could be accounted for substantial gene flow from local boars, although it is also possible...
Hybridization plays an important evolutionary role in several groups of organisms. A phylogenetic approach to detect hybridization entails sequencing multiple loci across the genomes a group species interest, reconstructing their gene trees, and taking differences as indicators hybridization. However, methods that follow this mostly ignore population effects, such incomplete lineage sorting (ILS). Given occurs between closely related organisms, ILS may very well be at play and, hence, must...
Oceanic islands have been a test ground for evolutionary theory, but here, we focus on the possibilities study created by offshore islands. These can be colonized through various means and wide range of species, including those with low dispersal capabilities. We use morphology, modern ancient sequences cytochrome b (cytb) microsatellite genotypes to examine colonization history change associated occupation Orkney archipelago common vole (Microtus arvalis), species found in continental...
Significance Recent studies have identified the genetic basis of numerous traits that differentiate modern domestic species from their wild counterparts. In both plants and animals, (and genes underlying them) found ubiquitously in breeds are often presumed to been selected early during domestication process. Here, by determining variability ancient European chickens over past 2,000 years, we show a mutation thought be crucial chicken was not subjected strong human-mediated selection until...
Lions are one of the world’s most iconic megafauna, yet little is known about their temporal and spatial demographic history population differentiation. We analyzed a genomic dataset 20 specimens: two ca. 30,000-y-old cave lions ( Panthera leo spelaea ), 12 historic leo/Panthera melanochaita ) that lived between 15th 20th centuries outside current geographic distribution lions, 6 present-day from Africa India. found modern shared an ancestor 500,000 y ago 2 lineages likely did not hybridize...
Abstract To date, the field of ancient DNA has relied almost exclusively on mitochondrial (mtDNA) sequences. However, a number recent studies have reported successful recovery nuclear (nuDNA) sequences, thereby allowing characterization genetic loci directly involved in phenotypic traits extinct taxa. It is well documented that postmortem damage mtDNA can lead to generation artifactual as yet no one thoroughly investigated spectrum nuDNA. By comparing clone sequences from 23 fossil...
Understanding the demographic history of a population is critical to conservation and our broader understanding evolutionary processes. For many tropical large mammals, however, this aim confounded by absence fossil material misleading signal obtained from genetic data recently fragmented isolated populations. This particularly true for lion which as consequence millennia human persecution, has gaps in its natural distribution several extinct We sequenced mitochondrial DNA museum-preserved...
Ancient DNA provides an opportunity to infer the drivers of natural selection by linking allele frequency changes temporal shifts in environment or cultural practices. However, analyses have often been hampered uneven sampling and uncertainties sample dating, as well being confounded demographic processes. Here, we present a Bayesian statistical framework for quantifying timing strength using ancient that explicitly addresses these challenges. We applied this method time series data two...
Understanding the phylogeographic processes affecting endangered species is crucial both to interpreting their evolutionary history and establishment of conservation strategies. Lions provide a key opportunity explore such processes; however, lack genetic diversity shortage suitable samples has until now hindered investigation. We used mitochondrial control region DNA (mtDNA) sequences investigate modern lions, using from across entire range. find sub-Saharan African lions are basal among...
Island evolution may be expected to involve fast initial morphological divergence followed by stasis. We tested this model using the dental phenotype of modern and ancient common voles (Microtus arvalis), introduced onto Orkney archipelago (Scotland) from continental Europe some 5000 years ago. First, we investigated phenotypic European populations assessed climatic influences. Second, differentiation among was against geography, time, neutral genetic patterns. Finally, examined evolutionary...
With a range that covered most of northern Eurasia and parts North America, the cave lion (Panthera spelaea) was one widespread carnivores Late Pleistocene. Earlier ancient DNA analyses have shown it is distinct from modern lions, suggested demographic decline in Beringia during marine isotope stage 3 (MIS 3). Here, we further investigate Pleistocene population dynamics more detail by combining powerful algorithm couples MCMC with coalescent simulations under an approximate Bayesian...
Homotherium was a genus of large-bodied scimitar-toothed cats, morphologically distinct from any extant felid species, that went extinct at the end Pleistocene [1-4]. They possessed large, saber-form serrated canine teeth, powerful forelimbs, sloping back, and an enlarged optic bulb, all which were key characteristics for predation on megafauna [5]. Previous mitochondrial DNA phylogenies suggested it highly divergent sister lineage to cat species [6-8]. However, can be misled by...
An innovative single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) library preparation method has sparked great interest among ancient (aDNA) researchers, especially after reports of endogenous content increases >20-fold in some samples. To investigate the behavior this method, we generated ssDNA and conventional double-stranded (dsDNA) libraries from 23 historic plant animal specimens. We found substantially increased when dsDNA contained <3% DNA, but enrichment is less pronounced preparations successfully recover...
The extinct cave lion (Panthera spelaea) was an apex predator of the Pleistocene, and one largest felid species ever to exist. We report first mitochondrial genome sequences for this species, derived from two Beringian specimens, which has been radiocarbon dated 29,860 ± 210 14C a BP. Phylogenetic analysis confirms placement as sister taxon populations modern (P. leo). Using newly recovered stem pantherine fossils calibrate molecular clock, we estimate that P. spelaea leo diverged about 1.89...