Ancient DNA from lake sediments: bridging the gap between paleoecology and genetics.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Quaternary plant ecology in much of the world has historically relied on morphological identification of macro- and microfossils from sediments of small freshwater lakes. Here, we report new protocols that reliably yield DNA sequence data from Holocene plant macrofossils and bulk lake sediment used to infer ecological change. This will allow changes in census populations, estimated from fossils and associated sediment, to be directly associated with population genetic changes.

Results

We successfully sequenced DNA from 64 samples (out of 126) comprised of bulk sediment and seeds, leaf fragments, budscales, and samaras extracted from Holocene lake sediments in the western Great Lakes region of North America. Overall, DNA yields were low. However, we were able to re

SUBMITTER: Anderson-Carpenter LL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3041685 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature