Ancient mtDNA diversity reveals specific population development of wild horses in Switzerland after the Last Glacial Maximum.

ABSTRACT: On large geographical scales, changes in animal population distribution and abundance are driven by environmental change due to climatic and anthropogenic processes. However, so far, little is known about population dynamics on a regional scale. We have investigated 92 archaeological horse remains from nine sites mainly adjacent to the Swiss Jura Mountains dating from c. 41,000-5,000 years BP. The time frame includes major environmental turning points such as the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), followed by steppe vegetation, afforestation and initial re-opening of the landscape by human agricultural activities. To investigate matrilinear population dynamics, we assembled 240 base pairs of the mitochondrial d-loop. FST values indicate large genetic differentiation of the horse populations that

SUBMITTER: Elsner J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5443500 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature