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Related Experiment Videos

Moa were many.

Neil J Gemmell1, Michael K Schwartz, Bruce C Robertson

  • 1School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand. neil.gemmell@canterbury.ac.nz

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|April 2, 2005
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

New Zealand

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Area of Science:

  • Paleontology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Ancient DNA Analysis

Background:

  • Moa were large, flightless ratite birds endemic to New Zealand.
  • Previous population estimates for moa are significantly lower than suggested by new data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate the population size of Dinornis (a moa species) before human arrival.
  • To reassess the total population of all moa species prior to human settlement.

Main Methods:

  • Mitochondrial sequence data from Dinornis were analyzed.
  • New coalescent approaches were applied to population size estimation.

Main Results:

  • Dinornis population estimated at 300,000 to 1.4 million individuals 1000 years ago.
  • Total moa population estimated at 3-12 million individuals before human arrival.
  • This is an order of magnitude higher than previous estimates.

    • Conclusions:

    • Moa populations were significantly larger than previously believed.
    • Moa numbers may have already been in decline before human arrival in New Zealand.