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Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains
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Ancient and modern environmental DNA.

Mikkel Winther Pedersen1, Søren Overballe-Petersen1, Luca Ermini1

  • 1Centre for GeoGenetics, The Natural History Museum of Denmark, Oester Voldgade 5-7, Copenhagen C 1350, Denmark.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|December 10, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis reveals past and present biodiversity from various samples. Despite its revolutionary insights into biogeography, challenges like DNA degradation and contamination persist.

Keywords:
ancientancient DNAenvironmentenvironmental DNAreview

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Area of Science:

  • Paleogenomics
  • Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis
  • Biodiversity assessment

Background:

  • Environmental DNA (eDNA) from sediments, ice, and water offers insights into past and present biodiversity.
  • eDNA studies have reconstructed ancient ecosystems and extended species survival timelines.

Observation:

  • eDNA has uncovered ancient Arctic vegetation history, showing significant shifts during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition.
  • It can detect rare species and provide quantitative biodiversity data.

Findings:

  • eDNA has revolutionized biogeography by tracing ancient forests, megafauna survival, and plant refugia.
  • The approach has revealed massive vegetation turnover and megafauna extinction events.

Implications:

  • Despite biases in DNA behavior, incomplete databases, and contamination risks, eDNA is a powerful tool.
  • Further research and methodological improvements are needed to fully harness eDNA's potential for biodiversity studies.