Larix species range dynamics in Siberia since the Last Glacial captured from sedimentary ancient DNA

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Climate change is expected to cause major shifts in boreal forests which are in vast areas of Siberia dominated by two species of the deciduous needle tree larch (Larix). The species differ markedly in their ecosystem functions, thus shifts in their respective ranges are of global relevance. However, drivers of species distribution are not well understood, in part because paleoecological data at species level are lacking. This study tracks Larix species distribution in time and space using target enrichment on sedimentary ancient DNA extracts from eight lakes across Siberia. We discovered that Larix sibirica, presently dominating in western Siberia, likely migrated to its northern distribution area only in the Holocene at around 10,000 years before present (ka BP), and had a much wider eastern distribution around 33 ka BP. Samples dated to the Last Glacial Maximum (around 21 ka BP), consistently show genotypes of L. gmelinii. Our results suggest climate as a strong determinant of species distribution in Larix and provide temporal and spatial data for species projection in a changing climate.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number570
Number of pages11
JournalCommunications Biology
Volume5
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 9 Jun 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 35681049
Scopus 85131711116

Keywords

DFG Classification of Subject Areas according to Review Boards

Subject groups, research areas, subject areas according to Destatis

Keywords

  • DNA, Ancient, Ecosystem, Larix/genetics, Siberia, Trees

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