Species-specific responses of Late Quaternary megafauna to climate and humans

Eline D. Lorenzen, David Nogués-Bravo, Ludovic Orlando, Jaco Weinstock, Jonas Binladen, Katharine A. Marske, Andrew Ugan, Michael K. Borregaard, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Rasmus Nielsen, Simon Y. W. Ho, Ted Goebel, Kelly E. Graf, David Byers, Jesper T. Stenderup, Morten Rasmussen, Paula F. Campos, Jennifer A. Leonard, Klaus-Peter Koepfli, Duane Froese, Grant Zazula, Thomas W. Stafford, Kim Aaris-Sørensen, Persaram Batra, Alan M. Haywood, Joy S. Singarayer, Paul J. Valdes, Gennady Boeskorov, James A. Burns, Sergey P. Davydov, James Haile, Dennis L. Jenkins, Pavel Kosintsev, Tatyana Kuznetsova, Xulong Lai, Larry D. Martin, H. Gregory McDonald, Dick Mol, Morten Meldgaard, Kasper Munch, Elisabeth Stephan, Mikhail Sablin, Robert S. Sommer, Taras Sipko, Eric Scott, Marc A. Suchard, Alexei Tikhonov, Rane Willerslev, Robert K. Wayne, Alan Cooper, Michael Hofreiter, Andrei Sher, Beth Shapiro, Carsten Rahbek and Eske Willerslev ()
Additional contact information
Eline D. Lorenzen: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
David Nogués-Bravo: Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Ludovic Orlando: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Jaco Weinstock: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Jonas Binladen: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Katharine A. Marske: Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Andrew Ugan: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Tupper Building, 401 Balboa, Ancón, Punamá, República de Panamá
Michael K. Borregaard: Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
M. Thomas P. Gilbert: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Rasmus Nielsen: University of California, Berkeley, 4098 VLSB, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
Simon Y. W. Ho: School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
Ted Goebel: Center for the Study of the First Americans, Texas A&M University
Kelly E. Graf: Center for the Study of the First Americans, Texas A&M University
David Byers: Missouri State University, 901 South National, Springfield, Missouri 65807, USA
Jesper T. Stenderup: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Morten Rasmussen: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Paula F. Campos: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Jennifer A. Leonard: Uppsala University, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
Klaus-Peter Koepfli: University of California
Duane Froese: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada
Grant Zazula: Government of Yukon, Yukon Palaeontology Program, PO Box 2703 L2A, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory Y1A 2C6, Canada
Thomas W. Stafford: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Kim Aaris-Sørensen: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Persaram Batra: Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street
Alan M. Haywood: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS2 9JT, UK
Joy S. Singarayer: School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, University Road, Bristol BS8 1SS, UK
Paul J. Valdes: School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, University Road, Bristol BS8 1SS, UK
Gennady Boeskorov: Diamond and Precious Metals Geology Institute, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 39 Prospect Lenina, 677891 Yakutsk, Russia
James A. Burns: Royal Alberta Museum
Sergey P. Davydov: North-East Science Station, Pacific Institute for Geography, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 2 Malinovy Yar Street, 678830 Chersky, Russia
James Haile: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Dennis L. Jenkins: Museum of Natural and Cultural History, 1224 University of Oregon
Pavel Kosintsev: Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 8 Marta Street, 202, 620144 Ekaterinburg, Russia
Tatyana Kuznetsova: Moscow State University, Vorob’evy Gory, 119899 Moscow, Russia
Xulong Lai: State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences
Larry D. Martin: University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas
H. Gregory McDonald: Park Museum Management Program, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Suite 150, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525, USA
Dick Mol: Natural History Museum, Rotterdam, c/o Gudumholm 41, 2133 HG Hoofddorp, Netherlands
Morten Meldgaard: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Kasper Munch: Bioinformatics Research Centre (BiRC), Aarhus University, C.F. Møllers Allé 8, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
Elisabeth Stephan: Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart, Landesamt für Denkmalpflege, Stromeyersdorfstrasse 3, D-78467 Konstanz, Germany
Mikhail Sablin: Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 1, 199034 Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Robert S. Sommer: Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Institute for Nature and Resource Conservation, Olshausenstrasse 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany
Taras Sipko: Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninsky Prospect, 119071 Moscow, Russia
Eric Scott: San Bernardino County Museum, 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, California 92374, USA
Marc A. Suchard: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
Alexei Tikhonov: Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 1, 199034 Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Rane Willerslev: Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, St. Olavsgate 29, Postboks 6762 St. Olavsplass, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Robert K. Wayne: University of California
Alan Cooper: Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
Michael Hofreiter: The University of York, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
Andrei Sher: Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 33 Leninsky Prospect, 119071 Moscow, Russia
Beth Shapiro: The Pennsylvania State University, 326 Mueller Laboratory, University Park
Carsten Rahbek: Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Eske Willerslev: Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5–7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark

Nature, 2011, vol. 479, issue 7373, 359-364

Abstract: Abstract Despite decades of research, the roles of climate and humans in driving the dramatic extinctions of large-bodied mammals during the Late Quaternary period remain contentious. Here we use ancient DNA, species distribution models and the human fossil record to elucidate how climate and humans shaped the demographic history of woolly rhinoceros, woolly mammoth, wild horse, reindeer, bison and musk ox. We show that climate has been a major driver of population change over the past 50,000 years. However, each species responds differently to the effects of climatic shifts, habitat redistribution and human encroachment. Although climate change alone can explain the extinction of some species, such as Eurasian musk ox and woolly rhinoceros, a combination of climatic and anthropogenic effects appears to be responsible for the extinction of others, including Eurasian steppe bison and wild horse. We find no genetic signature or any distinctive range dynamics distinguishing extinct from surviving species, emphasizing the challenges associated with predicting future responses of extant mammals to climate and human-mediated habitat change.

Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1038/nature10574

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