Publications by authors named "A R Hoelzel"
The Southern Ocean is warming more rapidly than other parts of our planet. How this region's endemic biodiversity will respond to such changes can be illuminated by studying past events through genetic analyses of time-series data sets, including historic and fossil remains. Archaeological and subfossil remains show that the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) was common along the coasts of Australia and New Zealand in the recent past.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPopulations and species are threatened by human pressure, but their fate is variable. Some depleted populations, such as that of the northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris), recover rapidly even when the surviving population was small. The northern elephant seal was hunted extensively and taken by collectors between the early 1800s and 1892, suffering an extreme population bottleneck as a consequence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Anthropogenic activities have significantly affected the diversity and evolution of species, with European fallow deer (Dama dama) as a prime example of this impact.
- Using time-calibrated mitochondrial DNA data, researchers analyzed the historical distribution changes and lineage structure of fallow deer across Europe, highlighting founder effects in northern regions compared to consistent populations in the south.
- The study suggests that human intervention has played a key role in deer recolonization and indicates that the lineage found in modern Italy is closely related to fallow deer from the Eemian interglacial period, providing insights into how anthropogenic and natural factors intertwine in species evolution.
The 10,000-year biocultural history of fallow deer and its implications for conservation policy.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
February 2024
Article Synopsis
- - Over the past 10,000 years, humans have actively influenced fallow deer populations, leading to various outcomes, including the endangered Persian fallow deer and the widespread European fallow deer, which holds unique statuses in different regions.
- - Genetic and archaeological studies reveal that European fallow deer have two main genetic groups in Anatolia and the Balkans, which served as their primary glacial refuges, and demonstrate how humans translocated these deer across regions, often sourcing them from distant populations.
- - The historical movement of fallow deer, influenced by myths and cultural practices, highlights the complexity between wild and domestic species, providing insights that could inform modern wildlife management strategies.