Publications by authors named "Foteini Kanellidou"
A number of species have recently recovered from near-extinction. Although these species have avoided the immediate extinction threat, their long-term viability remains precarious due to the potential genetic consequences of population declines, which are poorly understood on a timescale beyond a few generations. Woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius) became isolated on Wrangel Island around 10,000 years ago and persisted for over 200 generations before becoming extinct around 4,000 years ago.
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- Scientists studied 23 woolly mammoth genomes to learn how these creatures adapted over time, even looking at one that was 700,000 years old.
- They found that the woolly mammoth already had many important genes for things like hair, fat storage, and its immune system when it first appeared.
- The research shows that different genes helped the woolly mammoth change during its long existence, including some that affected its size and ear shape in later years.
Ancient DNA (aDNA) has played a major role in our understanding of the past. Important advances in the sequencing and analysis of aDNA from a range of organisms have enabled a detailed understanding of processes such as past demography, introgression, domestication, adaptation and speciation. However, to date and with the notable exception of microbiomes and sediments, most aDNA studies have focused on single taxa or taxonomic groups, making the study of changes at the community level challenging.
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