Glacial survival of boreal trees in northern Scandinavia

L. Parducci; T. Jorgensen; M.M. Tollefsrud; E. Elverland; T. Alm; S.L. Fontana; K.D. Bennett; J. Haile; I. Matetovici; Y. Suyama; M.E. Edwards; K. Andersen; M. Rasmussen; S. Boessenkool; E. Coissac; C. Brochmann; P. Taberlet; M. Houmark-Nielsen; N.K. Larsen; L. Orlando; M.T.P. Gilbert; K.H. Kjaer; I.G. Alsos; E. Willerslev

doi:10.1126/science.1216043

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Glacial survival of boreal trees in northern Scandinavia

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Glacial survival of boreal trees in northern Scandinavia

L. Parducci, T. Jorgensen, M.M. Tollefsrud, E. Elverland, T. Alm, S.L. Fontana, K.D. Bennett, J. Haile, I. Matetovici, Y. Suyama, …

Science, Vol.335(6072), pp.1083-1086

2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1216043

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Abstract

It is commonly believed that trees were absent in Scandinavia during the last glaciation and first recolonized the Scandinavian Peninsula with the retreat of its ice sheet some 9000 years ago. Here, we show the presence of a rare mitochondrial DNA haplotype of spruce that appears unique to Scandinavia and with its highest frequency to the west-an area believed to sustain ice-free refugia during most of the last ice age. We further show the survival of DNA from this haplotype in lake sediments and pollen of Trondelag in central Norway dating back similar to 10,300 years and chloroplast DNA of pine and spruce in lake sediments adjacent to the ice-free Andoya refugium in northwestern Norway as early as similar to 22,000 and 17,700 years ago, respectively. Our findings imply that conifer trees survived in ice-free refugia of Scandinavia during the last glaciation, challenging current views on survival and spread of trees as a response to climate changes.

Details

Title: Glacial survival of boreal trees in northern Scandinavia
Authors/Creators: L. Parducci (Author/Creator)
T. Jorgensen (Author/Creator)
M.M. Tollefsrud (Author/Creator)
E. Elverland (Author/Creator)
T. Alm (Author/Creator)
S.L. Fontana (Author/Creator)
K.D. Bennett (Author/Creator)
J. Haile (Author/Creator)
I. Matetovici (Author/Creator)
Y. Suyama (Author/Creator)
M.E. Edwards (Author/Creator)
K. Andersen (Author/Creator)
M. Rasmussen (Author/Creator)
S. Boessenkool (Author/Creator)
E. Coissac (Author/Creator)
C. Brochmann (Author/Creator)
P. Taberlet (Author/Creator)
M. Houmark-Nielsen (Author/Creator)
N.K. Larsen (Author/Creator)
L. Orlando (Author/Creator)
M.T.P. Gilbert (Author/Creator)
K.H. Kjaer (Author/Creator)
I.G. Alsos (Author/Creator)
E. Willerslev (Author/Creator)
Publication Details: Science, Vol.335(6072), pp.1083-1086
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science
Identifiers: 991005543120007891
Murdoch Affiliation: School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Industry collaboration; Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.64 Phylogenetics & Genomics; 3.64.71 Genetic Diversity
Web Of Science research areas: Multidisciplinary Sciences
ESI research areas: Environment/Ecology