Population dynamics and demographic history of Eurasian collared lemmings

Abstract

Background Ancient DNA studies suggest that Late Pleistocene climatic changes had a significant effect on population dynamics in Arctic species. The Eurasian collared lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus) is a keystone species in the Arctic ecosystem. Earlier studies have indicated that past climatic fluctuations were important drivers of past population dynamics in this species. Results Here, we analysed 59 ancient and 54 modern mitogenomes from across Eurasia, along with one modern nuclear genome. Our results suggest population growth and genetic diversification during the early Late Pleistocene, implying that collared lemmings may have experienced a genetic bottleneck during the warm Eemian interglacial. Furthermore, we find multiple temporally structured mitogenome clades during the Late Pleistocene, consistent with earlier results suggesting a dynamic late glacial population history. Finally, we identify a population in northeastern Siberia that maintained genetic diversity and a constant population size at the end of the Pleistocene, suggesting suitable conditions for collared lemmings in this region during the increasing temperatures associated with the onset of the Holocene. Conclusions This study highlights an influence of past warming, in particular the Eemian interglacial, on the evolutionary history of the collared lemming, along with spatiotemporal population structuring throughout the Late Pleistocene.

Ancient DNA of narrow-headed vole reveal common features of the Late Pleistocene population dynamics in cold-adapted small mammals

“…The estimated age of diversification of the main mtDNA lineages found in the European and Asiatic narrow-headed voles from the last glacial period was similar to the estimated diversification of the main lineages within common voles [ 12 ] and Eurasian collared lemmings [ 11 ] that occurred during MIS 5c (Brørup interstadial; ∼GI 23) ( figure 2 ).…”

“…Colours indicate mtDNA lineages presented in figure 3. Data for collared lemming are from [11] and for common vole from [12]. …”

“…However, less is known about the Late Pleistocene evolutionary histories of small mammals. The notable exceptions are the ancient DNA investigations of the collared lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus) [8][9][10][11] and the common vole (Microtus arvalis) [12,13]. These studies revealed that both species experienced several mtDNA lineage replacements across most of the European continent during marine isotope stage (MIS) 3 and MIS 2 [8,9,13].…”

Batagay megaslump: A review of the permafrost deposits, Quaternary environmental history, and recent development

“…(collared lemming) provided a nonfinite 14 C age of >50,299 14 C yr BP 26 . Using the “molecular clock” to estimate the age of this specimen yielded ~333 ka BP (95% highest posterior density: 451–220 ka BP; Lord et al 2022 27 ), though the stratigraphic position of the specimen is not known. The recovered bones include the humerus of a cave lion ( Panthera spelaea ), the skull of a Pleistocene wolf ( Canis lupus ), and plenty of bones, teeth, and tusks of woolly mammoth ( Mammuthus primigenius , the dominant species), Pleistocene bison ( Bison priscus ), and Pleistocene horse ( Equus lenensis ) 28 .…”

Ancient DNA Contradicts the Presence of Social Voles (Genus Microtus, Subgenus Sumeriomys) in the Late Pleistocene of Western Europe

“…A hybridisation bait set was produced from amplified mtDNA of various arvicoline species including the common vole Microtus arvalis (Pallas, 1779), field vole Microtus agrestis (Linnaeus, 1761), root vole Alexandromys oeconomus (Pallas, 1776), bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber, 1780), and narrow-headed vole Stenocranius gregalis (Pallas, 1779). This bait set was efficient in enriching libraries in mtDNA molecules of species divergent from the ones used to build this set, such as the collared lemming Dicrostonyx torquatus (Pallas, 1779) [21]. Up to five libraries were pooled for enrichment reaction.…”