Ancient DNA/aDNA

Can Reconstruct Past Climate and Biodiversity

Ancient DNA or aDNA (from English 'Ancient DNA') refers to DNA from organisms that lived on Earth in the distant or recent past. When we think of ancient DNA, we often think of DNA from bones or teeth, for example from mammoths that lived around 1 million years ago. However, ancient DNA can also come from sediments, typically clay, sand, small fragments of rock, or biological material that has accumulated on the seafloor.

Just as modern environmental DNA (eDNA) can be used to describe current biodiversity, aDNA provides a picture of biodiversity from hundreds to thousands of years ago and allows us to search for specific organisms, such as ice indicator species. Using ancient DNA from sediments, our researchers can reconstruct how the climate, for instance, has changed in the Arctic over the last 10,000 years and how species have responded to these climate changes. Specifically, they can determine which organisms lived in the marine ecosystem at various points in history and use this information to understand how sea ice has changed in the Arctic.

This knowledge can be used to gain a better understanding of how climate changes will affect the Arctic (and the rest of the world) in the future and how organisms will be influenced in the future.

Kontakt

Aud Larsen

Molecular Ecology and Paleogenomics - MEP Research Director Molecular Ecology - Bergen

aula@norceresearch.no
+47 56 10 74 24

Andreas R. Graven, Examinations of ancient DNA require sterile environments to prevent contamination of remains, such as plant and animal life from the Arctic, which can be thousands of years old. Here, from the AGENSI project led by Stijn De Schepper, climate researchers at NORCE are among those who hunt for such ancient DNA from ice and sediment cores in the Arctic. This research aims to provide insights into past climates, which in turn can lead to better predictions of future changes., DNA lab norce ved sedimentkjerne, ,

Source:
Andreas R. Graven

Examinations of ancient DNA require sterile environments to prevent contamination of remains, such as plant and animal life from the Arctic, which can be thousands of years old. Here, from the AGENSI project led by Stijn De Schepper, climate researchers at NORCE are among those who hunt for such ancient DNA from ice and sediment cores in the Arctic. This research aims to provide insights into past climates, which in turn can lead to better predictions of future changes.