The Middle Pleistocene small mammals from the lower layers of Tunel Wielki Cave (Kraków-Częstochowa Upland): An Early Toringian assemblage in Poland

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

The Tien Shan vole (Microtus ilaeus; Rodentia: Cricetidae) as a new species in the Late Pleistocene of Europe

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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“…The earliest remains of an ancestral common vole ( Microtus arvalis ‐group) in Europe date to ca. 0.6–0.5 Ma ago (Berto et al, 2021; Kučera et al, 2009; Maul & Markova, 2007). The fossil record from the Last Glacial Period (115–11.7 ka ago), attests to its continuous presence on most of the continent (Chaline, 1972; Horáček & Ložek, 1988; Jánossy, 1986; Nadachowski, 1989).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ancient DNA reveals interstadials as a driver of common vole population dynamics during the last glacial period

Journal of Biogeography

et al. 2022

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AimThe common vole is a temperate rodent widespread across Europe. It was also one of the most abundant small mammal species throughout the Late Pleistocene. Phylogeographic studies of its extant populations suggested the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 26.5-19 ka ago) as one of the main drivers of the species' population dynamics. However, analyses based solely on extant genetic diversity may not recover the full complexity of past population history. The main aim of this study was to investigate the evolutionary history and identify the main drivers of the common vole population dynamics during the Late Pleistocene. Location Europe Taxon Common vole (Microtus arvalis) MethodsWe generated a dataset comprising 4.2 kb-long fragment of mitochondrial DNA from 148 ancient and 51 modern specimens sampled from multiple localities across Europe and covering the last 60 thousand years (ka). We used Bayesian inference to reconstruct their phylogenetic relationships and to estimate the age of specimens that were not directly dated. ResultsWe estimate the time to the most recent common ancestor of all Last Glacial and extant common vole lineages to 90 ka ago and the divergence of the main mtDNA lineages present in extant populations to between 55 and 40 ka ago, earlier than previous estimates. We find multiple lineage turnovers in Europe in the period of high climate variability at the end of Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3; 57-29 ka ago) in addition to those found previously around the Pleistocene/Holocene transition. Conversely, data from the Western Carpathians suggest continuity throughout the LGM even at high latitudes. Main conclusions.

“…The earliest remains of ancestral common voles ( Microtus arvalis -group) in Europe date to ca. 0.6-0.5 Mya (Berto, Nadachowski, Pereswiet-Soltan, Lemanik, & Kot, 2021; Kučera, Suvova, & Horáček, 2009; Maul & Markova, 2007). The fossil record from the last glacial period (115– 11.7 ka ago), attests to its continuous presence on most of the continent (Chaline, 1972; Horáček & Ložek, 1988; Jánossy, 1986; Nadachowski, 1989).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ancient DNA reveals interstadials as a driver of the common vole population dynamics during the last glacial period

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Aim The common vole is a temperate rodent widespread across Europe. It was also one of the most abundant small mammal species throughout the Late Pleistocene. Phylogeographic studies of its extant populations suggested the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 26.5−19 ka ago) as one of the main drivers of the species' population dynamics. However, analyses based solely on extant genetic diversity may not recover the full complexity of past population history. The main aim of this study was to investigate the evolutionary history and identify the main drivers of the common vole population dynamics during the Late Pleistocene. Location Europe Taxon Common vole (Microtus arvalis) Methods We generated a dataset comprising 4.2 kb-long fragment of mitochondrial DNA from 148 ancient and 51 modern specimens sampled from multiple localities across Europe and covering the last 60 thousand years (ka). We used Bayesian inference to reconstruct their phylogenetic relationships and to estimate the age of specimens that were not directly dated. Results We estimate the time to the most recent common ancestor of all Last Glacial and extant common vole lineages to 90 ka ago and the divergence of the main mtDNA lineages present in extant populations to between 55 and 40 ka ago, earlier than previous estimates. We find multiple lineage turnovers in Europe in the period of high climate variability at the end of Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3; 57−29 ka ago) in addition to those found previously around the Pleistocene/Holocene transition. Conversely, data from the Western Carpathians suggest continuity throughout the LGM even at high latitudes. Main conclusions Our results suggest that the main factor affecting the common vole populations during the last glacial period was the reduction of open habitats during the interstadial periods while the climate deterioration during the LGM had little impact on species' population dynamics.