Ancient DNA Analysis of Archaeological Elk Remains from Historical Parks in the Western United States (45-PC-106 & 45-SJ-24)
Rodrigues A. 2013. Ancient DNA Analysis of Archaeological Elk Remains from Historical Parks in the Western United States (45-PC-106 & 45-SJ-24). Portland, OR
Ancient DNA analysis was conducted on four achaeological cervid remains recovered from two Historical National Parks in the Western United States (Lewis and Clark NHP (45-C-106) and San Juan Island NHP (45-SJ-24). All four ancient samples yielded at least 106 bp of mitrochondrial DNH (mtDNA). Modern DNA analysis was carried out on six blood samples obtained from elk in Olympic National Park. One sample failed to generate clear DNA sequences for analysis, but additional lab work should be able to obtain usable sequences. Three of the archaeological remains and five of the modern samples generated at least 418 bp of mtDNA (D-loop region), enabling all eight samples to be confidently identified as Cervus elaphus. At least three different haplotypes were observed: each archaeological sample had a distinct haplotype, while the modern samples revealed two haplotypes (at least one ancient and one modern haplotype overlapped). Due to a lack of strong phylogeographic patterning in modern elk subspecies, these mtDNA haplotypes cannot be confidently assigned to the subspecies level. Additional sampling of both archaeological and modern elk may be able to shed more light on the phylogenetic relationships of ancient and modern elk populations.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Rodrigues, Antonia
- Date of Issue
- 2013-12
- Units
- LEWI , OLYM , SAJH
- Keywords
- Archeology, DNA analysis, Elk (Cervus elaphus)