Ancient biomolecules from deep ice cores reveal a forested Southern Greenland

E. Willerslev; E. Cappellini; W. Boomsma; R. Nielsen; M.B. Hebsgaard; T.B. Brand; M. Hofreiter; M. Bunce; H.N. Poinar; D. Dahl-Jensen; S. Johnsen; J.P. Steffensen; O. Bennike; J-L. Schwenninger; R. Nathan; S. Armitage; C-J. de Hoog; V. Alfimov; M. Christl; J. Beer; R. Muscheler; Joel Barker; M. Sharp; K.E.H. Penkman; J. Haile; P. Taberlet; M.T.P. Gilbert; A. Casoli; E. Campani; M.J. Collins

doi:10.1126/science.1141758

Ancient biomolecules from deep ice cores reveal a forested Southern Greenland

E. Willerslev, E. Cappellini, W. Boomsma, R. Nielsen, M.B. Hebsgaard, T.B. Brand, M. Hofreiter, M. Bunce, H.N. Poinar, D. Dahl-Jensen, S. Johnsen, J.P. Steffensen, O. Bennike, J-L. Schwenninger, R. Nathan, S. Armitage, C-J. de Hoog, V. Alfimov, M. Christl, J. BeerR. Muscheler, Joel Barker, M. Sharp, K.E.H. Penkman, J. Haile, P. Taberlet, M.T.P. Gilbert, A. Casoli, E. Campani, M.J. Collins

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

It is difficult to obtain fossil data from the 10% of Earth's terrestrial surface that is covered by thick glaciers and ice sheets, and hence, knowledge of the paleoenvironments of these regions has remained limited. We show that DNA and amino acids from buried organisms can be recovered from the basal sections of deep ice cores, enabling reconstructions of past flora and fauna. We show that high-altitude southern Greenland, currently lying below more than 2 kilometers of ice, was inhabited by a diverse array of conifer trees and insects within the past million years. The results provide direct evidence in support of a forested southern Greenland and suggest that many deep ice cores may contain genetic records of paleoenvironments in their basal sections.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	111-114
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	317
Issue number	5834
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1141758
Publication status	Published - 6 Jul 2007

Keywords

DNA
GLACIER
CLIMATE
POLLEN
INSTABILITY
CHRONOLOGY
SEDIMENTS
HOLOCENE
RECORD

Access to Document

10.1126/science.1141758

http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1141758

Cite this

Willerslev, E., Cappellini, E., Boomsma, W., Nielsen, R., Hebsgaard, M. B., Brand, T. B., Hofreiter, M., Bunce, M., Poinar, H. N., Dahl-Jensen, D., Johnsen, S., Steffensen, J. P., Bennike, O., Schwenninger, J.-L., Nathan, R., Armitage, S., de Hoog, C.-J., Alfimov, V., Christl, M., ... Collins, M. J. (2007). Ancient biomolecules from deep ice cores reveal a forested Southern Greenland. Science, 317(5834), 111-114. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1141758

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title = "Ancient biomolecules from deep ice cores reveal a forested Southern Greenland",

abstract = "It is difficult to obtain fossil data from the 10% of Earth's terrestrial surface that is covered by thick glaciers and ice sheets, and hence, knowledge of the paleoenvironments of these regions has remained limited. We show that DNA and amino acids from buried organisms can be recovered from the basal sections of deep ice cores, enabling reconstructions of past flora and fauna. We show that high-altitude southern Greenland, currently lying below more than 2 kilometers of ice, was inhabited by a diverse array of conifer trees and insects within the past million years. The results provide direct evidence in support of a forested southern Greenland and suggest that many deep ice cores may contain genetic records of paleoenvironments in their basal sections.",

keywords = "DNA, GLACIER, CLIMATE, POLLEN, INSTABILITY, CHRONOLOGY, SEDIMENTS, HOLOCENE, RECORD",

author = "E. Willerslev and E. Cappellini and W. Boomsma and R. Nielsen and M.B. Hebsgaard and T.B. Brand and M. Hofreiter and M. Bunce and H.N. Poinar and D. Dahl-Jensen and S. Johnsen and J.P. Steffensen and O. Bennike and J-L. Schwenninger and R. Nathan and S. Armitage and {de Hoog}, C-J. and V. Alfimov and M. Christl and J. Beer and R. Muscheler and Joel Barker and M. Sharp and K.E.H. Penkman and J. Haile and P. Taberlet and M.T.P. Gilbert and A. Casoli and E. Campani and M.J. Collins",

year = "2007",

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day = "6",

doi = "10.1126/science.1141758",

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Willerslev, E, Cappellini, E, Boomsma, W, Nielsen, R, Hebsgaard, MB, Brand, TB, Hofreiter, M, Bunce, M, Poinar, HN, Dahl-Jensen, D, Johnsen, S, Steffensen, JP, Bennike, O, Schwenninger, J-L, Nathan, R, Armitage, S, de Hoog, C-J, Alfimov, V, Christl, M, Beer, J, Muscheler, R, Barker, J, Sharp, M, Penkman, KEH, Haile, J, Taberlet, P, Gilbert, MTP, Casoli, A, Campani, E & Collins, MJ 2007, 'Ancient biomolecules from deep ice cores reveal a forested Southern Greenland', Science, vol. 317, no. 5834, pp. 111-114. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1141758

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ancient biomolecules from deep ice cores reveal a forested Southern Greenland

AU - Willerslev, E.

AU - Cappellini, E.

AU - Boomsma, W.

AU - Nielsen, R.

AU - Hebsgaard, M.B.

AU - Brand, T.B.

AU - Hofreiter, M.

AU - Bunce, M.

AU - Poinar, H.N.

AU - Dahl-Jensen, D.

AU - Johnsen, S.

AU - Steffensen, J.P.

AU - Bennike, O.

AU - Schwenninger, J-L.

AU - Nathan, R.

AU - Armitage, S.

AU - de Hoog, C-J.

AU - Alfimov, V.

AU - Christl, M.

AU - Beer, J.

AU - Muscheler, R.

AU - Barker, Joel

AU - Sharp, M.

AU - Penkman, K.E.H.

AU - Haile, J.

AU - Taberlet, P.

AU - Gilbert, M.T.P.

AU - Casoli, A.

AU - Campani, E.

AU - Collins, M.J.

PY - 2007/7/6

Y1 - 2007/7/6

N2 - It is difficult to obtain fossil data from the 10% of Earth's terrestrial surface that is covered by thick glaciers and ice sheets, and hence, knowledge of the paleoenvironments of these regions has remained limited. We show that DNA and amino acids from buried organisms can be recovered from the basal sections of deep ice cores, enabling reconstructions of past flora and fauna. We show that high-altitude southern Greenland, currently lying below more than 2 kilometers of ice, was inhabited by a diverse array of conifer trees and insects within the past million years. The results provide direct evidence in support of a forested southern Greenland and suggest that many deep ice cores may contain genetic records of paleoenvironments in their basal sections.

AB - It is difficult to obtain fossil data from the 10% of Earth's terrestrial surface that is covered by thick glaciers and ice sheets, and hence, knowledge of the paleoenvironments of these regions has remained limited. We show that DNA and amino acids from buried organisms can be recovered from the basal sections of deep ice cores, enabling reconstructions of past flora and fauna. We show that high-altitude southern Greenland, currently lying below more than 2 kilometers of ice, was inhabited by a diverse array of conifer trees and insects within the past million years. The results provide direct evidence in support of a forested southern Greenland and suggest that many deep ice cores may contain genetic records of paleoenvironments in their basal sections.

KW - DNA

KW - GLACIER

KW - CLIMATE

KW - POLLEN

KW - INSTABILITY

KW - CHRONOLOGY

KW - SEDIMENTS

KW - HOLOCENE

KW - RECORD

U2 - 10.1126/science.1141758

DO - 10.1126/science.1141758

M3 - Article

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 317

SP - 111

EP - 114

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5834

ER -