DNA provides unique look at moa and climate change

A University of Otago study has found that ancient moa DNA provides insights into how species respond to climate change.

The distribution of the giant birds was altered by the climate as they were analyzed.

The species was only found in the southern South Island during the last Ice Age, which ended about 25,000 years ago.

The heavy-footed moa retreated to the southern and northern regions of the South Island, while the upland moa lived in four different areas.

The last Ice Age lead to a pronounced genetic bottleneck which meant that the eastern moa had lower genetic diversity than other moa.

This is the first time high throughput DNA sequencing has been used to investigate moa at the population level.

The findings show how past climate change impacted species in different ways and that one size fits all is not practical.

It makes us wonder what will happen to species as they attempt to adapt to climate change in the future. Will they attempt to move to new areas in order to survive?

For some species this will not be possible, such as the Alpine species which will have to move upward but can only go so far until there is no more.

The research is a rare example of the impacts of past climate change on extinct megafauna from New Zealand, according to the co-author.

Fossil remains and museum collections can be used to answer questions about the past.

This is bringing the power of palaeogenomics to New Zealand research questions, unlike previously most research and interest has focused on American species. He says that they are starting to build capacity for this research in New Zealand.

More information: Genetic evidence for post-glacial expansion from a southern refugium in the eastern moa (Emeus crassus), Biology Letters (2022). DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0013. royalsocietypublishing.org/doi … .1098/rsbl.2022.0013 Journal information: Biology Letters Citation: DNA provides unique look at moa and climate change (2022, May 10) retrieved 10 May 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-05-dna-unique-moa-climate.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.