Woolly Mammoth Genetics.

AMERICAN bison; GENETIC variation; MAMMOTHS; RESEARCH personnel; GENETICS

A recent study conducted by researchers at the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Stockholm, Sweden, examined the genetics of the last group of Siberian woolly mammoths to understand the long-term consequences of population bottlenecks. The researchers sequenced the genomes of twenty-one Siberian woolly mammoths and found that the population had stable genetics for about 40,000 years. However, about 10,000 years ago, the population experienced a severe bottleneck when sea levels rose, leaving a single mammoth herd stranded on Wrangel Island. Despite inbreeding and the persistence of moderately harmful mutations, the herd survived for an additional 6,000 years. The study highlights the importance of long-term genetic monitoring in conservation efforts and provides insight into the genetic consequences of population bottlenecks. [Extracted from the article]