Woolly rhino history reconstructed with ancient DNA
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An international team led by researchers from Peking University used ancient DNA and habitat simulations to trace the history of the woolly rhino ( Coelodonta antiquitatis ) over 500,000 years.
The team analysed mitochondrial and nuclear DNA from 29 and 14 animals respectively, along with data from 183 woolly rhino finds, and conducted radiocarbon dating at the University of Vienna.
Their research, published in Science, suggests the woolly rhino first appeared in the Tibetan Plateau around 3.7 million years ago, eventually spreading across Europe, Siberia, and East Asia. The study revealed that the greatest genetic diversity didn’t originate in the high latitudes of northern Siberia, where many well-preserved specimens have been found. Instead, the researchers found the rhino’s genetic roots lay in regions further south, between 460,000 and 420,000 years ago.
During colder periods, populations became largely separated into four distinct genetic groups inhabiting areas like northeast Siberia, East Asia, the Altai Mountains in Central Asia, the Ural Mountains, and eastern Europe. The Altai region served as a crucial refuge for the woolly rhino throughout the ice ages. All four genetic groups were represented there at various points, suggesting the area allowed the species to survive changing climate conditions.
Later woolly rhinos living during the ice ages shared a common ancestor from East Asia around 170,000 years ago, and subsequently spread north and west into Europe, potentially mixing with a smaller group that survived in the Ural region. The researchers note that focusing on well-preserved finds from northern regions may distort our understanding of the species’ overall development.
