New uses for ancient middens: bridging ecological and evolutionary perspectives

Trends Ecol Evol. 2024 Mar 28:S0169-5347(23)00334-8. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.12.003. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTRodent middens provide a fine-scale spatiotemporal record of plant and animal communities over the late Quaternary. In the Americas, middens have offered insight into biotic responses to past environmental changes and historical factors influencing the distribution and diversity of species. However, few studies have used middens to investigate genetic or ecosystem level responses. Integrating midden studies with neoecology and experimental evolution can help address these gaps and test mechanisms underlying eco-evolutionary patterns across biological and spatiotemporal scales. Fully realizing the potential of middens to answer cross-cutting ecological and evolutionary questions and inform conservation goals in the Anthropocene will require a collaborative research community to exploit existing midden archives and mount new campaigns to leverage midden records globally.PMID:38553315 | DOI:10.1016/j.tree.2023.12.003

Source: Trends in Ecology and Evolution - March 29, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Katie M Becklin Julio L Betancourt Joseph Braasch Olivier D ézerald Francisca P D íaz Ang élica L González Robert Harbert Camille A Holmgren Angela D Hornsby Claudio Latorre Marjorie D Matocq Felisa A Smith Source Type: research