A long time ago, bison were plentiful in North America, but they were nearly wiped out due to hunting. New research on bison DNA sheds light on how their populations collapsed and slowly began to recover, changing the species forever.
In a study published in the journal Science, researchers sequenced 160 bison genomes spanning 20,000 years. Led by paleogeneticist Jonas Oppenheimer at the University of California, Santa Cruz, the study involved nearly 40 scientists, many of whom were Canadian.
The research aims to assist modern conservation efforts by understanding the complex genetic history of bison. It was discovered that modern bison herds, once highly connected, are now isolated in managed populations, posing challenges to their resilience.
Sequencing bison genomes helped scientists track the species’ biological diversity changes over time. They analyzed DNA from ancient bison bones and current herds in Canada and the United States, including Elk Island National Park and Wood Buffalo National Park.
The study highlighted the genetic differences between wood bison and plains bison, showing that the two subspecies diverged around 3,000 years ago. Efforts are underway to manage the herds separately to preserve their distinct genetic signatures.
Researchers also found that intermixing between bison subspecies occurred due to human interventions, impacting genetic diversity. By using ancient genomes as a baseline, conservationists can reconnect isolated herds and prevent further loss of genetic diversity in bison populations.