Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Flavio Augusto da Silva Coelho, Stephanie Gill, Crystal M. Tomlin, Marilena Papavassiliou, Sean D. Farley, Joseph A. Cook, Sarah A. Sonsthagen, George K. Sage, Timothy H. Heaton, Sandra L. Talbot, Charlotte Lindqvist
Summary: During the Late Pleistocene, there were ice sheets covering parts of North America. However, it is unclear whether ice-free refugia existed in the Alexander Archipelago along the SE Alaska coast during the last glacial maximum (LGM). Genetic analyses of black and brown bears in SE Alaska show that there were two subclades of black bears, one preglacial and one postglacial, that diverged over 100,000 years ago. Ancient brown bears are closely related to modern brown bears in the archipelago, suggesting colonization after the LGM. These findings suggest that there were no refugia in SE Alaska during the LGM, but vegetation quickly expanded after deglaciation.
Article
Geography, Physical
Ivano Rellini, Marco Firpo, Daniele Arobba, Elisabetta Starnini, Marco Romano, Paolo Citton, Isabella Salvador, Fabio Negrino, Marco Avanzini, Marta Zunino
Summary: The B`asura Cave in NW Italy contains significant cave bear bone assemblages and a diverse record of tracks and traces left by humans and other animals. An analysis of fossil bear fur fragments found in the cave's inner deposits reveals information on the nature and chronology of the deposit, showing evidence of diagenetic changes caused by guano deposits. This study demonstrates that the bear fur served as a main vehicle for introducing botanical microremains into Old World caves.
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Marta Zunino, Elisabetta Starnini, Daniele Arobba, Marco Avanzini, Paolo Citton, Marco Firpo, Fabio Negrino, Marco Romano, Isabella Salvador, Ivano Rellini
Summary: Basura Cave is an important site in Italy known for the discovery of prehistoric footprints and bear fossils. The latest research project aimed to re-evaluate the cave's legacy and collections through taphonomic, sedimentological, and radiocarbon dating analysis. The findings suggest intense sediment reworking and shed light on the last populations of Ursus spelaeus during the Last Glacial Maximum.
JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Eugenia Boulygina, Fedor Sharko, Maksim Cheprasov, Maria Gladysheva-Azgari, Natalia Slobodova, Svetlana Tsygankova, Sergey Rastorguev, Lena Grigorieva, Martina Kopp, Jorge M. O. Fernandes, Gavril Novgorodov, Gennady Boeskorov, Albert Protopopov, Woo-Suk Hwang, Alexei Tikhonov, Artem Nedoluzhko
Summary: This study demonstrates the maternal philopatry of the Northeastern Eurasian U. arctos population during the several thousand years of the Holocene through ancient DNA analysis and comparative phylogenetic analysis.
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Johann Galdies
Summary: Bears in Pleistocene Europe exhibit marked evolution. Brown bears are omnivorous opportunists, while cave bears are an extinct species that gradually lowered their reproductive rate and eventually went extinct, possibly due to climatic changes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Boris Fuchs, Alexandra Thiel, Andreas Zedrosser, Ludovick Brown, Helle B. Hydeskov, Ilia Rodushkin, Alina L. Evans, Amanda H. Boesen, Anne Randi Graesli, Jonas Kindberg, Jon M. Arnemo
Summary: Exposure to lead remains a problem for wildlife species despite the overall reduction of Pb entering the environment, with Scandinavian brown bears showing high blood Pb concentrations that may have adverse effects on both individual and population levels. Lactating females have higher Pb blood concentrations compared to younger, non-lactating females.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Angela Anna Rositi, Giovanna Jona Lasinio, Paolo Ciucci
Summary: The availability of hard mast and soft-mast producing species is influenced by forest typology, historical forestry practices, and topographical features. Herb cover is negatively affected by terrain steepness and basal area, while ant richness is associated with forest volume and density. These findings provide valuable information for forest management practices to support the conservation of Apennine bears in the long term.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Nikolina Kelava Ugarkovic, Miljenko Konjacic, Josip Malnar, Kristijan Tomljanovic, Nikica Sprem, Damir Ugarkovic
Summary: This study aimed to determine the effects of sex and age on the proximate chemical composition, fatty acid profile, and lipid indices of brown bear meat. Results showed that age had an effect on the traits analyzed, while no significant differences were found related to sex.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alberto Garcia-Rodriguez, Nuria Selva, Tomasz Zwijacz-Kozica, Jorg Albrecht, Clement Lionnet, Delphine Rioux, Pierre Taberlet, Marta De Barba
Summary: A study on the diet of brown bears in Tatra National Park revealed a marked seasonality, with fleshy-fruited plants being the main food source. Despite high levels of human disturbance, brown bears continue to play a key role as seed dispersers.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Neda Bogdanovic, Andreas Zedrosser, Anne G. Hertel, Alejandra Zarzo-Arias, Dusko Cirbvic
Summary: Natural habitats are being degraded and fragmented due to human expansion, threatening the survival of many species. Understanding species distribution and identifying movement corridors is crucial for conservation. Serbia's geographical position plays a significant role in connecting bear metapopulations. The study predicts suitable habitats and proposes measures for habitat permeability to benefit not only bears but also other species in the region.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Vincenzo Buono, Salvatore Burgio, Nicole Macri, Giovanni Catania, Heidi C. Hauffe, Nadia Mucci, Francesca Davoli
Summary: An assessment of the genetic diversity and structure of two endangered brown bear populations in Italy was conducted to propose a cost-effective management protocol for populations with low genetic variation. By analyzing microsatellite loci, the study identified the most effective STR marker sets for evaluating genetic diversity and individual discrimination. The findings indicate that the Uam population should be considered a conservation priority due to its depleted genetic variability.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Vesna Orazem, Tadeja Smolej, Iztok Tomazic
Summary: This study examined the attitudes and knowledge of brown bears among secondary school students and found that factors like gender and encountering bears in nature significantly influenced their attitudes and knowledge. Other factors such as residence, owning a dog, having a hunter in the family, breeding livestock, and visiting a zoo had a smaller effect. The results indicated that greater knowledge was correlated with proconservation attitudes and reduced fear among the students.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ansley S. Petherick, Joshua D. Reuther, Scott J. Shirar, Shelby L. Anderson, Larisa R. G. DeSantis
Summary: Arctic climate change poses a threat to polar bears due to reduced sea ice affecting their prey availability. Research suggests that polar bears traditionally prefer soft foods, but some bears in the 21st century may be shifting towards consuming harder foods. The specialized diet and cranial morphology of polar bears may severely limit their ability to adapt to a warming Arctic.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Francesco Maroso, Giada Padovani, Victor Hugo Munoz Mora, Francesco Giannelli, Emiliano Trucchi, Giorgio Bertorelle
Summary: Reduction in population size and its predicted effects on population fitness is a major concern for endangered species. Genetic rescue (GR) is a controversial approach that introduces compatible individuals to reduce the genetic load and restore fitness of declining populations. The study on Apennine brown bears showed that introducing individuals with higher fitness and lower levels of deleterious mutations can rapidly increase fitness but also result in some loss of ancestry. Doubling the population size without genetic rescue gradually improved fitness without losing ancestry, making it the best strategy for Apennine brown bear conservation.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ludovick Brown, Boris Fuchs, Jon M. Arnemo, Jonas Kindberg, Ilia Rodushkin, Andreas Zedrosser, Fanie Pelletier
Summary: Brown bears in Sweden have higher blood lead levels compared to other populations, and this study found that the consumption of slaughter remains discarded by moose hunters is a likely significant pathway of lead exposure in female brown bears.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Carlos Arce Chamorro, Juan Ramon Vidal Romani, Aurora Grandal D'Anglade, Jorge Sanjurjo Sanchez
Summary: The study reveals the evolutionary process of sand beaches and dunes along the Atlantic coast of Galicia. During the last glaciation, the coastline shifted several kilometers and a wide strip of sandy deposits emerged. As sea levels rose during the Holocene, the sand dunes were progressively submerged, leaving only flooded dunes and climbing dunes on cliffs. The current erosion of sand beaches and dunes exposes older shingle beaches, submerged forest remains, and megalithic monuments, and is likely linked to anthropogenic global warming.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Stefanie Agne, Merrick Ekins, Adrian Galitz, Michael Hofreiter, Michaela Preick, Nicolas Straube, Gert Woerheide, Dirk Erpenbeck
Article
Zoology
Ana Garcia-Vazquez, Denise A. Crampton, Angela L. Lamb, George A. Wolff, Kostas Kiriakoulakis, Giulia Guidarelli, Anna Loy, Paolo Ciucci, Claudio Groff, Ana C. Pinto-Llona, Aurora Grandal-d'Anglade, Carlo Meloro
Summary: Stable isotope analysis of animal tissue samples is used to study trophic ecology and shows that isotopic signatures respond to diet type and environmental conditions. In this study, brown bear hair samples from four populations in southwest Europe were analyzed, considering geographical and climatic differences. The study found inter-population differences in isotopic values that suggest differences in food consumption, with higher altitude populations showing a greater consumption of animal foods. The quantification of isotopic niche space identified significant similarities between two populations and highlighted the need for conservation measures for southern isolated populations.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Isabel Salado, Michaela Preick, Natividad Lupianez-Corpas, Alberto Fernandez-Gil, Carles Vila, Michael Hofreiter, Jennifer A. A. Leonard
Summary: Gray wolves in the Iberian Peninsula have declined in range and population size due to human persecution and habitat fragmentation. However, they have never gone extinct in Iberia and their numbers have increased and stabilized in recent decades. Despite population growth, genetic diversity has declined, indicating that even expanding populations can lose genetic diversity.
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ana Garcia-vazquez, Ana Cristina Pinto-llona, Julia Maroto, Trinidad Torres, Aurora Grandal-d'anglade
Summary: The identification of bone fragments using peptide mass fingerprinting or mass spectrometry is becoming a powerful tool in Quaternary palaeontology. The use of mass spectrometry allows for the studying of variations in amino acid sequences in bone collagen, which can be used for taxonomic purposes. However, no peptide fingerprint taxonomic study has specifically focused on the cave bear species. This study investigates the bone collagen of cave and brown bear samples using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF) and in-silico analysis.
EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniel M. Fernandes, Kendra A. Sirak, Olivia Cheronet, Mario Novak, Florian Brueck, Evelyn Zelger, Alejandro Llanos-Lizcano, Anna Wagner, Anna Zettl, Kirsten Mandl, Kellie Sara Duffet Carlson, Victoria Oberreiter, Kadir T. Ozdogan, Susanna Sawyer, Francesco La Pastina, Emanuela Borgia, Alfredo Coppa, Miroslav Dobes, Petr Veleminsky, David Reich, Lynne S. Bell, Ron Pinhasi
Summary: Density separation is used to extract DNA from archaeological bone powders, yielding significantly higher amounts of endogenous DNA compared to standard extraction methods. By using non-toxic heavy liquid solutions, the bone powders were separated into different density intervals. The intervals of 2.30 to 2.35 g/cm(3) and 2.35 to 2.40 g/cm(3) provided the highest yield of endogenous DNA without reducing library complexity. This method can be implemented without additional equipment and extra laboratory time, making it a valuable technique in ancient DNA research.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Justus Hagemann, Michael Hofreiter, Faysal Bibi, Patricia Holroyd, Patrick Arnold
Summary: Sengis are small mammals endemic to Africa, but their taxonomy and phylogeny have been difficult to resolve. This study generated the first phylogeny of all extant species using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Different parameters, such as the type of DNA and the inclusion or exclusion of fossil calibration points, were explored to assess their impact on age estimates. The findings showed that using mitochondrial DNA along with nuclear DNA or alone resulted in older ages and different branch lengths compared to using nuclear DNA alone. The study also highlighted the importance of considering the dataset used when interpreting dated phylogenies.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Mihaela Golea, Ana Garcia-Vazquez, Cristina Mircea, Marin Carciumaru, Gabriela Sava, Johannes Mueller, Wiebke Kirleis, Catalin Lazar
Summary: This paper reviews the earliest record of rye in Romania and determines that it actually belongs to the medieval period, not the prehistoric period as previously assumed. The research provides new and original data on rye cultures from the medieval period in southeastern Europe.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana Garcia-Vazquez, Adrian Balasescu, Gabriel Vasile, Mihaela Golea, Valentin Radu, Vasile Opris, Theodor Ignat, Mihaela Culea, Cristina Covataru, Gabriela Sava, Catalin Lazar
Summary: This study reconstructs the diet and lifeways of the Chalcolithic people in the northeastern Balkans by analyzing archaeological remains found at the Gumelni?a site in Romania. The results show that the inhabitants of Gumelnita had a diet based on crops and natural resources, such as fish, freshwater molluscs, and game. The community developed a subsistence strategy in response to climatic changes, leading to their resilience compared to other contemporary communities.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Aurora Grandal-dAnglade, Ana Garcia-Vazquez, Marta Moreno-Garcia, Leonor Pena-Chocarro, Jorge Sanjurjo-Sanchez, Juan Luis Montero-Fenollos
Summary: This study examined the techniques of agriculture and animal husbandry at the Tell Humeida site during the Middle Uruk Period in Syria. Stable isotopes from bone collagen and plant seeds were analyzed, revealing common practices of irrigation and manuring in agricultural fields. The settlement was closely linked to the availability of water, allowing for crop cultivation and sheep rearing in a desert-like area.
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Patxi Perez-Ramallo, Nieves Veiga Lopez, Aurora Grandal-dAnglade, Jose Carlos Sanchez-Pardo
Summary: In this paper, novel and existing archaeological data from the San Bartolome de Rebordans site in Spain are discussed, revealing the significance of Tude as a place of power during the Late Antique Sueve Gallaecia and the Iberian Visigoth kingdom. Various techniques, including archaeological survey, radiocarbon dating, and isotopic analysis, were applied to analyze the remains of seven individuals found in the Late Antique necropolis, suggesting their possible status as social elites. The findings, despite the small sample size, are of great archaeological importance as they provide the first biomolecular approach to the Late Antique social elites in the northwestern and potentially the entire Iberian Peninsula.
COGENT ARTS & HUMANITIES
(2023)