A comprehensive genetic study, analyzing mitochondrial genomes from hundreds of mammoths, has provided unprecedented insights into the evolutionary history of these Ice Age giants. Researchers from Stockholm University and the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Sweden analyzed the mitogenomes of 34 mammoths, including 11 exceptionally old specimens dating back over 129,000 years to the Early and Middle Pleistocene Epoch.
By comparing these new mitogenomes with over 200 previously published ones, the research team was able to trace major branches in the mammoth family tree, aligning them with significant climate shifts and population changes during the Ice Age. The findings suggest that Siberia served as the original homeland for the main mammoth lineages, with population size fluctuations and migrations playing a crucial role in the emergence, spread, and eventual extinction of different genetic groups.
The study also revealed that mammoths during the Late Pleistocene fell into three distinct genetic groups, all sharing a common ancestor around 780,000 years ago, which loosely corresponds to the estimated emergence of the woolly mammoth as a distinct species. A significant population bottleneck around 285,000 years ago likely reduced genetic diversity, followed by a surge in new lineages, potentially linked to climate changes. These analyses offer a detailed understanding of how major demographic events shaped the genetic diversity of mammoths over time.