Genetic analyses reveal independent domestication origins of Eurasian reindeer Proceedings of the Royal Society - Biological Sciences -V
olume 275, Number 1645 / August 22, 2008
Abstract
Although there is little doubt that
the domestication of mammals was instrumental for the modernization of
human societies, even basic features of the path towards domestication
remain largely unresolved for many species. Reindeer are considered to
be in the early phase of domestication with wild and domestic herds
still coexisting widely across Eurasia. This provides a unique model
system for understanding how the early domestication process may have
taken place. We analysed mitochondrial sequences and nuclear
microsatellites in domestic and wild herds throughout Eurasia to
address the origin of reindeer herding and domestication history. Our
data demonstrate independent origins of domestic reindeer in Russia and
Fennoscandia. This implies that the Saami people of Fennoscandia
domesticated their own reindeer independently of the indigenous
cultures in western Russia. We also found that augmentation of local
reindeer herds by crossing with wild animals has been common. However,
some wild reindeer populations have not contributed to the domestic
gene pool, suggesting variation in domestication potential among
populations. These differences may explain why geographically isolated
indigenous groups have been able to make the technological shift from
mobile hunting to large-scale reindeer pastoralism independently.
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