Data from: On the origin of the Norwegian lemming
Data files
Feb 18, 2014 version files 571.25 KB
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Lemmus alignment complete dataset.fst
30.87 KB
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Lemmus alignment partial dataset.fst
14.94 KB
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Lemmus complete dated_30_BEAST_outputTreeAnnotator
21.31 KB
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Lemmus complete_30_BEAST_outputTreeAnnotator
35.38 KB
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Lemmus complete_8,9_BEAST_outputTreeAnnotator
33.03 KB
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Lemmus partial_11,7_BEAST_outputTreeAnnotator
37.89 KB
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Lemmus partial_30_BEAST_outputTreeAnnotator
38.21 KB
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Lemmus partial_50_BEAST_outputTreeAnnotator
38.05 KB
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Lemmus partial_MrBayes.nex.con.tre
20.81 KB
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Lemmus.complete dated.30.inputBEAST.xml
29.08 KB
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Lemmus.complete.30.inputBEAST.xml
44.48 KB
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Lemmus.complete.50.inputBEAST.xml
44.48 KB
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Lemmus.complete.8.9.inputBEAST.xml
44.48 KB
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Lemmus.partial.11.7.inputBEAST.xml
29.65 KB
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Lemmus.partial.30.inputBEAST.xml
29.65 KB
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Lemmus.partial.50.inputBEAST.xml
29.65 KB
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Lemmus.partial.inputMrBayes.nex
11.24 KB
Abstract
The Pleistocene glacial cycles resulted in significant changes in species distributions, and it has been discussed whether this caused increased rates of population divergence and speciation. One species that is likely to have evolved during the Pleistocene is the Norwegian lemming (Lemmus lemmus). However, the origin of this species, both in terms of when and from what ancestral taxon it evolved, has been difficult to ascertain. Here, we use ancient DNA recovered from lemming remains from a series of Late Pleistocene and Holocene sites to explore the species' evolutionary history. The results revealed considerable genetic differentiation between glacial and contemporary samples. Moreover, the analyses provided strong support for a divergence time prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), therefore likely ruling out a postglacial colonization of Scandinavia. Consequently, it appears that the Norwegian lemming evolved from a small population that survived the LGM in an ice-free Scandinavian refugium.