Continuity of eastern Beringian megafauna phylogenetic diversity following deposition of the Late Pleistocene Dawson tephra

A volcanic eruption approximately 29,000 years ago deposited ash, known as the Dawson tephra, across eastern Beringia, extending up to 1,700 kilometers from its source. Despite this significant environmental disturbance, a study using sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) found no substantial changes in species assemblages or megafauna phylogenetic diversity following the ashfall event. This suggests that the Beringian mammoth steppe ecosystem exhibited remarkable resilience to ecological disturbances. The research highlights the potential of sedaDNA as a tool for investigating past environmental dynamics, providing new insights into the robustness of ancient ecosystems.

Wanket, C., Cocker, S. L., De Sanctis, B., Oliveira, M., Bond, J., Jensen, B. J. L., Froese, D. G., & Shapiro, B. (2026). Continuity of eastern Beringian megafauna phylogenetic diversity following deposition of the Late Pleistocene Dawson tephra. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 58(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2025.2606444