Evolutionary history of Microtus arvalis and Microtus agrestis (Sonata, NCN)
In recent years investigation of mechanisms of species’ responses to climate changes gained much scientific attention. One of the ways to learn about those mechanisms is to reconstruct species responses to climate changes that took place in a distant past, during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene when Earth witnessed many profound climate changes of various magnitudes. Recently it has been shown that multidisciplinary approach comprising analyses of DNA obtained from archaeological materials (ancient DNA) and direct radiocarbon dating allows for detailed reconstruction of species’ Pleistocene histories. The main goal of this project is to reconstruct evolutionary history of field (Microtus agrestis) and common voles (Microtus arvalis) during the last 50,000 years and to correlate it with available paleoclimate proxies. more
Impact of climate and environmental changes on population dynamics, migration and extinction events of selected rodent species in Late Pleistocene and Holocene (Opus, NCN)
The general goal of this project is to use genetic and morphological data obtained from fossil and contemporary specimens to investigate population dynamics, migrations and extinctions of three small mammal species during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene and to assess the impact of climate changes onto those events. These species namely the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), the narrow-headed vole (Microtus gregalis) and the root vole (Microtus oeconomus), were selected to represent different adaptations and environmental requirements and we assume that their evolutionary histories were different. more
Evaluation of DNA preservation in human remains from Maucallacta site (Peru) (Miniatura, NCN)
The Maucallacta is archeological site located in Arequipa Department in south-central Peru at 3,700 m a.s.l. This architectural complex consists of remains of over 200 stone buildings and tombs and present crucial settlements in Cuntisuyu, one of the four parts of the Inca Empire. It was probably the main religious and administrative center related to the cult of Coropuna volcano, described as deity and an oracle in pre-Columbian times. more