Most of the extant mtDNA boundaries in South and Southwest Asia were likely shaped during the initial settlement of Eurasia by anatomically modern humans

BACKGROUND:Recent advances in the understanding of the maternal and paternal heritage of south and southwest Asian populations have highlighted their role in the colonization of Eurasia by anatomically modern humans. Further understanding requires a deeper insight into the topology of the branches of the Indian mtDNA phylogenetic tree, which should be contextualized within the phylogeography of the neighboring regional mtDNA variation. Accordingly, we have analyzed mtDNA control and coding region variation in 796 Indian (including both tribal and caste populations from different parts of India) and 436 Iranian mtDNAs. The results were integrated and analyzed together with published data from South, Southeast Asia and West Eurasia.RESULTS:Four new Indian-specific haplogroup M sub-clades were defined. These, in combination with two previously described haplogroups, encompass approximately one third of the haplogroup M mtDNAs in India. Their phylogeography and spread among different linguistic phyla and social strata was investigated in detail. Furthermore, the analysis of the Iranian mtDNA pool revealed patterns of limited reciprocal gene flow between Iran and the Indian sub-continent and allowed the identification of different assemblies of shared mtDNA sub-clades.CONCLUSIONS:Since the initial peopling of South and West Asia by anatomically modern humans, when this region may well have provided the initial settlers who colonized much of the rest of Eurasia, the gene flow in and out of India of the maternally transmitted mtDNA has been surprisingly limited. Specifically, our analysis of the mtDNA haplogroups, which are shared between Indian and Iranian populations and exhibit coalescence ages corresponding to around the early Upper Paleolithic, indicates that they are present in India largely as Indian-specific sub-lineages. In contrast, other ancient Indian-specific variants of M and R are very rare outside the sub-continent.This item is part of the UA Faculty Publications collection. For more information this item or other items in the UA Campus Repository, contact the University of Arizona Libraries at [email protected]

Captive breeding of European freshwater mussels as aconservation tool: A review

1. Freshwater mussels are declining throughout their range. Their importantecological functions along with insufficient levels of natural recruitment haveprompted captive breeding for population augmentation and questions about the usefulness and applicability of such measures. 2. This article reviews the current state of captive breeding and rearing programmes for freshwater mussels in Europe. It considers the various species, strategies, andtechniques of propagation, as well as the different levels of effort requiredaccording to rearing method, highlighting the key factors of success. 3. Within the last 30 years, 46 breeding activities in 16 European countries have been reported, mainly of Margaritifera margaritifera and Unio crassus. Some facilities propagate species that are in a very critical situation, such as Pseudunio auricularius, Unio mancus, and Unio ravoisieri, or multiple species concurrently. Insome streams, the number of released captive-bred mussels already exceeds the size of the remaining natural population. 4. Rearing efforts range from highly intensive laboratory incubation to lowerintensity methods using in-river mussel cages or silos. Most breeding efforts are funded by national and EU LIFE(+) grants, are well documented, and consider the genetic integrity of the propagated mussels. Limited long-term funding perspectives, the availability of experienced staff, water quality, and feeding/survival during early life stages are seen as the most important challenges. 5. Successful captive breeding programmes need to be combined with restoration ofthe habitats into which the mussels are released. This work will benefit from anevidence-based approach, knowledge exchange among facilities, and an overall breeding strategy comprising multiple countries and conservation units. aquaculture, captive breeding, conservation translocation, freshwater mussel culturing, Margaritifera margaritifera, propagation, reintroduction, Unio crassusCaptive breeding of European freshwater mussels as aconservation tool: A reviewpublishedVersio

Origin and spread of human mitochondrial DNA haplogroup U7

Human mitochondrial DNA haplogroup U is among the initial maternal founders in Southwest Asia and Europe and one that best indicates matrilineal genetic continuity between late Pleistocene hunter-gatherer groups and present-day populations of Europe. While most haplogroup U subclades are older than 30 thousand years, the comparatively recent coalescence time of the extant variation of haplogroup U7 (~16–19 thousand years ago) suggests that its current distribution is the consequence of more recent dispersal events, despite its wide geographical range across Europe, the Near East and South Asia. Here we report 267 new U7 mitogenomes that – analysed alongside 100 published ones – enable us to discern at least two distinct temporal phases of dispersal, both of which most likely emanated from the Near East. The earlier one began prior to the Holocene (~11.5 thousand years ago) towards South Asia, while the later dispersal took place more recently towards Mediterranean Europe during the Neolithic (~8 thousand years ago). These findings imply that the carriers of haplogroup U7 spread to South Asia and Europe before the suggested Bronze Age expansion of Indo-European languages from the Pontic-Caspian Steppe region

Nature Conservation in Estonia Using the Example of Eagles

National nature protection on the territory of the present Estonia as well as in Europe started to take shape about the end of the 19th century. The first Estonian nature conservation act was passed in 1935 and the more general nature safeguarding act in 1938. The acts remained legal in the Soviet period as well to be substituted by the act “On the conservation of the nature of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic” in 1957.  This act confirmed the list of protected species of the flora and fauna, all eagle species among them. After the restoration of independence the “Protected Natural Object Act” was passed in 1994. The act listed all species under protection and defined general regulation for their conservation. The same principles have been transferred to the “Nature Conservation Act” passed in 2004 and in force at present

Chapter 17 The Genetics of Language and Farming Spread in India

Most maternal lineages of present-day Indians derive from a common ancestor in mtDNA haplogroup M that split into Indian, eastern Asian, Papuan, and Australian subsets 40,000-60,000 mtDNA-years ago. The second major component in Indian maternal heredity lines traces back to the split of haplogroup U into Indian, western Eurasian and northern African variants approximately at the same time. The variation in these two ancient Indian-specific sets of lineages is the main modifier in the heterogeneity landscape of Indian populations, defining the genetic differences between caste groups and geographic regions in the sub-continent. The difference between regional caste groups is accentuated furthermore by the presence of a northwest to sout