Resource type
Thesis type
(Thesis) M.A.
Date created
2024-08-21
Authors/Contributors
Author: Jackman, Luke S.
Abstract
The Northern Curlew (Numenius borealis) is a shorebird that was abundant in Canada into the late 19th century and is now presumed to be extinct. This shorebird played a key role in ecosystems throughout Canada, such as tilling soil and dispersing seeds. It was rendered extinct through three potential causes: the loss of suitable habitat, the loss of key prey items, and unrestricted market hunting. Despite its ecological importance and being a dietary staple for settlers during the 19th century, there is a lack of genetic information regarding this species. This study used ancient DNA techniques to extract and analyze mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from 13 curlew specimens curated in five Canadian museums that were collected between 1820-1891 from multiple locations in the Americas. PCR-based tests were first used to confirm the specimens pertained to the genus Numenius and assess DNA preservation. High throughput sequencing (HTS) was then employed to obtain the whole mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) from those specimens that yielded amplifiable DNA. A significant difference in DNA recovery was observed between specimens, suggesting curation treatment effects. Results showed that all 13 samples generated mitogenomonic fragments that exhibit a strong similarity among themselves but differ from sequence data for other known curlew species available from GenBank. This supports the original species identification as Northern Curlew provided by museum collections. Breath (19.97%-99.59%) and mean coverage (0.2585X-94.4654X) statistics from HTS data demonstrate relatively complete mitogenomes, were obtained from only five (NC4, NC6, NC8, NC13, NC14) of the 13 specimens sampled. Phylogenetic analysis of short mtDNA fragments (NADH, Cyt B, and COI) from other curlew species confirmed that the Northern Curlew is more closely related to the Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus), rather than the Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis), as previously speculated. Due to the small sample size, and the limited information provided by mtDNA data, the study failed to reveal any intra-specific population genetic structure that can be linked to different migratory flyways. Using short mtDNA fragments, this study also confirmed shorebird remains recovered from Late Pleistocene (ca. 11,500 years BP) deposits at Tse'K'wa (HbRf-39; Charlie Lake Cave) in northeastern British Columbia as Northern Curlew.
Document
Extent
120 pages.
Identifier
etd23296
Copyright statement
Copyright is held by the author(s).
Supervisor or Senior Supervisor
Thesis advisor: Yang, Dongya
Language
English
Member of collection
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