Sanne Boessenkool

• Baalsrud, Helle Tessand; Garmann-Aarhus, Benedicte; Enevoldsen, Emily Louise Gilbert; Krabberød, Anders Kristian; Dominik, Fischer, & Tooming-Klunderud, Ave [Vis alle 13 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2026). Centromeric satellite expansion drives genome evolution in the snowy owl. Genome Biology. ISSN 1474-7596. doi: 10.1186/s13059-026-04175-y. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Comparative genomic studies in birds have revealed that bird genomes are relatively repeat-poor and stable in terms of karyotype, size, and gene synteny/collinearity compared to other vertebrates. One notable exception is the owls, with cytogenetic studies demonstrating large variations in karyotypes and the evolution of unusual centromeric satellite repeats in some species. However, there has so far not been an investigation into genome architecture and repeat landscape of owls. Here, we present a chromosome-level genome assembly for the snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus). We find that the repeat DNA content in the relatively large snowy owl genome (1.6 Gb) is among the highest reported for any bird genome to date (28.34% compared to an average of ~ 10% in other birds). The bulk of the snowy owl genomic repeat landscape consists of extensive centromeric satellite arrays that form large contiguous blocks across multiple chromosomes. These arrays represent one of the largest centromeric satellite expansions reported in birds and are consistent with rapid turnover and amplification of centromeric repeats. Using gene collinearity analyses we show that the position of the centromeres are not homologous with chicken centromeres, and are located in regions with collinearity breaks to other bird genomes due to chromosomal rearrangements. Our results support rapid satellite turnover at lineage-specific centromeres, which could have played a role in centromeric drive, reproductive isolation and speciation of the snowy owl. The extensive centromeric satellite arrays uncovered in this genome highlight centromere evolution as a potentially important driver of genome evolution in owls.

• Kersten, Oliver Sven; Star, Bastiaan; Anker-Nilssen, Tycho; Strøm, Hallvard; Jakobsen, Kjetill Sigurd & Boessenkool, Sanne (2025). Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, Structural Variants, and Short Tandem Repeats Capture Distinct Signals of Adaptive Divergence in the Atlantic Puffin. Genome Biology and Evolution (GBE). 17(9), s. 1–17. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evaf162. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The Arctic has been the scene for (re)colonization, diversification, and adaptation of boreal and Arctic fauna. As anthropogenic warming of the Arctic environment increases the extinction risk for peripheral populations, understanding patterns of local adaptation is imperative. The Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) comprises multiple genetically and morphologically distinct populations with an Arctic-boreal distribution. Yet, patterns of adaptation between these populations remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate potential adaptive divergence between High Arctic (F. a. naumanni) and boreal (F. a. arctica) puffin subspecies using whole-genome sequence data. We analyze different types of intraspecific DNA variation, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), structural variants (SVs) and short tandem repeats (STRs). Patterns of elevated levels of genetic divergence vary across these types, with STRs uncovering the largest unique proportion (47.2%) of genomic outlier loci. Notably, 94.5% of all outlier genes are exclusive to one type of variation and several such genes are linked to phenotypic differences observed between these subspecies, including body size, skeletal development, adipose tissue accumulation and the sensory system. Our observations indicate that F. a. naumanni harbors unique genetic diversity within puffins suggesting adaptation to its Arctic environment. Importantly, we show that SNPs, SVs, and STRs capture distinct signals of adaptive divergence, underscoring the importance of integrating multiple genomic markers to fully understand the complexity of local adaptation. These results offer a broader perspective on genomic patterns of adaptive divergence in Arctic fauna and can inform conservation strategies aimed at preserving genetic diversity in the Atlantic puffin.

• Walker, Samuel James; Boilard, Aurélie; Henriksen, Mona; Lord, Edana; Robu, Marius & Buylaert, Jan-Pieter [Vis alle 28 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). A 75,000-y-old Scandinavian Arctic cave deposit reveals past faunal diversity and paleoenvironment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). ISSN 0027-8424. 122(32), s. 1–10. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2415008122. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  During the last glacial period (~118 to 11.7 ka), the Arctic has been characterized by a major redistribution of flora and fauna as a consequence of extreme climatic fluctuations, with associated glacial advances and retreats, sea-level changes, and shifting sea ice extent. In the high-latitude regions of Northern Europe that are currently subject to rapid climate warming, we lack a comprehensive understanding of faunal biodiversity in the last glacial period due to the extreme rarity of preserved organic remains. Here, we present a stratified sediment deposit with a diverse faunal composition preserved in a bone-bearing layer in Arne Qvamgrotta, part of the Storsteinhola cave system (68.10° N 16.38° E) in Northern Norway. Chronological analyses of sediments and bones including radiocarbon, optically stimulated luminescence, uranium–thorium, and phylogenetic dating place the faunal assemblage in Marine Isotope Stage 5a (MIS 5a, Odderade interstadial, ~85 to 71 ka). Combining comparative osteology and bulk-bone metabarcoding, we identify 46 taxa, including mammals, birds, and fish, with several species not previously found in Fennoscandia. The fauna implies a nonanalogous cold-adapted coastal community, with close proximity to sea ice and nearby freshwater bodies. Mitogenome analyses of a subset of taxa identify extinct lineages which attest to a lack of habitat tracking and the absence of a local refugium during the subsequent fully glaciated periods. This faunal record demonstrates long-term faunal dynamics and coastal environmental conditions during MIS 5a in the European Arctic.

• Baalsrud, Helle Tessand; Garmann-Aarhus, Benedicte; Enevoldsen, Emily Louise Gilbert; Krabberød, Anders Kristian; Fischer, Dominik & Tooming-Klunderud, Ave [Vis alle 13 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2024). Evolutionary new centromeres in the snowy owl genome putatively seeded from a transposable element. BioRxiv. ISSN 0362-4331. doi: 10.1101/2024.07.05.602039. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boilard, Aurélie; Walker, Samuel James; Lødøen, Trond; Henriksen, Mona; Takken-Beijersbergen, Liselotte M. & Star, Bastiaan [Vis alle 16 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2024). Ancient DNA and osteological analyses of a unique paleo-archive reveal Early Holocene faunal expansion into the Scandinavian Arctic. Science Advances. 10(13). doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adk3032. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Paleo-archives are essential for our understanding of species responses to climate warming, yet such archives are extremely rare in the Arctic. Here, we combine morphological analyses and bulk-bone metabarcoding to investigate a unique chronology of bone deposits sealed in the high-latitude Storsteinhola cave system (68°50′ N 16°22′ E) in Norway. This deposit dates to a period of climate warming from the end of the Late Glacial [~13 thousand calibrated years before the present (ka cal B.P.)] to the Holocene thermal maximum (~5.6 ka cal B.P.). Paleogenetic analyses allow us to exploit the 1000s of morphologically unidentifiable bone fragments resulting in a high-resolution sequence with 40 different taxa, including species not previously found here. Our record reveals borealization in both the marine and terrestrial environments above the Arctic Circle as a naturally recurring phenomenon in past periods of warming, providing fundamental insights into the ecosystem-wide responses that are ongoing today.

• Schneider, Joel R.; Aaby, Truls; Boessenkool, Sanne; Eriksen, Emma Falkeid; Holtermann, Kristin & Martens, Iver [Vis alle 13 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2024). Creating better internships by understanding mentor challenges: findings from a series of focus groups. International Journal of STEM Education. 11(1). doi: 10.1186/s40594-024-00518-y. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Despite demands to make higher education more relevant beyond academia, and a growing body of work testifying to the benefits of work-relevance programs (e.g., work-placements, or internships) for both students and the companies that host them, there is limited information available for those aiming to optimize these programs. For example, few have explored the challenges and needs of internship supervisors. Here, we focus on the experiences of supervisors in biology and geology programs across three Norwegian institutions. Specifically, through a series of focus groups, we asked internship supervisors about their motivations for serving as student mentors, any challenges they had faced, and what higher-education institutions could do to better prepare them for hosting students at their workplaces. Results: Key challenges faced by supervisors include the need to tailor placements to individual student needs and capabilities, navigating the constraints imposed by academic structures, and addressing communication gaps between students, institutions, and workplace supervisors. Internship supervisors suggest enhancing communication strategies to better define roles and expectations, increasing support and training for supervisors, and establishing clearer, more collaborative frameworks for setting learning objectives with students. Conclusions: The supervisors’ suggestions aim to ensure that internships are mutually beneficial, supporting both students' educational outcomes and the workplace needs. By focusing on the supervisor's perspective, we provide valuable insights into one aspect of implementing effective and rewarding internships (i.e., supervisor preparation), thereby suggesting pathways for future improvements in these high-impact educational practices.

• Tørresen, Ole K.; Kersten, Oliver Sven; Garmann-Aarhus, Benedicte; Helberg, Morten; Tooming-Klunderud, Ave & Skage, Morten [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2024). A chromosome-level genome assembly of the common eider, Somateria mollissima (Linnaeus, 1758). Journal of Heredity. ISSN 0022-1503. doi: 10.1093/jhered/esae042. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The common eider, Somateria mollissima mollissima (Chordata; Aves; Anseriformes; Anatidae), is a large sea duck with a circumpolar distribution. We here describe a chromosome-level genome assembly from an individual female. The haplotype-resolved assembly contains one pseudo-haplotype spanning 1,205 megabases (with both Z and W sex chromosomes) and one pseudo-haplotype spanning 1,080 megabases. Most of these two assemblies (91.13% and 93.18%, respectively) are scaffolded into 32 autosomal chromosomal pseudomolecules plus Z and W for pseudo-haplotype one. The BUSCO completeness scores are 94.0% and 89.9%, respectively, and gene annotations of the assemblies identified 17,479 and 16,315 protein coding genes. Annotation of repetitive sequences classify 17.84% and 14.62% of pseudo-haplotype one and two, respectively, as repeats. The genome of the common eider will be a useful resource for the widely distributed northern species in light of climate change and anthropogenic threats.

• Anders, Jason Lee; Davey, Marie Louise; Moorter, Bram Van; Fossøy, Frode; Boessenkool, Sanne & Solberg, Erling Johan [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2024). Elucidating nematode diversity and prevalence in moose across a wide latitudinal gradient using DNA metabarcoding. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife. 24. doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100962. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Parasitic nematodes are ubiquitous and can negatively impact their host by reducing fecundity or increasing mortality, yet the driver of variation in the parasite community across a wildlife host’s geographic distribution remains elusive for most species. Based on an extensive collection of fecal samples (n = 264) from GPS marked moose (Alces alces), we used DNA metabarcoding to characterize the individual (sex, age class) and seasonal parasitic nematode community in relation to habitat use and migration behavior in five populations distributed across a wide latitudinal gradient (59.6◦N to 70.5◦N) in Norway. We detected 21 distinct nematode taxa with the six most common being Ostertagia spp., Nematodirella spp., Trichostongylus spp., T. axei, Elaphostrongylus alces, and an unclassified Strongylida. There was higher prevalence of livestock parasites in areas with larger sheep populations indicating a higher risk of spillover events. The individual level nematode richness was mostly consistent across study areas, while the number and type of nematode taxa detected at each study area varied considerably but did not follow a latitudinal gradient. While migration distance affected nematode beta-diversity across all sites, it had a positive effect on richness at only two of the five study areas suggesting population specific effects. Unexpectedly, nematode richness was higher in winter than summer when very few nematodes were detected. Here we provide the first extensive description of the parasitic nematode community of moose across a wide latitudinal range. Overall, the population-specific impact of migration on parasitism across the distribution range and variation in sympatry with other ruminants suggest local characteristics affect hostparasite relationships. Alces alces Migration Habitat use Moose Nematode diversity

• Kersten, Oliver Sven; Star, Bastiaan; Krabberød, Anders Kristian; Atmore, Lane; Tørresen, Ole K. & Anker-Nilssen, Tycho [Vis alle 12 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Hybridization of Atlantic puffins in the Arctic coincides with 20th-century climate change. Science Advances. 9(40). doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adh1407. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The Arctic is experiencing the fastest rates of global warming,leading to shifts in the distribution of its biota and increasing the potential for hybridization. However, genomic evidenc eof recent hybridization events in the Arctic remains unexpectedly rare. Here, we use whole-genome sequencing of contemporary and 122-year-old historical specimens to investigate the origin of an Arctic hybrid population of Atlantic puffins(Fratercula arctica) on Bjørnøya, Norway. We show that the hybridization between the High Arctic, large-bodied subspecies F.a. naumanni and the temperate, smaller-sized subspecies F.a. arctica began as recently as six generations ago due to an unexpected southward range expansion of F.a. naumanni. Moreover, we find a significant temporal loss of genetic diversity across Arctic and temperate puffin populations.Our observations provide compelling genomic evidence of the impacts of recent distributional shifts and loss of diversity in Arctic communities during the 20th century.

• Ruiz-Puerta, Emily J.; Keighley, Xénia; Desjardins, Sean P. A.; Gotfredsen, Anne Birgitte; Pan, Shyong En & Star, Bastiaan [Vis alle 18 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Holocene deglaciation drove rapid genetic diversification of Atlantic walrus. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. ISSN 0962-8452. 290(2007). doi: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1349. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Rapid global warming is severely impacting Arctic ecosystems and is predicted to transform the abundance, distribution and genetic diversity of Arctic species, though these linkages are poorly understood. We address this gap in knowledge using palaeogenomics to examine how earlier periods of global warming influenced the genetic diversity of Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus), a species closely associated with sea ice and shallow-water habitats. We analysed 82 ancient and historical Atlantic walrus mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes), including now-extinct populations in Iceland and the Canadian Maritimes, to reconstruct the Atlantic walrus' response to Arctic deglaciation. Our results demonstrate that the phylogeography and genetic diversity of Atlantic walrus populations was initially shaped by the last glacial maximum (LGM), surviving in distinct glacial refugia, and subsequently expanding rapidly in multiple migration waves during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene. The timing of diversification and establishment of distinct populations corresponds closely with the chronology of the glacial retreat, pointing to a strong link between walrus phylogeography and sea ice. Our results indicate that accelerated ice loss in the modern Arctic may trigger further dispersal events, likely increasing the connectivity of northern stocks while isolating more southerly stocks putatively caught in small pockets of suitable habitat.

• Leigh, Deborah M.; Kersten, Oliver Sven; Star, Bastiaan; Anker-Nilssen, Tycho; Burnham, Kurt & Johnson, Jeff [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2022). Sympatry of genetically distinct Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica) in the High Arctic. IBIS. ISSN 0019-1019. 165(3), s. 1022–1030. doi: 10.1111/ibi.13153. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Across its range, the Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica is divided into four separate genetic clusters that correspond with geography and/or size differences. However, in the Western Atlantic High Arctic, there is a Puffin colony (Thule) that comprises two discrete size phenotypes. Using whole genome sequencing data of six Thule individuals from these two phenotypes, we found that Thule consists of three distinct genetic clusters, with no signs of recent interbreeding. Our results suggest the beginnings of a potential northward shift of boreal Atlantic Puffins in the West Atlantic, consistent with responses to a warming High Arctic climate. climate change, genomics, Greenland, seabird

• Schure, Anneke ter; Bruch, Angela A.; Kandel, Andrew W.; Gasparyan, Boris; Bussmann, Rainer W. & Brysting, Anne Krag [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2022). Sedimentary ancient DNA metabarcoding as a tool for assessing prehistoric plant use at the Upper Paleolithic cave site Aghitu-3, Armenia. Journal of Human Evolution. ISSN 0047-2484. 172. doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103258. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Current knowledge about Paleolithic human plant use is limited by the rare survival of identifiable plant remains as well as the availability of methods for plant detection and identification. By analyzing DNA preserved in cave sediments, we can identify organisms in the absence of any visible remains, opening up new ways to study details of past human behavior, including plant use. Aghitu-3 Cave contains a 15,000-yearlong record (from ∼39,000 to 24,000 cal BP) of Upper Paleolithic human settlement and environmental variability in the Armenian Highlands. Finds from this cave include stone artifacts, faunal remains, bone tools, shell beads, charcoal, and pollen, among others. We applied sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) metabarcoding to the Aghitu-3 sedimentary sequence and combined this with pollen data to obtain a temporal reconstruction of plant assemblages. Our results reveal a stratification of plant abundance and diversity where sedaDNA reflects periods of human occupation, showing higher diversity in layers with increased human activity. Low pollen concentrations combined with high sedaDNA abundance indicate plant remains may have been brought into the cave by animals or humans during the deposition of the lower two archaeological horizons. Most of the recovered plants are reported to be useful for food, flavor, medicine, and/or technical purposes, demonstrating the potential of the environment around Aghitu-3 Cave to support humans during the Upper Paleolithic. Moreover, we identified several specific plant taxa that strengthen previous findings about Upper Paleolithic plant use in this region (i.e., for medicine and the manufacturing and dyeing of textiles). This study represents the first application of plant sedaDNA analysis of cave sediments for the investigation of potential plant use by prehistoric humans.

• Kersten, Oliver; Star, Bastiaan; Leigh, Deborah M.; Anker-Nilssen, Tycho; Strøm, Hallvard & Danielsen, Jóhannis [Vis alle 17 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Complex population structure of the Atlantic puffin revealed by whole genome analyses. Communications Biology. 4. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02415-4. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The factors underlying gene flow and genomic population structure in vagile seabirds are notoriously difficult to understand due to their complex ecology with diverse dispersal barriers and extensive periods at sea. Yet, such understanding is vital for conservation management of seabirds that are globally declining at alarming rates. Here, we elucidate the population structure of the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) by assembling its reference genome and analyzing genome-wide resequencing data of 72 individuals from 12 colonies. We identify four large, genetically distinct clusters, observe isolation-by-distance between colonies within these clusters, and obtain evidence for a secondary contact zone. These observations disagree with the current taxonomy, and show that a complex set of contemporary biotic factors impede gene flow over different spatial scales. Our results highlight the power of whole genome data to reveal unexpected population structure in vagile marine seabirds and its value for seabird taxonomy, evolution and conservation.

• Trucchi, Emiliano; Benazzo, Andrea; Lari, Martina; Iob, Alice; Vai, Stefania & Nanni, Laura [Vis alle 25 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Ancient genomes reveal early Andean farmers selected common beans while preserving diversity. Nature Plants. ISSN 2055-026X. 7, s. 123–128. doi: 10.1038/s41477-021-00848-7. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  All crops are the product of a domestication process that started less than 12,000 years ago from one or more wild populations1,2. Farmers selected desirable phenotypic traits (such as improved energy accumulation, palatability of seeds and reduced natural shattering3) while leading domesticated populations through several more or less gradual demographic contractions2,4. As a consequence, the erosion of wild genetic variation5 is typical of modern cultivars, making them highly susceptible to pathogens, pests and environmental change6,7. The loss of genetic diversity hampers further crop improvement programmes to increase food production in a changing world, posing serious threats to food security8,9. Using both ancient and modern seeds, we analysed the temporal dynamics of genetic variation and selection during the domestication process of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in the southern Andes. Here, we show that most domestic traits were selected for before 2,500 years ago, with no or only minor loss of whole-genome heterozygosity. In fact, most of the changes at coding genes and linked regions that differentiate wild and domestic genomes are already present in the ancient genomes analysed here, and all ancient domestic genomes dated between 600 and 2,500 years ago are highly variable (at least as variable as modern genomes from the wild). Single seeds from modern cultivars show reduced variation when compared with ancient seeds, indicating that intensive selection within cultivars in the past few centuries probably partitioned ancestral variation within different genetically homogenous cultivars. When cultivars from different Andean regions are pooled, the genomic variation of the pool is higher than that observed in the pool of ancient seeds from north and central western Argentina. Considering that most desirable phenotypic traits are probably controlled by multiple polymorphic genes10, a plausible explanation of this decoupling of selection and genetic erosion is that early farmers applied a relatively weak selection pressure2 by using many phenotypically similar but genetically diverse individuals as parents. Our results imply that selection strategies during the past few centuries, as compared with earlier times, more intensively reduced genetic variation within cultivars and produced further improvements by focusing on a few plants carrying the traits of interest, at the cost of marked genetic erosion within Andean landraces.

• Chua, Physilia Y. S.; Crampton-Platt, Alex; Lammers, Youri; Alsos, Inger G.; Boessenkool, Sanne & Bohmann, Kristine (2021). Metagenomics: A viable tool for reconstructing herbivore diet. Molecular Ecology Resources. ISSN 1755-098X. s. 1–15. doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.13425. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Metagenomics can generate data on the diet of herbivores, without the need for primer selection and PCR enrichment steps as is necessary in metabarcoding. Metagenomic approaches to diet analysis have remained relatively unexplored, requiring validation of bioinformatic steps. Currently, no metagenomic herbivore diet studies have utilized both chloroplast and nuclear markers as reference sequences for plant identification, which would increase the number of reads that could be taxonomically informative. Here, we explore how in silico simulation of metagenomic data sets resembling sequences obtained from faecal samples can be used to validate taxonomic assignment. Using a known list of sequences to create simulated data sets, we derived reliable identification parameters for taxonomic assignments of sequences. We applied these parameters to characterize the diet of western capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus) located in Norway, and compared the results with metabarcoding trnL P6 loop data generated from the same samples. Both methods performed similarly in the number of plant taxa identified (metagenomics 42 taxa, metabarcoding 43 taxa), with no significant difference in species resolution (metagenomics 24%, metabarcoding 23%). We further observed that while metagenomics was strongly affected by the age of faecal samples, with fresh samples outperforming old samples, metabarcoding was not affected by sample age. On the other hand, metagenomics allowed us to simultaneously obtain the mitochondrial genome of the western capercaillies, thereby providing additional ecological information. Our study demonstrates the potential of utilizing metagenomics for diet reconstruction but also highlights key considerations as compared to metabarcoding for future utilization of this technique.

• Chua, Physilia Y. S.; Lammers, Youri; Menoni, Emmanuel; Ekrem, Torbjørn; Bohmann, Kristine & Boessenkool, Sanne [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Molecular dietary analyses of western capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus) reveal a diverse diet. Environmental DNA. 3(6), s. 1156–1171. doi: 10.1002/edn3.237. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Conservation strategies centered around species habitat protection rely on species’ dietary information. One species at the focal point of conservation efforts is the herbivorous grouse, the western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), which is an indicator species for forest biodiversity conservation. Non-molecular means used to study their diet are time-consuming and at low taxonomic resolution. This delays the implementation of conservation strategies including resource protection due to uncertainty about its diet. Thus, limited knowledge on diet is hampering conservation efforts. Here, we use non-invasive environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding on DNA extracted from faces to present the first large-scale molecular dietary analysis of capercaillies. Facal samples were collected from seven populations located in Norway (Finnmark, Troms, Trøndelag, Innlandet) and France (Vosges, Jura, Pyrenees) (n = 172). We detected 122 plant taxa belonging to 46 plant families of which 37.7% of the detected taxa could be identified at species level. The average dietary richness of each sample was 7 ± 5 SD taxa. The most frequently occurring plant groups with the highest relative read abundance (RRA) were trees and dwarf shrubs, in particular, Pinus and Vaccinium myrtillus, respectively. There was a difference in dietary composition (RRA) between samples collected from the different locations (adonis pseudo F5,86 = 11.01, r2 = 0.17, p = 0.001) and seasons (adonis pseudo F2,03 = 0.64, r2 = 0.01, p = 0.036). Dietary composition also differed between sexes at each location (adonis pseudo F1,47 = 2.77, r2 = 0.04, p = 0.024), although not significant for all data combined. In total, 35 taxa (36.8% of taxa recorded) were new capercaillie food items compared with existing knowledge from non-molecular means. The non-invasive molecular dietary analysis applied in this study provides new ecological information of capercaillies’ diet, improving our understanding of adequate habitat required for their conservation.

• Ferrari, Giada; Cuevas, Angelica; Wyrozemska, Agata Teresa; Ballantyne, Rachel; Kersten, Oliver & Palsdottir, Albina Hulda [Vis alle 18 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). The preservation of ancient DNA in archaeological fish bone. Journal of Archaeological Science. ISSN 0305-4403. 126(105317). doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2020.105317. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The field of ancient DNA is dominated by studies focusing on terrestrial vertebrates. This taxonomic bias limits our understanding of endogenous DNA preservation for species with different bone physiology, such as teleost fish. Teleost bone is typically brittle, porous, lightweight, and is characterized by a lack of bone remodeling during growth. All of these factors potentially affect DNA preservation. Using high-throughput shotgun sequencing, we here investigate the preservation of DNA in a range of different bone elements from over 200 archaeological Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) specimens from 38 sites in northern Europe, dating up to 8000 years before present. We observe that the majority of archaeological sites (79%) yield endogenous DNA, with 40% of sites providing samples containing high levels (>20%). Library preparation success and levels of endogenous DNA depend mainly on excavation site and pre-extraction laboratory treatment. The use of pre-extraction treatments lowers the rate of libraries that can be sequenced, although — if successful — the fraction of endogenous DNA can be improved by several orders of magnitude. This trade-off between library preparation success and levels of endogenous DNA allows for alternative extraction strategies depending on the requirements of down-stream analyses and research questions. Finally, we do not find particular bone elements to yield higher levels of endogenous DNA, as is the case for denser bones in mammals. Our results highlight the potential of archaeological fish bone as a source for ancient DNA and suggest a possible role of bone remodeling in the preservation of endogenous DNA.

• Schure, Anneke Theresia Maria ter; Bajard, Manon Juliette Andree; Loftsgarden, Kjetil; Høeg, Helge Irgens; Ballo, Eirik Gottschalk & Bakke, Jostein [Vis alle 12 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Anthropogenic and environmental drivers of vegetation change in southeastern Norway during the Holocene. Quaternary Science Reviews. ISSN 0277-3791. 270. doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107175. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Uncovering anthropogenic and environmental drivers behind past biological change requires integrated analyses of long-term records from a diversity of disciplines. We applied an interdisciplinary approach exploring effects of human land-use and environmental changes on vegetation dynamics at Lake Ljøgottjern in southeastern Norway during the Holocene. Combined analysis of pollen and sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) metabarcoding of the sedimentary sequence of the lake describes the vegetation dynamics at different scales, and establishes a timeline for pastoral farming activities. We integrate this reconstruction with geochemical analysis of the sediments, climate data, archaeological evidence of local human settlement and regional human population dynamics. Our data covering the last 10,000 years reveals consistent vegetation signals from pollen and sedaDNA indicating periods of deforestation connected to cultivation, matching the archaeological evidence. Multivariate analysis integrating the environmental data from geochemical and archaeological reconstructions with the vegetation composition indicates that the vegetation dynamics at Lake Ljøgottjern were primarily related to natural processes from the base of the core (in ca. 8000 BCE, Mesolithic) up to the Early Iron Age (ca. 500 BCE–550 CE), when agricultural activities in the region intensified. The pollen signal reflects the establishment of a Bronze Age (ca. 1800–500 BCE) farm in the area, while subsequent intensification of pollen concentrations of cultivated plants combined with the first sedaDNA signals of cultivation and pastoralism are consistent with evidence of the establishment of farming closer to the lake at around 300 BCE. These signals also correspond to the intensification of agriculture in southeastern Norway in the first centuries of the Early Iron Age. Applying an interdisciplinary approach allows us to reconstruct anthropogenic and environmental dynamics, and untangle effects of human land-use and environmental changes on vegetation dynamics in southeastern Norway during the Holocene.

• Polling, Marcel; Schure, Anna Theresia Maria Ter; Geel, Bas van; Bokhoven, Tom van; Boessenkool, Sanne & MacKay, Glen [Vis alle 13 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Multiproxy analysis of permafrost preserved faeces provides an unprecedented insight into the diets and habitats of extinct and extant megafauna. Quaternary Science Reviews. ISSN 0277-3791. 267, s. 1–16. doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107084. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The study of faecal samples to reconstruct the diets and habitats of extinct megafauna has traditionally relied on pollen and macrofossil analysis. DNA metabarcoding has emerged as a valuable tool to complement and refine these proxies. While published studies have compared the results of these three proxies for sediments, this comparison is currently lacking for permafrost preserved mammal faeces. Moreover, most metabarcoding studies have focused on a single plant-specific DNA marker region. In this study, we target both the commonly used chloroplast trnL P6 loop as well as nuclear ribosomal ITS (nrITS). The latter can increase taxonomic resolution of plant identifications but requires DNA to be relatively well preserved because of the target length (∼300–500 bp). We compare DNA results to pollen and macrofossil analyses from permafrost and ice-preserved faeces of Pleistocene and Holocene megafauna. Samples include woolly mammoth, horse, steppe bison as well as Holocene and extant caribou. Most plant identifications were found using DNA, likely because the studied faeces contained many vegetative remains that could not be identified using macrofossils or pollen. Several taxa were, however, identified to lower taxonomic levels uniquely with macrofossil and pollen analysis. The nrITS marker provides species level taxonomic resolution for commonly encountered plant families that are hard to distinguish using the other proxies (e.g. Asteraceae, Cyperaceae and Poaceae). Integrating the results from all proxies, we are able to accurately reconstruct known diets and habitats of the extant caribou. Applying this approach to the extinct mammals, we find that the Holocene horse and steppe bison were not strict grazers but mixed feeders living in a marshy wetland environment. The mammoths showed highly varying diets from different non-analogous habitats. This confirms the presence of a mosaic of habitats in the Pleistocene ‘mammoth steppe’ that mammoths could fully exploit due to their flexibility in food choice.

• Orr, Russell; Sannum, Maja Margret; Boessenkool, Sanne; Martino, Emanuela Di; Gordon, Dennis & Mello, Hannah [Vis alle 10 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2020). A molecular phylogeny of historical and contemporary specimens of an under‐studied micro‐invertebrate group. Ecology and Evolution. 11(1), s. 309–320. doi: 10.1002/ece3.7042. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Resolution of relationships at lower taxonomic levels is crucial for answering many evolutionary questions, and as such, sufficiently varied species representation is vital. This latter goal is not always achievable with relatively fresh samples. To alleviate the difficulties in procuring rarer taxa, we have seen increasing utilization of historical specimens in building molecular phylogenies using high throughput sequencing. This effort, however, has mainly focused on large‐bodied or well‐studied groups, with small‐bodied and under‐studied taxa under‐prioritized. Here, we utilize both historical and contemporary specimens, to increase the resolution of phylogenetic relationships among a group of under‐studied and small‐bodied metazoans, namely, cheilostome bryozoans. In this study, we pioneer the sequencing of air‐dried cheilostomes, utilizing a recently developed library preparation method for low DNA input. We evaluate a de novo mitogenome assembly and two iterative methods, using the sequenced target specimen as a reference for mapping, for our sequences. In doing so, we present mitochondrial and ribosomal RNA sequences of 43 cheilostomes representing 37 species, including 14 from historical samples ranging from 50 to 149 years old. The inferred phylogenetic relationships of these samples, analyzed together with publicly available sequence data, are shown in a statistically well‐supported 65 taxa and 17 genes cheilostome tree, which is also the most broadly sampled and largest to date. The robust phylogenetic placement of historical samples whose contemporary conspecifics and/or congenerics have been sequenced verifies the appropriateness of our workflow and gives confidence in the phylogenetic placement of those historical samples for which there are no close relatives sequenced. The success of our workflow is highlighted by the circularization of a total of 27 mitogenomes, seven from historical cheilostome samples. Our study highlights the potential of utilizing DNA from micro‐invertebrate specimens stored in natural history collections for resolving phylogenetic relationships among species.

• Schure, Anneke ter; Anusree, Ajitha Kumari Sethu KumaranPil; Thorbek, Birgitte Lisbeth Graae; Shankar, Maradani Bhavani; Puri, Rajindra & Ravikanth, Gudasalamani [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2020). eDNA metabarcoding reveals dietary niche overlap among herbivores in an Indian wildlife sanctuary. Environmental DNA. s. 1–16. doi: 10.1002/edn3.168. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  As many ecosystems are under increasing pressure from invasive species, habitat degradation, overgrazing and overharvesting, pollution, and climate change, dietary niche monitoring is gaining importance. The Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary (MMH) in southern India is home to several long‐standing ethnic and tribal groups and supports a considerable number of domestic herbivores (cattle, goats and water buffalo) as well as a range of wildlife (including several species of deer, bonnet macaque, and Asian elephant). We reconstructed dietary niche partitioning of the herbivores occurring in MMH using eDNA metabarcoding to quantify diet richness, composition, and overlap. In total, we distinguish 134 diet items (molecular operational taxonomic units), covering 31 plant families. Overall, our results indicate 35% overlap in domestic and wild herbivore diet items. The greatest overlap is found for the dietary niches of cattle and sambar deer (Pianka's niche overlap index: 0.68), and the dietary niche of cattle also overlaps considerably with those of Indian hare (0.65) and Asian elephant (0.46). This suggests that these herbivores may compete for these food plants in the case of limited availability, which could lead to exclusion of some herbivore species. Particular concern should go to bonnet macaque and Asian elephant as their below average dietary richness could make them vulnerable to changes in their environment. With increasing pressures on local wildlife from a range of different factors, DNA metabarcoding of fecal samples is a non‐invasive method for monitoring changes in animal diets, providing valuable information for the management of biodiversity in mosaic natural and anthropogenic landscapes.

• Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Star, Bastiaan; Leifsson, Rúnar; Gondek, Agata Teresa & Orlando, Ludovic [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Sexing Viking Age horses from burial and non-burial sites in Iceland using ancient DNA. Journal of Archaeological Science. ISSN 0305-4403. 101, s. 115–122. doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2018.11.007. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Horses are the most common grave goods found in Icelandic Viking Age graves. Horse skeletons have previously been sexed based on pelvis shape and the presence of canine teeth in male horses over 4–5 years of age. Morphological data has shown that all horses from Icelandic burials that were amenable to sexing were male. Yet the use of morphological methods to determine sex is problematic since they rely on finding a well-preserved pelvis and/or robust canine teeth. Furthermore, quantitative data underlying the features of the horse pelvis used for sexing is lacking and canine teeth have been reported to occur in mares. In this study we build upon and extend recently developed methodologies to make use of shotgun sequencing of ancient DNA (aDNA) for molecular sexing of Viking Age horse remains. With minimal sequencing effort we identified the sex of the largest collection (n = 22) of Viking Age Icelandic horses studied to date, sourced from both burial (n = 19) and non-burial (n = 3) sites. Our results revealed a male to female sex bias ratio of 18:1 in burial sites, versus 0:3 in non-burial sites. These findings support the significant over-representation of male horses in Viking Age graves in Iceland, yet show that –albeit rare– mares could also be selected for ritual burial in Viking Age Iceland. This cost-effective method provides statistical confidence to allow for sexing of highly fragmented archaeological specimens with low endogenous DNA content.

• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Bläuer, Auli; Rannamäe, Eve; Boessenkool, Sanne & Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn (2019). Not a limitless resource: ethics and guidelines for destructive sampling of archaeofaunal remains. Royal Society Open Science. 6(10), s. 1–11. doi: 10.1098/rsos.191059. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  With the advent of ancient DNA, as well as other methods such as isotope analysis, destructive sampling of archaeofaunal remains has increased much faster than the effort to collect and curate them. While there has been considerable discussion regarding the ethics of destructive sampling and analysis of human remains, this dialogue has not extended to archaeofaunal material. Here we address this gap and discuss the ethical challenges surrounding destructive sampling of materials from archaeofaunal collections. We suggest ways of mitigating the negative aspects of destructive sampling and present step-by-step guidelines aimed at relevant stakeholders, including scientists, holding institutions and scientific journals. Our suggestions are in most cases easily implemented without significant increases in project costs, but with clear long-term benefits in the preservation and use of zooarchaeological material.

• Fages, Antoine; Hanghøj, Kristian; Khan, Naveed; Gaunitz, Charleen; Seguin-Orlando, Andaine & Leonardi, Michela [Vis alle 121 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Tracking Five Millennia of Horse Management with Extensive Ancient Genome Time Series. Cell. ISSN 0092-8674. 177(6), s. 1419–1435. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.03.049. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Horse domestication revolutionized warfare and accelerated travel, trade, and the geographic expansion of languages. Here, we present the largest DNA time series for a non-human organism to date, including genome-scale data from 149 ancient animals and 129 ancient genomes (≥1-fold coverage), 87 of which are new. This extensive dataset allows us to assess the modern legacy of past equestrian civilizations. We find that two extinct horse lineages existed during early domestication, one at the far western (Iberia) and the other at the far eastern range (Siberia) of Eurasia. None of these contributed significantly to modern diversity. We show that the influence of Persian-related horse lineages increased following the Islamic conquests in Europe and Asia. Multiple alleles associated with elite-racing, including at the MSTN "speed gene," only rose in popularity within the last millennium. Finally, the development of modern breeding impacted genetic diversity more dramatically than the previous millennia of human management.</p>

• Barrett, James; Boessenkool, Sanne; Kneale, Catherine; O'Connell, Tamsin C & Star, Bastiaan (2019). Ecological globalisation, serial depletion and the medieval trade of walrus rostra. Quaternary Science Reviews. ISSN 0277-3791. 229, s. 1–15. doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.106122. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The impacts of early ecological globalisation may have had profound economic and environmental consequences for human settlements and animal populations. Here, we review the extent of such historical impacts by investigating the medieval trade of walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) ivory. We use an interdisciplinary approach including chaîne opératoire, ancient DNA (aDNA), stable isotope and zooarchaeological analysis of walrus rostra (skull sections) to identify their biological source and subsequent trade through Indigenous and urban networks. This approach complements and improves the spatial resolution of earlier aDNA observations, and we conclude that almost all medieval European finds of walrus rostra likely derived from Greenland. We further find that shifting urban nodes redistributed the traded ivory and that the latest medieval rostra finds were from smaller, often female, walruses of a distinctive DNA clade, which is especially prevalent in northern Greenland. Our results suggest that more and smaller animals were targeted at increasingly untenable distances, which reflects a classic pattern of resource depletion. We consider how the trade of walrus and elephant ivory intersected, and evaluate the extent to which emergent globalisation and the “resource curse” contributed to the abandonment of Norse Greenland.

• Star, Bastiaan; Barrett, James H.; Gondek, Agata Teresa & Boessenkool, Sanne (2018). Ancient DNA reveals the chronology of walrus ivory trade from Norse Greenland. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. ISSN 0962-8452. 285(1884), s. 1–9. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0978. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The importance of the Atlantic walrus ivory trade for the colonization, peak, and collapse of the medieval Norse colonies on Greenland has been extensively debated. Nevertheless, no studies have directly traced medieval European ivory back to distinct Arctic populations of walrus. Analysing the entire mitogenomes of 37 archaeological specimens from Europe, Svalbard, and Greenland, we here discover that Atlantic walrus comprises two monophyletic mitochondrial (MT) clades, which diverged between 23 400 and 251 120 years ago. Our improved genomic resolution allows us to reinterpret the geographical distribution of partial MT data from 306 modern and nineteenth-century specimens, finding that one of these clades was exclusively accessible to Greenlanders. With this discovery, we ascertain the biological origin of 23 archaeological specimens from Europe (most dated between 900 and 1400 CE). These results reveal a significant shift in trade from an early, predominantly eastern source towards a near exclusive representation of Greenland ivory. Our study provides empirical evidence for how this remote Arctic resource was progressively integrated into a medieval pan-European trade network, contributing to both the resilience and vulnerability of Norse Greenland society.

• Gondek, Agata Teresa; Boessenkool, Sanne & Star, Bastiaan (2018). A stainless-steel mortar, pestle and sleeve design for the efficient fragmentation of ancient bone. BioTechniques. ISSN 0736-6205. 64(6), s. 266–269. doi: 10.2144/btn-2018-0008. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Different types of milling equipment – such as oscillating ball mills, freezer mills, mortar and pestle – can be used to fragment ancient bone prior to DNA extraction. However, each of these tools is associated with practical drawbacks. Here, we present the design for a stainless-steel mortar and pestle, with a removable sleeve to contain bone material. The tool is easy to clean, practical and its simplicity allows university workshops equipped with a lathe, boring tools and a milling machine to make these components at local expense. This design allows for the efficient fragmentation of ancient bone and improves sample throughput. This design is recommended as a useful, economical addition to existing laboratory equipment for the handling of ancient bone.

Se alle arbeider i NVA

• Boessenkool, Sanne (2025). From ice to life: biodiversity shifts in the European Arctic since the last interglacial. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne (2025). Arctic faunal phylogeographic history and environmental reconstruction from 75000 year old bulk-bone. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne (2025). Fant 46 dyr fra istiden i grotte i Narvik: – Ekstremt sjeldent og verdifullt. [Internet]. Forsksning.no. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Kjempefunn fra istiden forteller om et tundra-landskap med sjøis, isbjørn og et rikt fugleliv.

• Boessenkool, Sanne (2025). Sjokkfunn i grotte: - Tok pusten fra meg. [Journal]. Dagbladet. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Ingen andre steder i Skandinavia kan vise maken til funnene i Narvik-grotta. - Tok pusten fra meg, forteller norsk professor.

• Boessenkool, Sanne (2025). Forskere med unike funn i norsk grotte – sier noe om mangfoldet av dyreliv for 75.000 år siden – NRK Trøndelag – Lokale nyheter, TV og radio. [Internet]. NRK. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  ­

• Walker, Samuel James & Boessenkool, Sanne (2025). Our DNA analysis of 75,000-year-old bones in Arctic caves reveals how animals responded to changing climates. The Conversation. ISSN 2201-5639. doi: 10.64628/AB.rja7vwv97. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  More than 6,000 bone fragments were found and dated, giving a rare ecological snapshot of the last ice age.

• Frank, Lea; Walker, Samuel James; Onshuus, Emma Katrin; Boilard, Aurélie; Mauvisseau, Quentin & Furness, Lydia Hildebrand [Vis alle 10 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). From forests to fire: Reconstructing Holocene forest ecosystems and Nordic Bronze Age human cave activity at Solvikhola, Nordland, Northern Norway. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Caves offer exceptional preservation conditions for organics and archaeological remains, providing vital insights into biodiversity, ecosystem dynamics, and anthropogenic and climatic events over millennia. Solvikhola (67°12'46.2"N, Fauske, Nordland, Northern Norway), a cave excavated in 2023, revealed a remarkable palaeoarchive with a sedimentary deposit spanning the last 7600 cal. years. Ten distinct stratigraphic layers contained organic remains such as bones, shells, leaves, and charcoal, providing a unique opportunity to reconstruct past environments and prehistoric human activity in higher latitudes. Such long-term records are rudimentary and underexplored above the Arctic Circle, making Solvikhola an invaluable resource for understanding the region’s distant past. Applying a multidisciplinary methodology including archaeology, ancient DNA (aDNA) bulk-bone metabarcoding (BBM), palynology, geology, and isotope analysis (14C-dating), we uncovered a hearth with a torch and a Bronze Age cultural layer. Morever, we identified a diverse faunal sequence back to the Mesolithic. Zooarchaeological analysis identified 18 taxa across Amphibia, Aves, Mammalia, and Pisces representative of 9% of the bone fragments. aDNA BBM considerably expanded taxonomic resolution, identifying more than 56 taxa from the remaining 91% of bone fragments. This dataset highlights a relatively stable forest ecosystem with small climatic fluctuations, hosting foxes, wolves, reindeer, small mammals (e.g., Arvicolidae, Cricetidae, Leporidae), and birds (e.g., Strigidae, Hirundinidae, Phasianidae) resembling the present-day ecosystem in Northern Norway. Notably, the discovery of archaeological remains dating to c. 2700 cal. BP offers evidence of early human activity at the cave site, contributing valuable data to the limited knowledge of human presence in this northern interior region.

• Frank, Lea; Walker, Samuel James; Onshuus, Emma Katrin; Boilard, Aurélie; Furness, Lydia Hildebrand & Mauvisseau, Quentin [Vis alle 10 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2025). From forests to fire: Reconstructing Holocene forest ecosystems and Nordic Bronze Age human cave activity at Solvikhola, Northern Norway. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Caves offer exceptional preservation conditions for organics and archaeological remains, providing insights into biodiversity, ecosystem dynamics, and anthropogenic events over millennia. Solvikhola (67°12'46.2"N, Fauske, Nordland, Northern Norway), a cave excavated in 2023, revealed a remarkable palaeoarchive with a sedimentary deposit spanning the last 7600 cal. years. Ten distinct stratigraphic layers contained organic remains such as bones, shells, leaves, and charcoal, providing a unique opportunity to reconstruct past environments and prehistoric human activity in higher latitudes. Such long-term records are rudimentary and underexplored above the Arctic Circle, making Solvikhola an invaluable resource for understanding the region’s distant past. Applying a multidisciplinary methodology including archaeology, ancient DNA (aDNA) bulk-bone metabarcoding (BBM), palynology, geology, and isotope analysis (14C-dating), we uncovered a hearth with a torch and a Bronze Age cultural layer. Morever, we identified a diverse faunal sequence back to the Mesolithic. Osteological analysis identified 18 taxa across Amphibia, Aves, Mammalia, and Pisces representative of 24% of the bone fragments. Ancient DNA BBM considerably expanded taxonomic resolution, identifying more than 56 taxa from the remaining 76% of bone fragments. This dataset highlights a relatively stable forest ecosystem with small climatic fluctuations, hosting foxes, wolves, reindeer, small mammals (e.g., Arvicolidae, Cricetidae, Leporidae), and birds (e.g., Strigidae, Hirundinidae, Phasianidae) resembling the present-day ecosystem in Northern Norway. Notably, the discovery of archaeological remains dating to c. 2700 cal. BP offers evidence of early human activity at the cave site, contributing valuable data to the limited knowledge of human presence in this northern interior region.

• Onhuus, Emma Katrin & Boessenkool, Sanne (2025). Masters defense: Faunal Reconstruction of a High-latitude, Multi-millennial Cave Archive. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne (2024). Norges grotter: et naturlig arkiv av fortidens biomangfold. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne & Boilard, Aurélie (2024). Endringer i klima sendte arter på flukt også for mange tusen år siden. [Internet]. Titan. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne (2023). En ny fugl har oppstått på Bjørnøya. [Internet]. Forskning.no. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boilard, Aurélie; Walker, Samuel James; Lødøen, Trond; Henriksen, Mona; Kolfschoten, Thijs van & Lauritzen, Stein Erik [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Reconstructing faunal diversity from the last Glacial period in northern Norway using zooarchaeology and bulk-bone metabarcoding. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne & Lødøen, Trond (2023). EvoCave prosjektet - Grotter som kilde til ny kunnskap. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne & Lødøen, Trond (2023). EvoCave prosjektet - Grotter som kilde til ny kunnskap. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boilard, Aurélie; Walker, Samuel James; Lødøen, Trond Andreas Klungseth; Henriksen, Mona; Linge, Henriette & Kolfschoten, Thijs van [Vis alle 16 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Reconstructing faunal diversity from the last Glacial period in northern Norway using zoo-archaeology and bulk-bone metabarcoding. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Walker, Samuel James; Lødøen, Trond; Henriksen, Mona; Boilard, Aurélie; Lauritzen, Stein Erik & Linge, Henriette [Vis alle 10 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Innovative and interdisciplinary karst cave excavation of rare pre-LGM sediments in northern Norway. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boilard, Aurélie; Walker, Samuel James; Lødøen, Trond Andreas Klungseth; Henriksen, Mona; Linge, Henriette & Kolfschoten, Thijs van [Vis alle 10 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Reconstructing faunal diversity from the last Glacial period in northern Norway using zooarchaeology and bulk-bone metabarcoding. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Northern Europe experienced extreme topographical, environmental and climatic changes during the last interglacial-glacial cycle. High-latitude, fossil faunal records are, however, almost non-existent due to the Late Pleistocene erosion and removal of sediments by flushing meltwater from the massive glaciers that covered extensive parts of the northern temperate regions. The effects of the dramatic Quaternary climatic changes on animal distributions in Fennoscandia therefore remain largely unresolved. The Storsteinshola cave system (68°50’N) in Kjøpsvik, northern Norway, is an exception, with one of the sections of this large karst cave system containing an extra-ordinary bone-rich sediment deposit preliminary dated to 70 000 - 120 000 years BP. We exploit the exceptional opportunity of this deposit for the comparative, interdisciplinary analyses of a high-latitude faunal record from the last interglacial-glacial cycle. Following two large-scale excavations, we combined morphological identification with bulk-bone metabarcoding to maximise taxonomic identification of the highly fragmented, recovered bone material. Through these analyses over 40 taxa were identified, including a diverse range of mammals (e.g. bear Ursus sp., reindeer Rangifer tarandus, bowhead whale Balaena mysticetus), birds (e.g. king eider Somateria spectabilis, ptarmigan Lagopus sp., common murre Uria aalge) and fish (e.g. Atlantic cod Gadus morhua, golden redfish Sebastes marinus, salmonids Salvelinus). Our results highlight the power of combining ancient DNA with traditional, zooarchaeological methods to broaden taxonomic identification of fragmentary material that is otherwise difficult or even impossible to identify. Moreover, chronology established using a diversity of dating methods together with sedimentological analyses provide a framework for palaeo-environmental interpretations of the exhaustive faunal record that is reconstructed.

• Boilard, Aurélie; Walker, Samuel James; Lødøen, Trond Andreas Klungseth; Henriksen, Mona; Takken-Beijersbergen, Liselotte M. & Star, Bastiaan [Vis alle 16 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Ancient DNA and osteological analyses of a unique paleo-archive reveal Early Holocene faunal expansion into the Scandinavian Arctic. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Paleo-archives are essential for our understanding of species responses to climate warming, yet such archives are extremely rare in the Arctic. Here, we combine morphological analyses and bulk-bone metabarcoding to investigate a unique chronology of bone deposits sealed in the high-latitude Storsteinhola cave system (68°50’ N 16°22’ E) in Norway. This deposit dates to a period of climate warming from the end of the Late Glacial to the Holocene Thermal Maximum. A combination of comparative morphology and paleogenetic analyses allowed us to exploit the deposit to its full potential, with ancient DNA providing taxonomical identification to the 1000s of morphologically unidentifiable bone fragments. Our results show a high-resolution sequence of fish, mammal, and bird species, including species not previously discovered in the region, and providing fundamental insights in the ecosystem-wide responses that are ongoing today.

• Boessenkool, Sanne; Bruch, Angela A.; Schure, Anna Theresia Maria ter; Gasparyan, Boris; Bussmann, Rainer W. & Brysting, Anne Krag [Vis alle 10 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2023). Sedimentary ancient DNA metabarcoding for the recognition of Paleolithic human plant use. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne (2022). Unearthing of past human-environment interactions using sedimentary ancient DNA. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Walker, Samuel James; Boilard, Aurélie; Takken-Beijersbergen, Liselotte M.; Lødøen, Trond; Lauritzen, Stein Erik & Hufthammer, Anne Karin [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2022). Reconstructing Late Glacial fauna in northern Norway using zooarchaeology and bulk-bone metabarcoding. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne & Lødøen, Trond (2022). EvoCave prosjektet. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne (2022). Unearthing past ecologies and societies using sedimentary ancient DNA. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne; Lødøen, Trond & Lauritzen, Stein-Erik (2022). Gjør seg klare for nye sensasjonelle funn. [Journal]. Nordsalten Avis. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boilard, Aurélie; Takken-Beijersbergen, Liselotte M.; Hufthammer, Anne Karin; Lødøen, Trond; Lauritzen, Stein Erik & Boessenkool, Sanne (2022). A Multi-methodological approach to identifying faunal material from Late Glacial cave deposits in northern Norway. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne (2022). Sedimentary aDNA at Hovedøya Kloster. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Kersten, Oliver; Star, Bastiaan; Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Kantanen, Juha & Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Genetic history of sheep in the North Atlantic from the Viking Age to modern breeds. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Sheep were vital to subsistence in the newly settled lands of the Norse in the Faroes, Iceland and Greenland during the Viking Age. Sheep are multi-product animals and were reared for wool, milk, meat, skins and horns, and large number of sheep bones have been found in archaeological excavations in the region. Despite their importance, the origins of local sheep breeds and their development since the 9th century are poorly understood. Here we obtained whole genome sequences of 27 ancient sheep from archaeological excavations in Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Norway and the UK dating from 800-1700. For comparison we also analysed both newly generated and previously published modern genomes from North Atlantic, European and Asian sheep breeds. We trace the introduction of sheep to the Faroes, Iceland and Greenland in a clear stepping stone pattern, but ancient UK and Norwegian sheep form an overlapping cluster. Moreover, our data shows a large reduction in genomic diversity of sheep in the North Atlantic from the Viking and Medieval period to the modern sheep breeds in the region.

• Trucchi, Emiliano; Benazzo, Andrea; Lari, Martina; Iob, Alice; Vai, Stefania & Nanni, Laura [Vis alle 25 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Author Correction: Ancient genomes reveal early Andean farmers selected common beans while preserving diversity (Nature Plants, (2021), 7, 2, (123-128), 10.1038/s41477-021-00848-7). Nature Plants. ISSN 2055-026X. 7(3), s. 377–377. doi: 10.1038/s41477-021-00892-3. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Kool, Anneleen; Blakeney, Rebecca Angelica; Boessenkool, Sanne & Ulriksen, Emilie Steinbakk (2021). Gammal plantekunnskap kan gi ny medisin. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Kersten, Oliver Sven; Star, Bastiaan; Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Kantanen, Juha & Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). The tangled history of sheep in the North Atlantic revealed through ancient DNA. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Sheep played a vital role in the settlement of the North Atlantic in the Viking Age, providing wool for clothing and the sails of Viking ships in addition to milk, meat, skins and horns. Despite their importance we know little about how the rapid settlement of the North Atlantic shaped the population structure and genetic diversity of sheep and how the local breeds in the North Atlantic region have changed through a thousand years of isolation. We sequenced over 80 ancient sheep bones from archaeological excavations in the North Atlantic resulting in 28 ancient sheep genomes (800-1700 CE) with average coverage of 3,7X and eight genomes from modern landrace breeds present in the region. The population history of sheep in the North Atlantic is more complicated than previously thought with some evidence of admixture of sheep from Norway and the UK during the founding of the Icelandic sheep population. The sheep population in Norse Greenland is clearly founded from Iceland. In Greenland we observe a loss of heterozygosity and increases in inbreeding over time, probably related to population decline associated with the collapse of the Norse settlement in Greenland. Our data shows a large reduction in genomic diversity of sheep in the North Atlantic from the Viking and Medieval period to the modern sheep breeds in the region, specifically in Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

• Boilard, Aurélie; Robu, Marius; Star, Bastiaan; Dalén, Love & Boessenkool, Sanne (2021). 122 000 years of fauna diversity of Nordic ecosystems explored through paleogenomics. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Paleogenomics is a molecular approach to paleontological records allowing the analysis of past ecosystems through ancient DNA (aDNA) found in fossils and soils. The discovery of Europe’s northernmost bone-rich karst cave system with sediments and bones dated up to 122ka, in Kjøpsvik (68°50’N) Northern Norway, presents a unique opportunity to study the response of arctic and boreal ecosystems to climate change during the last interglacial. The objectives of this project are to : (i) reconstruct faunal diversity and (ii) genetic diversity of mammalian populations as well as (iii) their distribution throughout the last glacial cycle over a period of 122 000 years. Metabarcoding will be used on bulk bone material (aDNA) and sediments (sedaDNA) to reconstruct the faunal diversity from excavated bone fragments. Genomic analyses based on both mitochondrial and nuclear genomes will be conducted to study historic biogeography of selected species. This study will provide new insights into mammalian diversity of high latitude ecosystems of Scandinavia throughout the last glacial cycle, and contribute to our understanding of their resilience and adaptive capabilities in the face of climate change.

• Schure, Anneke ter; Bajard, Manon Julietto Andree; Loftsgarden, Kjetil; Høeg, Helge Irgens; Ballo, Eirik Magnus Gottschalk & Bakke, Jostein [Vis alle 12 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Disentangling anthropogenic and environmental drivers of biological change in southeastern Norway during the Holocene. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Schure, Anneke ter; Bajard, Manon Julietto Andree; Loftsgarden, Kjetil; Høeg, Helge Irgens; Ballo, Eirik Magnus Gottschalk & Bakke, Jostein [Vis alle 12 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Anthropogenic and environmental drivers of biological change in southeastern Norway during the Holocene. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne & Lødøen, Trond (2021). Fant rester av 100.000 år gamle isbjørner, ulver og seler i grotte: – Overraskende. [Internet]. NRK. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne & Lødøen, Trond (2021). Utforsker grottene i Kjøpsvik. [Journal]. Fremover. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Chua, Physilia; Boessenkool, Sanne; Alsos, Inger Greve; Ekrem, Torbjørn & Bohmann, Kristine (2019). Use of emerging complete organelle DNA reference databases in the diet analyses of the herbivorous bird, western capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus). Genome. ISSN 0831-2796. 62(6), s. 361–361. doi: 10.1139/gen-2019-0083. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Diet analysis is an important tool used in conservation biology, providing information such as resource use and habitat re- quirements of the studied species. Traditionally, methods used to study animals’ diet have relied on either direct observation or on morphological identification of undigested remains in the faeces. However, such methods are usually fraught with identification errors and are both labour and time intensive. Advances in metabarcoding have enabled the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) to reconstruct diets, but the use of reference databases comprising short DNA se- quence markers limits the resolution for accurate species identifica- tion. To address this issue, we explore how the optimal use of emerging national DNA reference databases, such as NorBOL and PhyloAlps, may lead to a more accurate species-level identification of plants in animals’ diet. These comprehensive reference databases comprise complete organelle genomes of the Norwegian and Alpine flora, respectively. Results: As our study is still in the preliminary phase, data analysis is currently ongoing to document the potential of using localised DNA reference databases. We collected faecal samples from western capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus) located in Norway and France. The selected study sites represented a huge variation in vege- tation types and, thus, the potential variation in the capercaillies’ diet. We will use the primers trnl P6 loop and 16S rRNA for diet analysis, and additional 18S rRNA and COI primers to detect intestinal para- sites. Taxonomic inference of sequences will be realised using both localised DNA reference databases such as NorBOL and PhyloAlps, and traditional general databases such as the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD). Significance: We predict that the use of localised DNA reference databases comprising complete organelle genomes of the local flora may improve the identification of plant species found in faecal samples, possibly giving rise to new knowledge of the studied species.

• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Barrett, James H.; Boessenkool, Sanne; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn; Leifsson, Rúnar & Nistelberger, Heidi Maria [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). POWERFUL MALE VIKINGS WERE BURIED WITH THEIR POWERFUL MALE HORSES. [Internet]. Newsweek.com. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Chua, Physilia; Boessenkool, Sanne; Alsos, Inger Greve; Ekrem, Torbjørn & Bohmann, Kristine (2019). Use of emerging complete organelle DNA reference databases in the diet analyses of the herbivorous bird, western capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus). Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Leifsson, Rúnar; Orlando, Ludovic; Barrett, James H. & Star, Bastiaan [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Fornleifarannsóknir: Hryssur ekki valdar í kuml. [Journal]. Austurglugginn. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Schure, Anna Theresia Maria ter; Mjærum, Axel; Wammer, Elling Utvik & Boessenkool, Sanne (2019). Reconstructing the introduction of Salmo trutta to mountain lake ecosystems by sedimentary aDNA metabarcoding. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Star, Bastiaan; Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Kantanen, Juha; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn & Boessenkool, Sanne (2019). Viking sheep of the North Atlantic: Origins & genetic heritage. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Star, Bastiaan; Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Kantanen, Juha; Stenseth, Nils Chr. & Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). The Sheep Saga: Archaeogenomics of Viking Age sheep in the North Atlantic. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Star, Bastiaan; Leifsson, Rúnar; Wyrozemska, Agata Teresa & Orlando, Ludovic [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Kyngreining á hrossum úr kumlum með forn-DNA Hestar lagðir í kuml á Íslandi á víkingaöld. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Barrett, James H.; Boessenkool, Sanne; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn; Leifsson, Rúnar & Nistelberger, Heidi Maria [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Lítið um hryssur í kumlum víkinga. [Journal]. Morgunblaðið. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Star, Bastiaan; Leifsson, Rúnar; Wyrozemska, Agata Teresa & Orlando, Ludovic [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Kyngreining á hrossum úr kumlum með fornDNA. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Hestar voru algengasta haugfé sem lagt var í kuml á Íslandi á víkingaöld. Beinagrindur hrossa er hægt að kyngreina á formi mjaðmagrindar og því hvort vígtennur eru til staðar. Vígtennur koma upp við 4-5 ára aldur í karldýrum en þó hafa rannsóknir sýnt að allt að þriðjungur hryssa getur haft vígtennur þó þær séu yfirleitt mun minni en í karldýrunum. Beinagreining hefur sýnt að öll hross sem hægt er að kyngreina úr íslenskum kumlum er úr karlkyns hestum en þar sem stór hluti þessara kumla fannst fyrir mörgum áratugum síðan við framkvæmdir eru beinagrindurnar oft of illa varðveittar til þess að hægt sé að kyngreina þær með vissu. Í þessari rannsókn notum við forn-DNA-greiningu til að kyngreina 22 hross frá víkingaöld. 19 hross voru úr kumlum en þrjú bein úr hellum og býlum voru einnig greind. Rannsóknir okkar leiddu í ljós að af 19 hrossum úr kumlum sem greind voru reyndist aðeins vera ein hryssa en öll sýnin sem komu úr helli og býli reyndust vera hryssur. Í greininni er einnig sýnt fram á að hægt er að kyngreina dýr jafnvel þó afar lítið sé varðveitt af DNA í hverju sýni og því má nota aðferðafræðina í greininni til að kyngreina fornleifafræðileg bein á mun stærri skala og fyrir minna fé en áður var talið. Fjallað verður um niðurstöður í nýútkominni grein Heidi M. Nistelberger, Albínu Huldu Pálsdóttur, Bastiaan Star, Rúnars Leifssonar, Agötu T. Gondek, Ludovic Orlando, James H. Barrett, Jóns Hallsteins Hallssonar og Sanne Boessenkool “Sexing Viking Age horses from burial and non-burial sites in Iceland using ancient DNA,” Journal of Archaeological Science 101 (2019), 115–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2018.11.007. Albína Hulda Pálsdóttir er dýrabeinafornleifafræðingur og starfar við Landbúnaðarháskóla Íslands. Hún er doktorsnemi við Óslóarháskóla en doktorsverkefni hennar heitir „Hestar og sauðfé víkinganna: Fornerfðafræði húsdýra í Norður-Atlantshafi“. Hún hefur greint dýrabeinasöfn frá Íslandi, Írlandi, Grænlandi og Færeyjum. Leiðbeinendur Albínu eru dr. Sanne Boessenkool við Óslóarháskóla, dr. Jón Hallsteinn Hallsson við Landbúnaðarháskóla Íslands og dr. Juha Kantanen hjá LUKE í Finnlandi. Verkefnið er styrkt af rannsóknasjóði Rannís á styrk nr. 162783051

• Boessenkool, Sanne (2019). Tracking people and their animals through the Viking Age using ancient DNA. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne (2019). Tracking animals through the Viking Age using ancient DNA. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Barrett, James H.; Boessenkool, Sanne; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn; Leifsson, Rúnar & Nistelberger, Heidi Maria [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Ancient DNA from Viking Graves Proves the Fierce Fighters Rode Male Horses. [Internet]. https://www.livescience.com/64432-vikings-buried-with-stalli. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Barrett, James H.; Boessenkool, Sanne; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn; Leifsson, Rúnar & Nistelberger, Heidi Maria [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Powerful Icelandic Vikings were buried with stallions. [Internet]. phys.org. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Barrett, James H.; Boessenkool, Sanne; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn; Leifsson, Rúnar & Nistelberger, Heidi Maria [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Lítið um hryss­ur í kuml­um vík­inga. [Internet]. mbl.is. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Boessenkool, Sanne; Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn; Star, Bastiaan & Barrett, James H. [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Ancient Horse DNA From Burial Sites In Iceland Suggests That Viking Age Warriors Preferred Male Horses. [Internet]. www.inquisitr.com. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Barrett, James H.; Boessenkool, Sanne; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn; Leifsson, Rúnar & Nistelberger, Heidi Maria [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Burials Suggest Icelandic Vikings Had a Thing for Stallions. [Internet]. www.smithsonianmag.com. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Leifsson, Rúnar; Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Barrett, James H.; Boessenkool, Sanne; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn & Nistelberger, Heidi Maria [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Horses buried with Icelandic Viking nobles were male, ancient DNA shows. [Internet]. CBC news. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Barrett, James H.; Boessenkool, Sanne; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn; Leifsson, Rúnar & Nistelberger, Heidi Maria [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Powerful Icelandic Vikings were buried with stallions. [Internet]. Heritage daily. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Schure, Anna Theresia Maria ter; Pillai, Anusree; Saroja, Seethapathy Gopalakrishnan; Shankar, M. Bhavani; Ravikanth, G & Puri, Rajindra K. [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Dietary competition between wild and domestic herbivores in a wildlife sanctuary. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Schure, Anna Theresia Maria ter; Pillai, Anusree; Saroja, Seethapathy Gopalakrishnan; Shankar, M. Bhavani; Ravikanth, G. & Puri, Rajindra K. [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Dietary niche partitioning in domestic and wild herbivores in Southern India. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Schure, Anna Theresia Maria ter; Pillai, Anusree; Saroja, Seethapathy Gopalakrishnan; Shankar, M. Bhavani; Ravikanth, G. & Puri, Rajindra K. [Vis alle 8 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2019). Food competition between wild and domestic herbivores in Southern India. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Kersten, Oliver; Star, Bastiaan; Anker-Nilssen, Tycho; Strøm, Hallvard & Boessenkool, Sanne (2019). Genomic population structure of the Atlantic Puffin – insights into the species’ taxonomy. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Tarlach, Gemma; Boessenkool, Sanne; Kool, Anneleen & Star, Bastiaan (2018). The secret history of the Vikings. [Journal]. Discover. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Gondek, Agata Teresa; Boessenkool, Sanne & Star, Bastiaan (2018). A stainless-steel mortar, pestle and sleeve design for the efficient fragmentation of ancient bone. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Barrett, James H.; Boessenkool, Sanne; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn; Leifsson, Rúnar & Nistelberger, Heidi Maria [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2018). Folum fórnað. [Internet]. Bændablaðið online. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Boessenkool, Sanne; Barrett, James H.; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn; Leifsson, Rúnar & Nistelberger, Heidi Maria [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2018). Mektige islandske vikinger fikk hingster med seg i graven. [Internet]. Titan.no. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Boessenkool, Sanne; Barrett, James H.; Leifsson, Rúnar; Nistelberger, Heidi Maria & Orlando, Ludovic [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2018). Powerful Icelandic Vikings were buried with stallions. [Internet]. Titan.no. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Star, Bastiaan; Leifsson, Rúnar; Gondek, Agata Teresa & Orlando, Ludovic [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2018). Sexing Viking Age horses from burial and non-burial sites in Iceland using ancient DNA. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Weldenegodguad, Melak; Kantanen, Juha; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn & Boessenkool, Sanne (2018). Archaeogenomics of Viking Age Sheep in the North Atlantic. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Nistelberger, Heidi Maria; Weldenegodguad, Melak; Kantanen, Juha; Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn & Boessenkool, Sanne (2018). Viking Age Sheep in the North Atlantic. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Barrett, James H.; Boessenkool, Sanne; Kneale, Catherine; O'Connell, Tamsin C. & Star, Bastiaan (2018). Northern Journeys: Cod, Walruses and Arctic Connections to Urban Europe in the Middle Ages. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Boessenkool, Sanne (2018). Genetic time travel: learning about Viking animals and their DNA. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Onshuus, Emma Katrin; Boessenkool, Sanne & Frank, Lea (2025). Faunal Reconstruction of a High-latitude, Multi-millennial Cave Archive. Universitetet i Oslo. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Boessenkool, Sanne & Star, Bastiaan (2021). Ancient DNA sexing of walrus bones from Alþingisreitur, Iceland. Íslenskar fornleifarannsóknir ehf og Icelandic ZooArch. ISSN 9789935964106. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda & Boessenkool, Sanne (2020). Sheep and Goat Skulls from Follobanen Bispegata Oslo, Norway: Ancient DNA Sampling Report. Agricultural University of Iceland. ISSN 9789979881940. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Caprine skulls from Follobanen Bispegata excavation in Oslo Five partial caprine skulls from the excavation in Follobanen Bispegata in Oslo (Berge, Ødeby, Holmen, Derrick, & Helstad, In prep) were given to us for possible ancient DNA sampling as part of the project “The Horses and Sheep of the Vikings: Archaeogenomics of Domesticates in the North Atlantic Research”. Only two of the skulls had a petrous bone which is preferred for sampling for ancient DNA as it often has excellent DNA preservation (Hansen et al., 2017; Pinhasi et al., 2015). Since the focus of the project was acquiring ancient DNA samples from sheep (Ovis aries) skulls from goats (Capra hircus, see below) were not sampled even if the petrous bone was present.

• Palsdottir, Albina Hulda; Boessenkool, Sanne & Star, Bastiaan (2018). Ancient DNA sampling report Walrus bones from Alþingisreitur. Landbúnaðarháskóli Íslands. ISSN 9789979881711. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

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