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Impact of Human Selection on the Genetics and Morphology of the Reindeer

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Domestication in Action

Part of the book series: Arctic Encounters ((AE))

Abstract

For centuries, reindeer herding has been an integral part of the subsistence and culture of the Sámi of northern Fennoscandia. Despite the importance of reindeer herding in the history of the Sámi, the timing and details of reindeer domestication are still highly debated. The wild reindeer reaching Fennoscandia at the end of the last glaciation had several specific eco-ethological and biological characteristics which were strongly disturbed and modified from the beginning of the domestication process. One of the ways to identify the early phases of the domestication process is to study direct evidence preserved over time through archaeological records. This can be done through genetic analyses or directly by examining the morphological characteristics of the fossil skeletal remains of reindeer. In this chapter, we specifically explore the impact of human selection on genetic and morphological changes in reindeer. We show that the domestication of the reindeer in Fennoscandia strongly modified its genotype and phenotype. This demonstrates that direct analyses of fossil reindeer skeletal remains have great potential for understanding reindeer domestication and early reindeer-herding strategies in Fennoscandia.

Abstrákta

Boazodoallu lea leamaš sámi kultuvrra ja sámi ealáhusaid dehálaš oassi juo čuohtejagiid áigge. Das fuolakeahttá dutkit eai leat ovttamielalaččat boazodoalu álgima áigemuttus ja ovttaskasáššiin, mat dasa gullet. Goddi bođii dáláš Suoma viidodahkii juo maŋemus jiekŋaáiggi maŋŋel. Domestikašuvdnaproseassa lea hábmen sakka máŋggaid iešvugiid, mat laktásit bohcco biologiijai, meannudeapmái ja ekologiijai. Domestikašuvdnaproseassa álgomuttuin lea vejolaš oažžut njuolggodieđu go dutká arkeologalaš dáktegávdnosiid genetihka ja morfologiija. Dát logus seassá earenoamážit olbmo dahkan válljema váikkuhusaid bohcco árbahuvvamii ja morfologiijas dáhpáhuvvan earáhuvvamiidda. Dutkanbohtosat čujuhit, ahte domestikašuvdna lea hábmen sakka bohcco geneotiippaid ja fenotiippaid. Dan dihte arkeologalaš dáktegávdnosiid dutkamuš lea bohcco domestikašuvnna ja boazodoalu árramuttuid dutkamuša dehálaš oassi.

Tiivistelmä

Poronhoito on ollut tärkeä osa saamelaiskulttuuria ja saamelaisten elinkeinoja vuosisatojen ajan. Siitä huolimatta tutkijat eivät ole yksimielisiä poronhoidon alkamisen ajankohdasta ja siihen liittyvistä yksityiskohdista. Villipeura saapui nykyisen Suomen alueelle jo viimeisen jääkauden jälkeen. Domestikaatioprosessi on muokannut huomattavasti monia poron biologiaan, käyttäytymiseen ja ekologiaan liittyviä piirteitä. Domestikaatioprosessin alkuvaiheista on mahdollista saada suoraa tietoa tutkimalla arkeologisten luulöytöjen genetiikkaa ja morfologiaa. Tämä luku tarkastelee erityisesti ihmisen suorittaman valinnan vaikutuksia poron perimässä ja morfologiassa tapahtuneisiin muutoksiin. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että domestikaatio on muokannut huomattavasti poron genotyyppiä ja fenotyyppiä. Sen vuoksi arkeologisten luulöytöjen tutkimus on tärkeä osa poron domestikaation ja poronhoidon varhaisvaiheiden tutkimusta.

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Acknowledgements

This research has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 756431) and the Academy of Finland (project number 308322).

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  1. Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Matti T. Heino

  2. Research Unit for History, Culture and Communications, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Maxime Pelletier

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    Anna-Kaisa Salmi

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Heino, M.T., Pelletier, M. (2022). Impact of Human Selection on the Genetics and Morphology of the Reindeer. In: Salmi, AK. (eds) Domestication in Action . Arctic Encounters. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98643-8_2

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