NEWS&ANALYSIS

H U M A N E VO L U T I O N A RY G E N E T I C S

Genes Conrm Europeans Blow to Native Americans

For nearly 15,000 years, the indigenous peo- 500,000 by the year 1900. But estimates Because mtDNA is inherited through the ples of North and South America had these for the year 1500 have varied wildly, from mother, the pair was able to estimate the sovast continents to themselves. But that all 20 million to just over 1 million, thus gener- called effective population sizein this case changed when Columbuss discovery of ating dramatically different percentages for the number of women actually bearing chilthe New World launched relentless waves of post-European contact population crashes. drenfrom the time of the peopling of the European colonization that went on for centu- (The Native American population has since Americas about 15,000 years ago to nearly ries. Many historians say these invasions dec- rebounded, reaching about 3 million in the the present day. The team found that this numimated native populations through warfare, United States today.) The demographic ber reached its highest point about 5000 years enslavement, and epidemics of new diseases history of the Americas before and after ago and precipitously declined, by about 50%, such as smallpox, inuenza, and measles. Columbus has been among the most hotly about 500 years ago. It then began to rise Some estimates suggest that up to 90% debated topics in archaeology and history, again. (The team did not try to estimate actual of indigenous peoples were wiped out. But says anthropologist Clark Larsen of Ohio population numbers, because the relationship other scholars have argued that the decline State University in Columbus. between effective population size and total was relatively modest and transient, and that Brendan OFallon, a population geneticist population size can vary widely.) populations eventually recovered to precon- at the University of Washington, Seattle, and The Native American population eventutact levels. The latter view is supported by Lars Fehren-Schmitz, an anthropologist at ally recovered, implying that it was probably recent genetic studies of Native Americans, the University of Gttingen in Germany, took never in danger of extinction, but from a which have failed to detect signs of popula- a new look at the issue. They analyzed data cultural or moral perspective, a 50% drop is tion crashes. severe, OFallon notes. Now, a study published This sudden plunge in this week in the Proceednumbers fits the historiings of the National Acadcal documentation, Larsen emy of Sciences pushes says: The historical record the pendulum back of population collapse in toward dramatic populathe post-Columbus era is tion declines. Using both just too well documented modern and ancient mitoto doubt the remarkable chondrial DNA (mtDNA) and negative impact on from Native Americans, native peoples. Quentin an international team Atkinson, a bio logist at concludes that about 500 the University of Auckland years ago, the number in New Zealand and lead of reproductively active author of one of the earlier Native American women genetic studies that failed quickly plunged by half, to f ind such an effect, indicating a widespread agrees that the results and severe contraction in certainly seem to suggest population size. a dip in population size This is a very nice about 500 years ago. paper, with results that Deadly invasion. European colonizers brought smallpox and other diseases that killed many But Atkinson and seem sound, says genet- Native Americans, as depicted in this 16th century woodcut. geneticist Phillip Endicott icist Sandro Bonatto of of the Museum of Man in the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul from 137 complete mtDNA genomes rep- Paris have concerns about the studys methin Porto Alegre, Brazil. I have always been resenting indigenous Americans from both odology. Endicott cautions that the researchintrigued by the lack of genetic evidence for North and South America, as well as smaller ers mixed genetic apples and oranges: They such an obvious population reduction. But segments of 63 ancient mtDNA sequences used whole mtDNA sequences from modBonatto and others caution that the studys from both continents ranging from about ern Native American populations, combined innovation of using both ancient and modern 3000 to 700 years ago. with only small segments of ancient mtDNA. DNA could also add a dose of uncertainty to By combining modern and ancient DNA, This would be a much stronger nding if its conclusions. they were able to calibrate a more accu- they could have obtained it using compatAnthropologists and historians have rate molecular clock. They then used high- ible data sets, Endicott says, by using only argued about such uncertainties for resolution statistical models to date demo- segments of the modern mtDNA or wholedecades, in large part because estimating graphic changes indicated by changes in genome sequences of the ancient mtDNA. early Native American population numbers the distribution of DNA variants. With these Bonatto prefers the second option: To is very difficult. Most researchers agree methods, they pinpointed a dramatic popu- settle the debate we need a lot more ancient that in North America north of Mexico, lation decrease that other major studies had [DNA] data. Native Americans numbered only about missed, OFallon says. MICHAEL BALTER
www.sciencemag.org SCIENCE VOL 334 9 DECEMBER 2011

CREDIT: AAA PHOTOSTOCK/ALAMY

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Published by AAAS

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