Exploring past biodiversity in Scotland and Ireland using environmental ancient DNA

This project aims to refine our understanding of past biodiversity and ecosystems in Scotland and Ireland using environmental DNA extracted from ancient soil and sediments (environmental ancient DNA). It will generate new data from up to five study sites previously analysed for faunal remains, pollen or plant macrofossils, and for which temporal sequences are already established via radiocarbon or other dating methods. The final number and specific sites will be decided by the student in consultation with the supervisory team, but we envision that the project will focus on archaeological and palaeoecological sites currently undergoing research in our respective departments, such as the Pictish fort of Burghead in northcentral Scotland (1st millennium AD) and peat monoliths associated with a Mesolithic site in the Irish Midlands.

The DNA analyses carried out as part of this PhD project will provide time-stamped and high-resolution 'snapshots' of local flora and fauna from the selected study sites. Floral diversity will be assessed using chloroplast DNA-metabarcoding techniques targeting the p6 loop (10-146 base pairs) of trnL gene in the chloroplast genome (Ref 1). The presence of mammals will be assessed by targeting a short stretch (60-84 base pairs) of the mitochondrial 16S gene (Ref 1) but with the aim to also include next-generation shotgun sequencing of DNA libraries enriched for mammalian DNA (Ref 2). The results will be co-analysed with previously generated palaeoenvironmental data from the selected sites and placed in the wider environmental and climatic sequences of Ireland and Scotland.

The project offers comprehensive training in state-of-the-art ancient DNA methods (wet-lab and bioinformatics), as well as fieldwork and sampling (e.g. coring), and pollen and macrofossil analyses as a complement to the aDNA analyses. Where applicable, the student will also be trained in analysing tephrochronology and radiocarbon dates.