Biology subjects

Pestryakova, L. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Pestryakova, L. A..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Dynamic connectivities of plant metacommunities at a millennial time-scale: the Beringia testbed

Ecological connectivity shapes ecosystem responses to climate change and is thought to underpin stability, yet its millennial-scale dynamics remain poorly resolved. We asked how spatial and temporal connectivity of plant metacommunities changed over the last 40 ka and which processes drove it. We analysed and compiled plant sedimentary DNA from 20 lake cores across Beringia (Siberia, Alaska) to investigate community dynamics and, for a high-resolution subset, applied beta- and zeta-diversity to track connectivity. Vegetation changed coherently across the glacial-Holocene transition, with trait shifts mirroring functional composition. Connectivity peaked during the late MIS3 and Last Glacial Maximum--likely aided by the Bering Land Bridge, mass effects and facilitation--collapsed during the Deglacial with rapid turnover, and rebounded in the Holocene as shrub and boreal communities expanded. Temporal zeta within sites exceeded spatial zeta, indicating strong local persistence and resilience. Tundra sites uninvaded by forest maintained continuous species pools. Overall, these patterns underscore the value of a metacommunity perspective for assessing millennial-scale connectivity changes.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Arctic defaunation initiated a cascade of mammal-plant interaction shift through dispersal dynamics

Amid accelerating defaunation, it remains unclear whether the loss of large mammals can trigger ecosystem collapse and through which functional pathways. Using sedimentary ancient metagenomics, we identify an overlooked role of large mammal defaunation in helping drive the collapse of the glacial mammoth-steppe. Network analyses identified rewiring of mammal interactions during the late glacial supporting cascading effects. Crucially, megafaunal-mediated long-distance seed dispersal buffered vegetation turnover during periods of rapid climate warming but weakened with progressive losses of vital dispersal interactions leading to the steppe-tundras transition to open woodland in the early Holocene. Trophic interactions did not offset turnover and became dominant afterwards with the more stable climate. We identified resilient interactions that may support recovery, suggesting the potential of rewilding to restore Arctic ecosystems. One-sentence abstractAncient metagenomics reveals disrupted long-distance seed dispersal helped drive mammoth-steppe collapse and informs Arctic rewilding efforts.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Human dimension of Holocene wildfire dynamics in boreal eastern Siberia

Severe wildfire seasons in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) raise questions regarding long-term fire dynamics and their drivers. However, data on long-term fire history remains scarce across eastern Siberia. We present the first composite of reconstructed wildfire dynamics in Yakutia throughout the Holocene, based on eight newly contributed records of macroscopic charcoal in lake sediments in combination with published data. Increased biomass burning occurred in the Early Holocene, c. 10,000 years BP, before shifting to lower levels at c. 6000 years BP. Independent simulations of climate-driven burned area in an individual-based forest model reproduce this reconstructed Holocene trend (rs = 0.85), but the correlation on centennial timescales turns negative in the Late Holocene (rs = -0.70). This mismatch suggests that climate alone cannot explain Late Holocene wildfire dynamics. We propose that a human dimension needs to be considered. By example of the settlement of the pastoralist Sakha people c. 800 years BP, we show that implementing reduced fuel availability from Indigenous land management in the forest model leads to improved centennial-scale correlations (rs = 0.96). This study highlights the need for a better understanding of the poorly reported human dimension of past fire dynamics in eastern Siberia.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2020

Hybridization capture of larch (Larix Mill.) chloroplast genomes from sedimentary ancient DNA reveals past changes of Siberian forests

Siberian larch (Larix Mill.) forests dominate vast areas of northern Russia and contribute important ecosystem services to the world. It is important to understand the past dynamics of larches, in order to predict their likely response to a changing climate in the future. Sedimentary ancient DNA extracted from lake sediment cores can serve as archives to study past vegetation. However, the traditional method of studying sedimentary ancient DNA - metabarcoding - focuses on small fragments which cannot resolve Larix to species level nor allow the detailed study of population dynamics. Here we use shotgun sequencing and hybridization capture with long-range PCR-generated baits covering the complete Larix chloroplast genome to study Larix populations from a sediment core reaching back up to 6700 years in age from the Taymyr region in northern Siberia. In comparison to shotgun sequencing, hybridization capture results in an increase of taxonomically classified reads by several orders of magnitude and the recovery of near-complete chloroplast genomes of Larix. Variation in the chloroplast reads corroborate an invasion of Larix gmelinii into the range of Larix sibirica before 6700 years ago. Since then, both species have been present at the site, although larch populations have decreased with only a few trees remaining in what was once a forested area. This study demonstrates for the first time that hybridization capture applied to ancient DNA from lake sediments can provide genome-scale information and is a viable tool for studying past changes of a specific taxon.

ecology↗