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The immigration history and extinction dynamics of the Scandinavian aurochs (Bos primigenius)

Rosengren, Erika LU orcid ; Rossi, Conor ; Magnell, Ola LU ; Hallgren, Fredrik ; Ekström, Jonas LU ; Mostadius, Maria LU ; Sørensen, Lasse and Sinding, Mikkel-Holger S. (2026) In The Holocene p.1-16
Abstract
The final disappearance of the aurochs (Bos primigenius) from Poland in the 17th century marked the culmination of a decline that had begun as early as the Atlantic period. Although human activities primarily drove its extinction, the reasons for its earlier disappearance in Scandinavia remain uncertain. This study investigates the immigration and extinction dynamics of the Scandinavian aurochs during the Holocene. Utilising phylogenetic and palaeogenetic data, we trace its postglacial colonisation from a Western European refugium, delimiting the period of connectivity with the main European population before the land bridge was severed by rising sea levels. Genetic analyses further point to inbreeding and genetic drift, exacerbated by... (More)
The final disappearance of the aurochs (Bos primigenius) from Poland in the 17th century marked the culmination of a decline that had begun as early as the Atlantic period. Although human activities primarily drove its extinction, the reasons for its earlier disappearance in Scandinavia remain uncertain. This study investigates the immigration and extinction dynamics of the Scandinavian aurochs during the Holocene. Utilising phylogenetic and palaeogenetic data, we trace its postglacial colonisation from a Western European refugium, delimiting the period of connectivity with the main European population before the land bridge was severed by rising sea levels. Genetic analyses further point to inbreeding and genetic drift, exacerbated by population bottlenecks and geographical isolation, diminishing resilience over time. Population modelling indicates a classic boom-bust pattern correlated with intensified human settlement and hunting. Despite environmental conditions initially permitting persistence amidst increasing forest cover, subsequent habitat loss and human pressures accelerated demographic decline. Our integrated approach indicates that the extinction resulted from a synergistic effect of habitat fragmentation and degradation, genetic depletion, and prolonged anthropogenic pressures. These findings highlight the complex, multifactorial processes underlying species extinction and emphasise the importance of cross-disciplinary methods in palaeoecological research. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
The final disappearance of the aurochs (Bos primigenius) from Poland in the 17th century marked the culmination of a decline that had begun as early as the Atlantic period. Although human activities primarily drove its extinction, the reasons for its earlier disappearance in Scandinavia remain uncertain. This study investigates the immigration and extinction dynamics of the Scandinavian aurochs during the Holocene. Utilising phylogenetic and palaeogenetic data, we trace its postglacial colonisation from a Western European refugium, delimiting the period of connectivity with the main European population before the land bridge was severed by rising sea levels. Genetic analyses further point to inbreeding and genetic drift, exacerbated by... (More)
The final disappearance of the aurochs (Bos primigenius) from Poland in the 17th century marked the culmination of a decline that had begun as early as the Atlantic period. Although human activities primarily drove its extinction, the reasons for its earlier disappearance in Scandinavia remain uncertain. This study investigates the immigration and extinction dynamics of the Scandinavian aurochs during the Holocene. Utilising phylogenetic and palaeogenetic data, we trace its postglacial colonisation from a Western European refugium, delimiting the period of connectivity with the main European population before the land bridge was severed by rising sea levels. Genetic analyses further point to inbreeding and genetic drift, exacerbated by population bottlenecks and geographical isolation, diminishing resilience over time. Population modelling indicates a classic boom-bust pattern correlated with intensified human settlement and hunting. Despite environmental conditions initially permitting persistence amidst increasing forest cover, subsequent habitat loss and human pressures accelerated demographic decline. Our integrated approach indicates that the extinction resulted from a synergistic effect of habitat fragmentation and degradation, genetic depletion, and prolonged anthropogenic pressures. These findings highlight the complex, multifactorial processes underlying species extinction and emphasise the importance of cross-disciplinary methods in palaeoecological research. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Aurochs, Extinction, Inbreeding, Environmental factors, Human impact, Habitat loss, Uroxe, Utdöende, Inavel, aurochs, extinction, inbreeding, environmental factors, human impact, habitat loss
in
The Holocene
pages
16 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:105049340081
ISSN
0959-6836
DOI
10.1177/09596836261477271
project
The Presence, Abundance and Extinction of the Postglacial Megafauna in Scandinavia
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3d24c5d4-4804-4280-8460-74a72c417534
date added to LUP
2026-09-11 09:06:57
date last changed
2026-09-24 12:34:20
@article{3d24c5d4-4804-4280-8460-74a72c417534,
  abstract     = {{The final disappearance of the aurochs (Bos primigenius) from Poland in the 17th century marked the culmination of a decline that had begun as early as the Atlantic period. Although human activities primarily drove its extinction, the reasons for its earlier disappearance in Scandinavia remain uncertain. This study investigates the immigration and extinction dynamics of the Scandinavian aurochs during the Holocene. Utilising phylogenetic and palaeogenetic data, we trace its postglacial colonisation from a Western European refugium, delimiting the period of connectivity with the main European population before the land bridge was severed by rising sea levels. Genetic analyses further point to inbreeding and genetic drift, exacerbated by population bottlenecks and geographical isolation, diminishing resilience over time. Population modelling indicates a classic boom-bust pattern correlated with intensified human settlement and hunting. Despite environmental conditions initially permitting persistence amidst increasing forest cover, subsequent habitat loss and human pressures accelerated demographic decline. Our integrated approach indicates that the extinction resulted from a synergistic effect of habitat fragmentation and degradation, genetic depletion, and prolonged anthropogenic pressures. These findings highlight the complex, multifactorial processes underlying species extinction and emphasise the importance of cross-disciplinary methods in palaeoecological research.}},
  author       = {{Rosengren, Erika and Rossi, Conor and Magnell, Ola and Hallgren, Fredrik and Ekström, Jonas and Mostadius, Maria and Sørensen, Lasse and Sinding, Mikkel-Holger S.}},
  issn         = {{0959-6836}},
  keywords     = {{Aurochs; Extinction; Inbreeding; Environmental factors; Human impact; Habitat loss; Uroxe; Utdöende; Inavel; aurochs; extinction; inbreeding; environmental factors; human impact; habitat loss}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  pages        = {{1--16}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{The Holocene}},
  title        = {{The immigration history and extinction dynamics of the Scandinavian aurochs  (Bos primigenius)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/09596836261477271}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/09596836261477271}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}