RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 The genomic legacy of aurochs hybridisation in ancient and modern Iberian cattle
A1 Günther, Torsten
A1 Chisausky, Jacob
A1 Galindo-Pellicena, Ángeles M
A1 Iriarte Avilés, Eneko
A1 Cortes Gardyn, Oscar
A1 Eusebi, Paulina G
A1 García González, Rebeca
A1 Ureña, Irene
A1 Moreno-García, Marta
A1 Alday, Alfonso .
A1 Rojo, Manuel
A1 Pérez Romero, Amalia
A1 Tejedor Rodríguez, Cristina
A1 García Martínez de Lagrán, Inigo .
A1 Arsuaga, Juan Luis
A1 Carretero Díaz, José Miguel
A1 Götherström, Anders
A1 Smith, Colin Ian
A1 Valdiosera Morales, Cristina Eugenia
K1 Arqueología
K1 Archaeology
K1 Restos de animales (Arqueología)
K1 Animal remains (Archaeology)
AB Cattle (Bos taurus) play an important role in the life of humans in the Iberian Peninsula not just as a food source but also in cultural events. When domestic cattle were first introduced to Iberia, wild aurochs (Bos primigenius) were still present, leaving ample opportunity for mating (whether intended by farmers or not). Using a temporal bioarchaeological dataset covering eight millennia, we trace gene flow between the two groups. Our results show frequent hybridisation during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic, likely reflecting a mix of hunting and herding or relatively unmanaged herds, with mostly male aurochs and female domestic cattle involved. This is supported by isotopic evidence consistent with ecological niche sharing, with only a few domestic cattle possibly being managed. The proportion of aurochs ancestry in domestic cattle remains relatively constant from about 4000 years ago, probably due to herd management and selection against first generation hybrids, coinciding with other cultural transitions. The constant level of wild ancestry (~20%) continues into modern Western European breeds including Iberian cattle selected for aggressiveness and fighting ability. This study illuminates the genomic impact of human actions and wild introgression in the establishment of cattle as one of the most important domestic species today.
PB eLife Sciences Publications
YR 2025
FD 2025-03
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11302
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11302
LA eng
NO Funding: Vetenskapsrådet (2017-05267); Royal Physiographic Society of Lund; Ramón y Cajal (RYC2018-025223-I); Beatriz Galindo Fellowship (BGS220-461AA-69201); Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (PID2021-122355NB-C31); European Regional Development Fund (A way of making Europe);
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Burgos
RD 07-may-2026