scholarly journals Tracing the genetic origin of Europe's first farmers reveals insights into their social organization

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Szécsényi-Nagy ◽  
Guido Brandt ◽  
Victoria Keerl ◽  
János Jakucs ◽  
Wolfgang Haak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Carpathian Basin ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Genetic Impact ◽  
South Eastern Europe ◽  
Patrilineal Descent ◽  
Early Farmers ◽  
Spread Of Agriculture

Farming was established in Central Europe by the Linearbandkeramik culture (LBK), a well-investigated archaeological horizon, which emerged in the Carpathian Basin, in today's Hungary. However, the genetic background of the LBK genesis has not been revealed yet. Here we present 9 Y chromosomal and 84 mitochondrial DNA profiles from Mesolithic, Neolithic Starčevo and LBK sites (7th/6th millennium BC) from the Carpathian Basin and south-eastern Europe. We detect genetic continuity of both maternal and paternal elements during the initial spread of agriculture, and confirm the substantial genetic impact of early farming south-eastern European and Carpathian Basin cultures on Central European populations of the 6th-4th millennium BC. Our comprehensive Y chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA population genetic analyses demonstrate a clear affinity of the early farmers to the modern Near East and Caucasus, tracing the expansion from that region through south-eastern Europe and the Carpathian Basin into Central Europe. Our results also reveal contrasting patterns for male and female genetic diversity in the European Neolithic, suggesting patrilineal descent system and patrilocal residential rules among the early farmers.

Customary Law and the Influence of the Ius Commune in High and Late Medieval East Central Europe

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mia Korpiola
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Customary Law ◽  
East Central Europe ◽  
East Central ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Ius Commune ◽  
Italian Law ◽  
South Eastern Europe

Secular law remained largely customary and uncodified in east central Europe. While much of south-eastern Europe had remained Christian ever since Roman times, most of east central Europe was Christianized during the high Middle Ages. The Baltic region came later, Lithuania only being converted after 1387. South-eastern Europe was influenced first by Byzantine and then Italian law. In much of east central Europe secular law was based on Slavic customs, later influenced by canon law and German law. The Sachsenspiegel, Schwabenspiegel, and German town law spread to the whole region alongside the German colonization of east central Europe. Towns functioned as conduits of German and learned law. Certain territorial rulers actively promoted Roman law and (partial) codification, while the local nobility preferred uncodified customary law. In addition to foreign university studies, the fourteenth-century universities of Prague and Krakow, cathedral chapters, and notaries helped disseminate the ius commune into the region.

Central European polyploids of Sorbus subgenus Aria (Rosaceae) recurrently evolved from diploids of central and south-eastern Europe: evidence from microsatellite data

2019 ◽  
Vol 191 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Feulner ◽  
Alfons Weig ◽  
Tobias Voss ◽  
Lea F Schott ◽  
Gregor Aas
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Exceptional Case ◽  
Multivariate Morphometrics ◽  
Microsatellite Data ◽  
Central European ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
South Eastern Europe ◽  
Western Germany ◽  
Relationship Of

Abstract Sorbus subgenus Aria in Europe consists of sexual diploid and predominantly apomictic polyploid taxa. Tetraploid taxa of Sorbus subgenus Aria, including S. danubialis and S. collina, are endemic to central Europe, but it is unclear from which taxa or populations they originated. South-eastern European taxa of subgenus Aria were suggested to have contributed to the tetraploids S. danubialis and S. collina by polyploidization or hybridization. Genetic microsatellite data, flow cytometry and multivariate morphometrics were used (1) to investigate the genetic relationship of the tetraploid taxa throughout Europe, (2) to disentangle the population structure of diploid S. aria from central and south-eastern Europe and (3) to use the resulting subgroups for estimating the parentage of polyploids. Parentage analyses revealed that the allele patterns of the polyploid central European taxa such as S. danubialis and S. collina and other as yet undescribed polyploids from south-western Germany could be explained in most cases by recurrent crosses between diploid S. aria from south-eastern and central Europe. These origins are discussed in the context of historical biogeography. Furthermore, we report the exceptional case of a polyploid subgenus Aria population from south-western Germany showing no clonal genetic structure at all, making its taxonomic treatment challenging.

scholarly journals Genomic and dietary transitions during the Mesolithic and Early Neolithic in Sicily

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marieke S. van de Loosdrecht ◽  
Marcello A. Mannino ◽  
Sahra Talamo ◽  
Vanessa Villalba-Mouco ◽  
Cosimo Posth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central Position ◽  
Neolithic Period ◽  
Early Neolithic ◽  
Hunter Gatherers ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
South Eastern Europe ◽  
Early Farmers ◽  
Late Mesolithic

AbstractSouthern Italy is a key region for understanding the agricultural transition in the Mediterranean due to its central position. We present a genomic transect for 19 prehistoric Sicilians that covers the Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic period. We find that the Early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers (HGs) are a highly drifted sister lineage to Early Holocene western European HGs, whereas a quarter of the Late Mesolithic HGs ancestry is related to HGs from eastern Europe and the Near East. This indicates substantial gene flow from (south-)eastern Europe between the Early and Late Mesolithic. The Early Neolithic farmers are genetically most similar to those from the Balkan and Greece, and carry only a maximum of ∼7% ancestry from Sicilian Mesolithic HGs. Ancestry changes match changes in dietary profile and material culture, except for two individuals who may provide tentative initial evidence that HGs adopted elements of farming in Sicily.One-sentence summaryGenome-wide and isotopic data from prehistoric Sicilians reveal a pre-farming connection to (south-) eastern Europe, and tentative initial evidence that hunter-gatherers adopted some Neolithic aspects prior to near-total replacement by early farmers.

scholarly journals Translocations of European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) along altitudinal gradient in Bulgaria – an overview

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 63-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yordan Koshev ◽  
Maria Kachamakova ◽  
Simeon Arangelov ◽  
Dimitar Ragyov
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Ground Squirrel ◽  
Release Site ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
South Eastern Europe ◽  
Spermophilus Citellus ◽  
Number Of Individuals

The European ground squirrel (Spermophiluscitellus) is a vulnerable species (IUCN) living in open habitats of Central and South-eastern Europe. Translocations (introductions, reintroductions and reinforcements) are commonly used as part of the European ground squirrel (EGS) conservation. There are numerous publications for such activities carried out in Central Europe, but data from South-eastern Europe, where translocations have also been implemented, are still scarce. The present study summarises the methodologies used in the translocations in Bulgaria and analyses the factors impacting their success. Eight translocations of more than 1730 individuals were performed in the period 2010 to 2018. These included 4 reinforcements, 3 reintroductions and 1 introduction. Two of the translocations are still ongoing. Five of the completed six (83%) translocations were successful, although in two cases the number of individuals was critically low. The relatively higher success in Bulgaria than in Central Europe is probably due to using the gained experience. Most of the translocations (6) used a soft release approach. In 6 cases, the animals settled 100 to 720 metres away from the release site, implying management and protection of suitable habitat beyond the translocation area. In 7 of the translocations, the altitude between the donor colony and the release site varied from 470 to 1320 m which could have a hindering effect on the adaptation of animals due to the specific conditions in the mountains. The main reasons for failure are probably poorly selected and maintained habitats and bad climatic conditions (rainy and cool weather) during the translocation action. European funds are of critical importance for translocations, with only two translocations funded by other sources. Based on the gathered data, the current paper also gives some recommendations for improvement in translocation activities.

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