MSGID: 1:317/3 627201e7   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    How the black rat colonized Europe in the Roman and Medieval periods   
      
      
     Date:   
         May 3, 2022   
     Source:   
         University of York   
     Summary:   
         New ancient DNA analysis has shed light on how the black rat,   
         blamed for spreading Black Death, dispersed across Europe --   
         revealing that the rodent colonized the continent on two occasions   
         in the Roman and Medieval periods. By analyzing DNA from ancient   
         black rat remains found at archaeological sites spanning the 1st   
         to the 17th centuries in Europe and North Africa, researchers have   
         pieced together a new understanding of how rat populations dispersed   
         following the ebbs and flows of human trade, urbanism, and empires.   
      
      
      
   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   New ancient DNA analysis has shed light on how the black rat, blamed   
   for spreading Black Death, dispersed across Europe -- revealing that   
   the rodent colonised the continent on two occasions in the Roman and   
   Medieval periods.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   The study -- led by the University of York along with the University   
   of Oxford and the Max Planck Institute -- is the first ancient genetic   
   study of the species (Rattus rattus), often known as the ship rat.   
      
   By analysing DNA from ancient black rat remains found at archaeological   
   sites spanning the 1st to the 17th centuries in Europe and North   
   Africa, the researchers have pieced together a new understanding of   
   how rat populations dispersed following the ebbs and flows of human   
   trade,urbanism, and empires.   
      
   The study shows that the black rat colonised Europe at least twice,   
   once with the Roman expansion and then again in the Medieval period   
   -- matching up with archaeological evidence for a decline or even   
   disappearance of rats after the fall of the Roman Empire.   
      
   The authors of the study say this was likely related to the break-up of   
   the Roman economic system, though climatic change and the 6th Century   
   Justinianic Plague may have played a role too. When towns and long-range   
   trade re-emerged in the Medieval period, so too did a new wave of   
   black rats.   
      
   The black rat is one of three rodent species, along with the house mouse   
   (Mus musculus) and brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), to have become globally   
   distributed as a result of its ability to live around humans by taking   
   advantage of food and transportation.   
      
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Black rats were widespread across Europe until at least the 18th century,   
   before their population declined, most likely as a result of competition   
   with the newly arrived brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), the now dominant   
   rat species in temperate Europe.   
      
   Dr David Orton from the Department of Archaeology said: "We've long known   
   that the spread of rats is linked to human events, and we suspected that   
   Roman expansion brought them north into Europe.   
      
   "But one remarkable result of our study is quite how much of a single   
   event this seems to have been: all of our Roman rat bones from England   
   to Serbia form a single group in genetic terms."  "When rats reappear   
   in the Medieval period we see a completely different genetic signature   
   -- but again all of our samples from England to Hungary to Finland   
   all group together. We couldn't have hoped for clearer evidence of   
   repeated colonisation of Europe."  Alex Jamieson, co-author at the   
   University of Oxford, said "The modern dominance of brown rats has   
   obscured the fascinating history of black rats in Europe. Generating   
   genetic signatures of these ancient black rats reveals how closely   
   black rat and human population dynamics mirror each other."  He Yu,   
   co-author from the Max Planck Institute, said "This study is a great   
   showcase of how the genetic background of human commensal species,   
   like the black rat, could reflect historical or economic events. And   
   more attention should be paid to these often neglected small animals."   
   Researchers said that the study could also be used to provide information   
   about human movement across continents.   
      
   "Our results show how human-commensal species like the black rat, animals   
   which flourish around human settlements, can act as ideal proxies for   
   human historical processes," added Dr Orton.   
      
   The research was a collaboration between York and partners including   
   Oxford, the Max Planck Institute, and researchers in over 20 countries.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_York. Note: Content   
   may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. He Yu, Alexandra Jamieson, Ardern Hulme-Beaman, Chris J. Conroy,   
      Becky   
         Knight, Camilla Speller, Hiba Al-Jarah, Heidi Eager, Alexandra   
         Trinks, Gamini Adikari, Henriette Baron, Beate Bo"hlendorf-Arslan,   
         Wijerathne Bohingamuwa, Alison Crowther, Thomas Cucchi, Kinie Esser,   
         Jeffrey Fleisher, Louisa Gidney, Elena Gladilina, Pavel Gol'din,   
         Steven M.   
      
         Goodman, Sheila Hamilton-Dyer, Richard Helm, Jesse C. Hillman, Nabil   
         Kallala, Hanna Kivikero, Zso'fia E. Kova'cs, Gu"nther Karl Kunst,   
         Rene' Kysely', Anna Linderholm, Bouthéina Maraoui-Telmini,   
         Nemanja Marković, Arturo Morales-Mun~iz, Mariana Nabais,   
         Terry O'Connor, Tarek Oueslati, Ere'ndira M. Quintana Morales,   
         Kerstin Pasda, Jude Perera, Nimal Perera, Silvia Radbauer, Joan   
         Ramon, Eve Rannama"e, Joan Sanmarti' Grego, Edward Treasure, Silvia   
         Valenzuela-Lamas, Inge van der Jagt, Wim Van Neer, Jean-Denis Vigne,   
         Thomas Walker, Stephanie Wynne- Jones, Jo/rn Zeiler, Keith Dobney,   
         Nicole Boivin, Jeremy B. Searle, Ben Krause-Kyora, Johannes Krause,   
         Greger Larson, David Orton. Palaeogenomic analysis of black rat   
         (Rattus rattus) reveals multiple European introductions associated   
         with human economic history. Nature Communications, 2022; 13 (1)   
         DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30009-z   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/05/220503141339.htm   
      
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