The genetic story of North American bison has been rewritten with help from specimens held at the University of Wyoming, according to a sweeping report published this week in the journal Science. Researchers from more than 30 institutions sequenced ancient and modern genomes and concluded that, until the recent century, bison across the continent were genetically connected and experienced extensive gene flow.
Local collections underpin a continental picture
Archaeological material curated at the University of Wyoming played a pivotal role in the project. Scientists used remains from 27 bison specimens preserved in Wyoming repositories, including 16 bones from five archaeological sites scattered across the state. Those samples helped build what researchers describe as a 10,000-year time transect—a continuous genetic record that proved vital to reconstructing long-term population dynamics.
The study sequenced a total of 115 ancient and 45 modern bison genomes from across North America, allowing investigators to examine changes over roughly 20,000 years. The genomic dataset shows a picture of widespread connectivity among bison populations until the dramatic human-driven collapse of the 19th century.
Findings and implications for conservation
Before the population crash that left only a few hundred animals by the early 20th century, the study found little evidence of long-standing genetic differentiation among regional herds. Genetic distinctions emerged mainly after conservation efforts isolated small groups in separate herds—actions that, while aimed at saving bison, also created genetic bottlenecks and separation.
Another notable result challenges a persistent assumption about cattle ancestry in modern bison. While past breeding experiments produced bison-cattle hybrids for agriculture, the study reports that cattle genetic contribution to modern herds is limited. The authors suggest that the cattle signal is small enough that it could be removed through targeted breeding programs, if managers choose to pursue that path.
“This study provides, perhaps, the most comprehensive assessment of North American bison and how they’ve changed over the past 20,000 years, and it’s noteworthy that so much of the genetic material used in the study comes directly out of UW’s archaeological repository,” said Wyoming State Archaeologist Spencer Pelton at UW.
Pelton emphasized the importance of collections management, noting that artifacts and remains stored at the university were instrumental to the project’s long-term temporal perspective.
What this means for Wyoming
For Wyoming—where bison are a cultural symbol, an ecological force and a subject of ongoing management debates—the findings add new context. They suggest that contemporary herds, even when geographically separated, retain an underlying legacy of past connectivity. That fact could inform decisions about translocation, genetic monitoring and the design of conservation herds intended to preserve historical diversity.
- Researchers sequenced 115 ancient and 45 modern genomes.
- 27 specimens used from Wyoming’s repositories; 16 from five state archaeological sites.
- Study reconstructs roughly 20,000 years of bison genetic history and a 10,000-year Wyoming transect.
Those practical implications matter to ranchers, wildlife managers and tribal nations that engage with bison as both an animal and an icon. While the study does not offer management prescriptions, it provides a richer genetic baseline that state and federal agencies can use when weighing options for herd augmentation, disease control, or genetic restoration.
Numbers at a glance
| Metric | Count |
|---|---|
| Ancient genomes sequenced | 115 |
| Modern genomes sequenced | 45 |
| Wyoming specimens used | 27 (16 from five sites) |
Beyond the immediate scientific conclusions, the study highlights how regional museums and university repositories contribute to large-scale research. The University of Wyoming’s investment in collections management allowed researchers to draw on specimens that spanned millennia—material that would have been difficult or impossible to assemble otherwise.
As managers and stakeholders parse the paper’s findings, Wyoming’s role in the research serves as a reminder: long-term preservation of archaeological and natural history collections can yield insights decades after items are cataloged. For a species as emblematic as the bison, those insights could shape the arc of conservation for generations to come.
