What question did this study set out to answer?

To reconstruct Late Pleistocene and Holocene paleoenvironments in central Yukon by analyzing changes in subfossil insect community composition and biodiversity across major climatic transitions.

August 20, 2026Journal of Quaternary ScienceOpen Access

Insect communities of late Pleistocene steppe–tundra and Holocene boreal forest ecosystems in central Yukon Territory, Canada

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To reconstruct Late Pleistocene and Holocene paleoenvironments in central Yukon by analyzing changes in subfossil insect community composition and biodiversity across major climatic transitions.
Examined subfossil insect assemblages from the Quartz Creek site representing Late Pleistocene horizons (marine isotope stages 4 to 2; 15 assemblages) and Holocene deposits separated by a ~20 000-year hiatus.
Identified insect taxa to characterize ecological affinities, reconstructed local habitat mosaics, and calculated biodiversity indices across stratigraphically dated layers (up to ~6045 cal yr BP).
Pleistocene assemblages were predominantly composed of dry steppe–tundra specialists, particularly the weevils Connatichela artemisiae and Lepidophorus lineaticollis, reflecting cold, arid Artemisia–grassland environments with localized mesic patches.
Holocene assemblages showed a distinct turnover toward higher biodiversity, characterized by shrub, wetland, and coniferous forest taxa including bark beetles (Scolytus piceae, Polygraphus rufipennis, Dendroctonus rufipennis) and the carpenter ant Camponotus herculeanus by at least 6045 cal yr BP.
Complete exclusion of steppe–tundra specialists in Holocene strata confirmed the regional collapse of the Pleistocene steppe–tundra biome and the establishment of heterogeneous boreal forest in eastern Beringia.

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Implication

Paleoecological analysis reveals a shift from species-poor steppe–tundra to diverse boreal insect communities in central Yukon, indicating major ecosystem restructuring across eastern Beringia.

Cite This Study

Cocker et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a86b56c8a91293e6a1ccca4 https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.70105

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Implication

Paleoecological analysis reveals a shift from species-poor steppe–tundra to diverse boreal insect communities in central Yukon, indicating major ecosystem restructuring across eastern Beringia.

Insect communities of late Pleistocene steppe–tundra and Holocene boreal forest ecosystems in central Yukon Territory, Canada

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Implication

Cite This Study

Insect communities of late Pleistocene steppe–tundra and Holocene boreal forest ecosystems in central Yukon Territory, Canada

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

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