{
  "abstract": "Ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis has transformed how we study human migration, species dispersals and environmental change, but poor preservation remains a major challenge. This is especially true in tropical settings, where hot and humid conditions accelerate DNA decay. Because aDNA work is destructive, knowing how long DNA survives and under what conditions is crucial for selecting samples likely to yield meaningful data while minimizing damage. Here, we analyse low-coverage shotgun data from over 300 human samples from 33 archaeological sites (3300–400 cal. BP) in the Caribbean to evaluate the effects of sample age, sample type and burial context on DNA preservation. Preservation varied markedly both between and within sites, with sample type and burial context exerting strong effects. Macroscopic inspection, though imperfect, proved a useful first line predictor of molecular preservation. Decay-rate modelling indicates that DNA decays roughly 4× faster in the Caribbean than in temperate regions and about 14× faster than in subpolar settings. Under these conditions we predict that recovery from remains significantly older than approximately 5000 years will be challenging. Encouragingly, this window encompasses most of the region's human history, indicating that much of it remains accessible to aDNA analysis, provided suitable samples can be found and appropriate excavation and post-excavation protocols are followed.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark",
    "Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany",
    "School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA",
    "Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA",
    "Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Ciudad de México, Mexico",
    "Department of Anthropology, The University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada",
    "Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands",
    "Museo Antropológico Montané, Universidad de la Habana, Havana, Cuba",
    "Archaeological and Historical Conservancy Inc., Davie, FL, USA",
    "PACEA, UMR 5199 CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, Pessac, Talence, France",
    "Research Atlantica Inc., Boca Raton, FL, USA",
    "Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA",
    "Liberal Arts Department, Phoenix College, Phoenix, AZ, USA",
    "Department of Anthropology, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, USA",
    "Department of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark",
    "Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia",
    "School of Archaeology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 22,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jazmín Ramos-Madrigal",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1661-7991"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Miren Iraeta-Orbegozo",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6965-6353"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Kathrin Nägele",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3861-8677"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Maria A. Nieves-Colón",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9035-6091"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Marcela Sandoval-Velasco",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4635-6171"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Dorothea Mylopotamitaki",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8239-6381"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Yadira Chinique de Armas",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-0653-7426"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Jason E. Laffoon",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8821-805X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Zara Ali"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Carlos Arredondo Antúnez"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8
      ],
      "name": "Robert S. Carr"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9
      ],
      "name": "Patrice Courtaud",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4458-5720"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        10
      ],
      "name": "Jane S. Day"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        11
      ],
      "name": "William Pestle"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Armando Rangel Rivero",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2636-6695"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9
      ],
      "name": "Thomas Romon"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        12
      ],
      "name": "William C. Schaffer"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        13
      ],
      "name": "Peter Siegel",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1260-7646"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Anne C. Stone",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8021-8314"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        14
      ],
      "name": "Carsten Wiuf",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1302-4445"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        15
      ],
      "name": "Morten E. Allentoft",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4424-3568"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        16
      ],
      "name": "Hannes Schroeder",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6743-0270"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2q7dq5kb99ejb.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1098/rsos.260217",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13698031/",
  "id": "2q7dq5kb99ejb",
  "issns": [
    "2054-5703"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.260217",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Evolution"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Genetics and Genomics"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Genomics"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Molecular Biology"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1311|Forensic and Genetic Research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7211965206",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13698031?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13698031",
  "pmid": "42936009",
  "published": "2026-09-09",
  "publisher": "The Royal Society",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2q7dq5kb99ejb.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:59Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13698031",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.260217"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:22:24Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42936009",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42936009"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "heading:Molecular Biology",
      "subfield": "molecular-biology"
    },
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "heading:Evolution",
      "subfield": "evolutionary-biology"
    },
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "heading:Genetics and Genomics",
      "subfield": "genetics-genomics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Ancient DNA preservation in the Caribbean",
  "title_text": "Ancient DNA preservation in the Caribbean",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:34:58Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2q7dq5kb99ejb",
  "venue": "Royal Society Open Science",
  "versions": []
}