Klamath Falls, Oregon – Cruz Tecumseh Collin, a student in Oregon Tech’s Renewable Energy Engineering and Honors Program, earned a name for himself in the scientific community by co-writing a major research article that was published in the May issue of Science, one of the most respected academic magazines in the world. The cover story of the publication looks at how climate changes in the past affected horse migration patterns during the Late Pleistocene era. This is important information for conservation efforts now.
Collin, who is a member of the Lakota Nation, was the youngest co-author on a huge multinational team of 57 academics. The group had 18 Indigenous scientists from the Lakota, sqilxʷ (Okanagan Nation), Blackfoot, Dene’ (Athabascan), and Iñupiaq peoples. Their paper, “Sustainability insights from late Pleistocene climate change and horse migration patterns,” is unique because it combines traditional Indigenous knowledge with cutting-edge scientific methods.
The study used ancient DNA sequencing and isotope analysis along with Indigenous knowledge systems to learn more about how horses and other large herbivores reacted to changing climates thousands of years ago. The researchers sequenced the genomes of 68 horse specimens from both the Americas and Eurasia. They were able to put together a picture of how horses migrated between continents, with a focus on how they moved via what is now the Bering Strait. These migrations, which happened up to and during the Last Glacial Maximum from 26,000 to 19,000 years ago, were intimately linked to huge changes in the environment.
Collin says that this study shows more than just how animals move; it also shows how important it is for things in nature to be connected.
“My elders have taught me about the importance of protecting life since I was little,” Collin said in a release. “I was also taught that in order to have the most impact, we work alongside other life forms, like the horse, because they show us the way and are great teachers.”
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It was very important to use traditional knowledge to make sense of the results. Chief Joe American Horse, a Lakota Nation knowledge keeper and co-author of the study, spoke about “yutaŋ’kil,” a Lakota concept that means life moves together, following its ecosystem for survival.” This perspective helped put the scientific findings in context, showing that life must move in order to adapt to change.
The study’s results have a lot of implications. The authors say that keeping natural corridors open for animals to migrate through is very important for protecting biodiversity, especially now that the earth is warming quickly and ecosystems are being disrupted. They suggest that keeping habitats from breaking up is important for species to be able to adapt and thrive.
Collin also talked about how the research was done in a spirit of cooperation. The initiative used both Western and Indigenous scientific methods, combining contemporary genetics with years of expertise raising Lakota horses.
“Being part of this work helps me to know that I am doing my part to make sure that we create a good path forward for all life, and my experience with the horse helps me to know that they will always leave us a good trail to follow into the future.”
