Recent genomic studies of both ancient and modern indigenous people of the Americas have shed light on the demographic processes involved during the first peopling. The Pacific Northwest Coast proves an intriguing focus for these studies because of its association with coastal migration models and genetic ancestral patterns that are difficult to reconcile with modern DNA alone. Here, we report the low-coverage genome sequence of an ancient individual known as “Shuka Kaa” (“Man Ahead of Us”) recovered from the On Your Knees Cave (OYKC) in southeastern Alaska (archaeological site 49-PET-408). The human remains date to ∼10,300 calendar (cal) y B.P. We also analyze low-coverage genomes of three more recent individuals from the nearby coast of British Columbia dating from ∼6,075 to 1,750 cal y B.P. From the resulting time series of genetic data, we show that the Pacific Northwest Coast exhibits genetic continuity for at least the past 10,300 cal y B.P. We also infer that population structure existed in the late Pleistocene of North America with Shuka Kaa on a different ancestral line compared with other North American individuals from the late Pleistocene or early Holocene (i.e., Anzick-1 and Kennewick Man). Despite regional shifts in mtDNA haplogroups, we conclude from individuals sampled through time that people of the northern Northwest Coast belong to an early genetic lineage that may stem from a late Pleistocene coastal migration into the Americas.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/114/16/4093.full.pdf

Ancient individuals from the North American Northwest Coast reveal 10,000 years of regional genetic continuity

Recent genome-wide studies of both ancient and modern indigenous people of the Americas have shed light on the demographic processes involved during the first peopling. The Pacific northwest coast proves an intriguing focus for these studies due to its association with coastal migration models and genetic ancestral patterns that are difficult to reconcile with modern DNA alone. Here we report the genome-wide sequence of an ancient individual known as "Shuka Kaa" ("Man Ahead of Us") recovered from the On Your Knees Cave (OYKC) in southeastern Alaska (archaeological site 49-PET-408). The human remains date to approximately 10,300 cal years before present (BP). We also analyze low coverage genomes of three more recent individuals from the nearby coast of British Columbia dating from approximately 6075 to 1750 cal years BP. From the resulting time series of genetic data, we show that the Pacific Northwest Coast exhibits genetic continuity for at least the past 10,300 cal BP. We also infer that population structure existed in the late Pleistocene of North America with Shuka Kaa on a different ancestral line compared to other North American individuals (i.e., Anzick-1 and Kennewick Man) from the late Pleistocene or early Holocene. Despite regional shifts in mitochondrial DNA haplogroups we conclude from individuals sampled through time that people of the northern Northwest Coast belong to an early genetic lineage that may stem from a late Pleistocene coastal migration into the Americas.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2016/12/15/093468.full.pdf

Many archaeologists now generally accept the idea that Paleoindians initially entered the Americas traversing the northwestern coastline possibly in conjunction with an ice-free corridor, and arriv...

Paleoindian Colonization by Boat? Refining the Coastal Model

Archaeological evidence of the use of anadromous salmonids is widespread across northeastern Asia, Beringia, and well into the northwestern portion of North America. Here it is proposed that after the last glacial maximum, the initial colonists into the Americas migrated from northeastern Asia along the newly exposed coast of Beringia and North America, drawn by salmonids that had colonized the newly formed streams and rivers all along the coast. Once south of the ice, some groups moved inland along major river systems while others continued south along the coast. The broad adaptational capability of these first migrants enabled them to rapidly adjust to different ecozones and conditions. The shifting settlement systems necessitated by rising sea levels is also considered.

The “Fishing Link”: Salmonids and the Initial Peopling of the Americas

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/B794AB1C4BF0C121AC099FA24FDF8A31/S0033589420001313a.pdf/div-class-title-quantifying-marine-reservoir-effect-variability-along-the-northwest-coast-of-north-america-div.pdf

Quantifying marine reservoir effect variability along the Northwest Coast of North America

Evidence of maritime adaptation and coastal migration from Southeast Alaska

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Evidence of maritime adaptation and coastal migration from Southeast Alaska