Beringia was an ancient landmass that connected two continents. This now-submerged region played an important role in Earth’s geological and biological history, serving as a pathway for the movement of life forms. Understanding Beringia illuminates dramatic global changes and its enduring impact on present-day ecosystems.
What Was Beringia
Beringia was an expansive land bridge and ecological region that existed during the Late Pleistocene epoch. This ancient landmass connected what is now Siberia in northeastern Asia with Alaska in northwestern North America. Its formation was a direct consequence of global sea levels dropping significantly (by 100 to 120 meters) as vast amounts of Earth’s water became locked in continental ice sheets.
This exposed landmass was a largely unglaciated plain, not a frozen wasteland. While ice sheets covered much of North America and Eurasia, Beringia remained free of glacial ice due to low snowfall and climate patterns. The land bridge stretched approximately 1,600 kilometers from north to south at its widest point. It provided a temporary terrestrial link between two major landmasses.
A Crossroads of Life
Ancient Beringia was a cold, dry steppe-tundra landscape. This ecosystem supported diverse plant life adapted to frigid conditions, including grasses, sedges, and low-growing shrubs, rather than dense forests. This vegetation sustained numerous large mammals that roamed the plains.
Many megafauna of the Ice Age thrived and migrated across this land bridge. Woolly mammoths, steppe bison, ancient horses, and caribou were common inhabitants. Predators like the American lion and saber-toothed cats followed these herds, utilizing Beringia as a biological corridor. This landmass facilitated the exchange of various plant and animal species between the continents.
The Human Journey
Beringia was significant for human history, serving as the primary route for the first human migrations into North America. Early peoples from Asia traversed this land bridge, adapting to its often harsh environment. Archaeological and genetic evidence suggests that these ancient populations, often referred to as Paleo-Indians, moved from Siberia into Alaska between approximately 20,000 and 15,000 years ago.
One theory, the Beringian Standstill hypothesis, proposes that a group of people remained isolated in Beringia for thousands of years before continuing their journey deeper into the Americas. They developed genetic markers during this isolation. These early inhabitants were hunter-gatherers, navigating the steppe-tundra environment and its abundant megafauna. Their journey across this land bridge was important in the peopling of the Western Hemisphere.
The Submergence of Beringia
The Beringia land bridge disappeared with the conclusion of the last Ice Age. As global temperatures warmed, the massive continental ice sheets melted. This melting released vast quantities of water into the oceans.
Global sea levels rose, gradually submerging the low-lying land of Beringia. The inundation began around 11,000 years ago and continued until 10,000 to 9,000 years ago, when the land bridge was fully submerged. This process formed the Bering Strait, the narrow waterway that now separates Asia and North America. The continuous land connection became a watery barrier, reshaping global geography.
Beringia Today
While the ancient land bridge is submerged, the broader Beringian region exists as a distinct ecological and cultural zone. This area encompasses the Bering Sea and adjacent coastal parts of Alaska and Siberia. It remains a dynamic environment, influenced by its geography and climate.
This Beringian region is important for studies related to climate change, biodiversity, and archaeological discoveries. Researchers uncover evidence of ancient life and human activity on exposed coastlines and islands. The Bering Land Bridge National Preserve in Alaska preserves a portion of this ancient landscape.