We are well on our way to understanding the paleoenvironents of Beringia and colonization of the Americas during the end of the last glaciation. Once more data has been obtained eventually all the pieces will come together to paint a picture of what Beringia was really like. So far we know that it was warmer in Beringia during the summer, and that the landscape was full of patchy environments in the lowlands. The highlands were tundra like. Climatic warming and the sudden drop during the Younger Dryas was probably the last test for the Pleistocene fauna. We are lucky that some species exist today from Beringian times, either because they also dispersed elsewhere or because they were able to adapt to severe environmental change, or they persisted in the remaining ecological niches that exist from Beringia.

Today ethical issues are slowing futher research in the study of Beringia. Ownership, scientific research, and the respect for sacred rituals have become central to the outcome of archaeological finds. Visit the Kennewick websites found in the reference section to read more about this issue. The January/February issue of Scientific American Discovering Archaeology also features these ethical concerns.