Each additional radiocarbon date, each additional isotopic analysis, each additional archaeological discovery adds to the cumulative picture.

The Alexander Archipelago of southeastern Alaska and the coast of British Columbia are, in this sense, a region where significant ancient-genetic research remains to be done.

The preservation conditions in the karst caves of the region offer the potential for more ancient genomes from earlier periods.

The systematic archaeological survey of cave systems and other high-potential preservation contexts is ongoing.

The increasing sensitivity of ancient-DNA extraction and sequencing methods makes it possible to work with specimens that would previously have been considered too degraded for genomic analysis.