How did the ancient DNA sequencing technique fundamentally change the understanding of the mammoth's feeding strategy?

It provided molecular evidence showing high concentrations of grass and sedge DNA.

Prior to the advent of analyzing ancient DNA preserved within coprolites, the understanding of what mammoths ate was derived indirectly from dental morphology or incomplete fossilized remains, which often led to educated guesswork. The ability to sequence DNA directly from fossilized dung provided a molecular fingerprint of their last meals. This technique confirmed, with a high degree of certainty, that the DNA traces recovered were strongly dominated by markers for *Poaceae* (grasses) and *Cyperaceae* (sedges). This molecular evidence solidified the long-held hypothesis that the mammoth was fundamentally a grass-dependent grazer across various sampled locations.