▁ 1 5 8 7 ▁and ▁ 1 5 8 9 . ▁ ▁Their ▁study ▁measured ▁growth ▁rings ▁from ▁a ▁network ▁of ▁bald ▁cy press ▁trees , ▁producing ▁data ▁over ▁r anging ▁from ▁ 1 1 8 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁ ▁Specifically , ▁ 1 5 8 7 ▁was ▁measured ▁as ▁the ▁worst ▁growing ▁season ▁in ▁the ▁entire ▁ 8 0 0 - year ▁period . ▁ ▁The ▁find ings ▁were ▁considered ▁consistent ▁with ▁the ▁concerns ▁the ▁Cro atan ▁expressed ▁about ▁their ▁food ▁supply . ▁ ▁Gen etic ▁analysis ▁ ▁Since ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁computer ▁scient ist ▁Ro berta ▁Est es ▁has ▁founded ▁several ▁organizations ▁for ▁DNA ▁analysis ▁and ▁gene alog ical ▁research . ▁Her ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁disapp earance ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 5 8 7 ▁col ony ▁motiv ated ▁various ▁projects ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁gen etic ▁link ▁between ▁the ▁colon ists ▁and ▁potential ▁Native ▁American ▁descend ants . ▁Ex am ining ▁aut os om al ▁DNA ▁for ▁this ▁purpose ▁is ▁un re li able , ▁as ▁so ▁little ▁of ▁the ▁colon ists ' ▁gen etic ▁material ▁would ▁remain ▁after ▁five ▁or ▁six ▁gener ations . ▁However , ▁testing ▁of ▁Y ▁chrom os om es ▁and ▁M ito ch ond rial ▁DNA ▁is ▁more ▁reliable ▁over ▁large ▁sp ans ▁of ▁time . ▁The ▁main ▁challenge ▁of ▁this ▁work ▁is ▁to ▁obtain ▁a ▁gen etic ▁point ▁of ▁comparison , ▁either ▁from ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁a ▁Lost ▁Col on ist ▁or ▁one ▁of ▁their ▁descend ants