Genetic Evidence for Geographic Structure within the  Neanderthal Population

PSMC estimates of Neanderthal effective population size (Ne) exhibit a roughly 5-fold decline across the most recent 20~ky before the death of each fossil. To explain this pattern, this article develops new theory relating genetic variation to geographic population structure and local extinction. It...

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Main Author: Rogers, Alan R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Peer Community In 2024-07-01
Series:Peer Community Journal
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Online Access:https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.448/
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author Rogers, Alan R.
author_facet Rogers, Alan R.
author_sort Rogers, Alan R.
collection DOAJ
description PSMC estimates of Neanderthal effective population size (Ne) exhibit a roughly 5-fold decline across the most recent 20~ky before the death of each fossil. To explain this pattern, this article develops new theory relating genetic variation to geographic population structure and local extinction. It argues that the observed pattern results from subdivision and gene flow. If two haploid genomes are sampled from the same subpopulation, their recent ancestors are likely to be geographic neighbors and therefore coalesce rapidly. By contrast, remote ancestors are likely to be far apart, and their coalescent rate is lower. Consequently, Ne is larger in the distant past than in the recent past. New theoretical results show that modest rates of extinction cause substantial reductions in heterozygosity, Wright's FST, and Ne.
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spelling doaj-art-2d825e5794164651b1391efb0ab87ed22025-02-07T10:17:18ZengPeer Community InPeer Community Journal2804-38712024-07-01410.24072/pcjournal.44810.24072/pcjournal.448Genetic Evidence for Geographic Structure within the  Neanderthal Population Rogers, Alan R.0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3987-3346University of UtahPSMC estimates of Neanderthal effective population size (Ne) exhibit a roughly 5-fold decline across the most recent 20~ky before the death of each fossil. To explain this pattern, this article develops new theory relating genetic variation to geographic population structure and local extinction. It argues that the observed pattern results from subdivision and gene flow. If two haploid genomes are sampled from the same subpopulation, their recent ancestors are likely to be geographic neighbors and therefore coalesce rapidly. By contrast, remote ancestors are likely to be far apart, and their coalescent rate is lower. Consequently, Ne is larger in the distant past than in the recent past. New theoretical results show that modest rates of extinction cause substantial reductions in heterozygosity, Wright's FST, and Ne. https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.448/Neanderthals; ancient DNA; geographic population structure; extinction; population history
spellingShingle Rogers, Alan R.
Genetic Evidence for Geographic Structure within the  Neanderthal Population
Peer Community Journal
Neanderthals; ancient DNA; geographic population structure; extinction; population history
title Genetic Evidence for Geographic Structure within the  Neanderthal Population
title_full Genetic Evidence for Geographic Structure within the  Neanderthal Population
title_fullStr Genetic Evidence for Geographic Structure within the  Neanderthal Population
title_full_unstemmed Genetic Evidence for Geographic Structure within the  Neanderthal Population
title_short Genetic Evidence for Geographic Structure within the  Neanderthal Population
title_sort genetic evidence for geographic structure within the neanderthal population
topic Neanderthals; ancient DNA; geographic population structure; extinction; population history
url https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.448/
work_keys_str_mv AT rogersalanr geneticevidenceforgeographicstructurewithintheneanderthalpopulation