Genetic and linguistic coevolution in Northern Island Melanesia.
Recent studies have detailed a remarkable degree of genetic and linguistic diversity in Northern Island Melanesia. Here we utilize that diversity to examine two models of genetic and linguistic coevolution. The first model predicts that genetic and linguistic correspondences formed following populat...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2008-10-01
|
| Series: | PLoS Genetics |
| Online Access: | https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc2570610?pdf=render |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841533243874082816 |
|---|---|
| author | Keith Hunley Michael Dunn Eva Lindström Ger Reesink Angela Terrill Meghan E Healy George Koki Françoise R Friedlaender Jonathan S Friedlaender |
| author_facet | Keith Hunley Michael Dunn Eva Lindström Ger Reesink Angela Terrill Meghan E Healy George Koki Françoise R Friedlaender Jonathan S Friedlaender |
| author_sort | Keith Hunley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent studies have detailed a remarkable degree of genetic and linguistic diversity in Northern Island Melanesia. Here we utilize that diversity to examine two models of genetic and linguistic coevolution. The first model predicts that genetic and linguistic correspondences formed following population splits and isolation at the time of early range expansions into the region. The second is analogous to the genetic model of isolation by distance, and it predicts that genetic and linguistic correspondences formed through continuing genetic and linguistic exchange between neighboring populations. We tested the predictions of the two models by comparing observed and simulated patterns of genetic variation, genetic and linguistic trees, and matrices of genetic, linguistic, and geographic distances. The data consist of 751 autosomal microsatellites and 108 structural linguistic features collected from 33 Northern Island Melanesian populations. The results of the tests indicate that linguistic and genetic exchange have erased any evidence of a splitting and isolation process that might have occurred early in the settlement history of the region. The correlation patterns are also inconsistent with the predictions of the isolation by distance coevolutionary process in the larger Northern Island Melanesian region, but there is strong evidence for the process in the rugged interior of the largest island in the region (New Britain). There we found some of the strongest recorded correlations between genetic, linguistic, and geographic distances. We also found that, throughout the region, linguistic features have generally been less likely to diffuse across population boundaries than genes. The results from our study, based on exceptionally fine-grained data, show that local genetic and linguistic exchange are likely to obscure evidence of the early history of a region, and that language barriers do not particularly hinder genetic exchange. In contrast, global patterns may emphasize more ancient demographic events, including population splits associated with the early colonization of major world regions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-79ed8216c4f1444591910ed5b616f25c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1553-7390 1553-7404 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2008-10-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Genetics |
| spelling | doaj-art-79ed8216c4f1444591910ed5b616f25c2025-01-17T05:31:14ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Genetics1553-73901553-74042008-10-01410e100023910.1371/journal.pgen.1000239Genetic and linguistic coevolution in Northern Island Melanesia.Keith HunleyMichael DunnEva LindströmGer ReesinkAngela TerrillMeghan E HealyGeorge KokiFrançoise R FriedlaenderJonathan S FriedlaenderRecent studies have detailed a remarkable degree of genetic and linguistic diversity in Northern Island Melanesia. Here we utilize that diversity to examine two models of genetic and linguistic coevolution. The first model predicts that genetic and linguistic correspondences formed following population splits and isolation at the time of early range expansions into the region. The second is analogous to the genetic model of isolation by distance, and it predicts that genetic and linguistic correspondences formed through continuing genetic and linguistic exchange between neighboring populations. We tested the predictions of the two models by comparing observed and simulated patterns of genetic variation, genetic and linguistic trees, and matrices of genetic, linguistic, and geographic distances. The data consist of 751 autosomal microsatellites and 108 structural linguistic features collected from 33 Northern Island Melanesian populations. The results of the tests indicate that linguistic and genetic exchange have erased any evidence of a splitting and isolation process that might have occurred early in the settlement history of the region. The correlation patterns are also inconsistent with the predictions of the isolation by distance coevolutionary process in the larger Northern Island Melanesian region, but there is strong evidence for the process in the rugged interior of the largest island in the region (New Britain). There we found some of the strongest recorded correlations between genetic, linguistic, and geographic distances. We also found that, throughout the region, linguistic features have generally been less likely to diffuse across population boundaries than genes. The results from our study, based on exceptionally fine-grained data, show that local genetic and linguistic exchange are likely to obscure evidence of the early history of a region, and that language barriers do not particularly hinder genetic exchange. In contrast, global patterns may emphasize more ancient demographic events, including population splits associated with the early colonization of major world regions.https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc2570610?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Keith Hunley Michael Dunn Eva Lindström Ger Reesink Angela Terrill Meghan E Healy George Koki Françoise R Friedlaender Jonathan S Friedlaender Genetic and linguistic coevolution in Northern Island Melanesia. PLoS Genetics |
| title | Genetic and linguistic coevolution in Northern Island Melanesia. |
| title_full | Genetic and linguistic coevolution in Northern Island Melanesia. |
| title_fullStr | Genetic and linguistic coevolution in Northern Island Melanesia. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic and linguistic coevolution in Northern Island Melanesia. |
| title_short | Genetic and linguistic coevolution in Northern Island Melanesia. |
| title_sort | genetic and linguistic coevolution in northern island melanesia |
| url | https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc2570610?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT keithhunley geneticandlinguisticcoevolutioninnorthernislandmelanesia AT michaeldunn geneticandlinguisticcoevolutioninnorthernislandmelanesia AT evalindstrom geneticandlinguisticcoevolutioninnorthernislandmelanesia AT gerreesink geneticandlinguisticcoevolutioninnorthernislandmelanesia AT angelaterrill geneticandlinguisticcoevolutioninnorthernislandmelanesia AT meghanehealy geneticandlinguisticcoevolutioninnorthernislandmelanesia AT georgekoki geneticandlinguisticcoevolutioninnorthernislandmelanesia AT francoiserfriedlaender geneticandlinguisticcoevolutioninnorthernislandmelanesia AT jonathansfriedlaender geneticandlinguisticcoevolutioninnorthernislandmelanesia |