Abstract

DEMARCHI, Darío A.. Analysis of the genetic structure in populations of the Gran Chaco. Folia [online]. 2014, n.22, pp.169-185. ISSN 0325-8238.

In this article we analyze the genetic structure of native populations of the Gran Chaco, based on two analytical techniques on different molecular markers. Overall, the results show that the Gran Chaco populations have high genetic diversity and low differentiation between populations, when compared to other South American populations, presenting a large number of maternal and paternal lineages, most of them shared by the different groups of the region. Genetic distances, calculated from different molecular markers, are low and show each of them different stories, not coinciding with linguistic or geographical relationships. These results could be reflecting cultural patterns prior to the European colonization or, instead, the rupture of population units that came after it. On the other hand, the Ayoreo show unique genetic characteristics and a reduced genetic diversity as a result of random evolutionary forces, as genetic drift or founder effect.

Keywords : DNA; parental lineages; genetic distances; gene flow; drift.

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