engleski

Holistic analytic approach in Adriatic isolates studies. Doubts and dilemmas

The application of holistic analytic approach in the study of population structure, as � model-bound� or � model-free� approach, can be very helpful in providing some important information about the continuity of interaction between intrinsic population characteristics (its gene pool) and a wide spectrum of extrinsic selective impacts. Major advantages of such approach are the possibility to asses the main determinants of interpopulation similarity or variability, and to estimate the dependence of the rate of (micro)evolutionary processes upon the historical processes that favoured or restricted gene flow. Some of the extrinsic influences that have the greatest importance in such interaction are cultural, economical, medical, political, religious, social, and many others. Usually, in our efforts to assess the present structure of some population of interest, we aim to find parameters that explain to some degree the population (micro)differentiation under various intrinsic and extrinsic influences through time. However, the experience which we gained through a number of earlier studies made us aware of major differences between results of the assesment of population structure when using different types of trait. In this study, various measures of genetic distances (estimated separately from 9 STR loci and 5 HLA class II polymorphysms, 10 erytrocyte antigens and isonymy), biological distances (anthropometrical body and head distances, physiological, dermatoglyphic and radiogrammetric bone distances), bio-cultural (migrational kinship estimated for four periods in history and kinship estimated from isonymy) and socio-cultural (linguistic � basic and cultural vocabulary) were calculated between inhabitants of the isolate settlements of the Eastern Adriatic islands, Croatia, for purpose of obtaining an insight into (micro)evolution of the island populations using holistic approach. The results of our study showed that, although the wide spectrum of traits was examined, those traits do not react to the (micro)evolutionary impact in the same manner. Some of them are more likely to be connected to specific and different selective pressures (e.g. through natural selection), others are more likely to reveal selective inertia, while for the third group of traits a reasonable genetic interpretation cannot always be provided because of their extreme phenotypic plasticity. All of those presumptions imply the connection of (micro)evolutionary changes including their different intensity, but also in some or opposite direction, providing us an opportunity to extend the investigations within the problems which are not normally accepted in human genetic analysis � applying holistic analytic approach � indicating rightly that even today a lot of problems in population structure investigations will remain unanswered, but also that one should never forget that historical processes are laboratories in which human populations are created.

population structure; holistic approach; population genetics; anthropology

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