engleski

Population structure of the Island of Rab estimated by the analysis of complex phenotipic traits

Island isolates are the best settings for the study of microevolution by holistic approach. The study of Adriatic islands' populations was initiated by the academician Rudan in 1972. The aim of this research is to contribute to holistic anthropological deliberation on micro-evolutional trends that have shaped the present genetic structure of the population of islands of Rab. The results were obtained by the analysis of phenotype characteristics (anthropometric, physiological, biochemical) of the inhabitants of the island of Rab. The sample collected in 2002 comprised 600 adult examinees from five settlements. Multivariance biostatistical methods were applied for data analysis in order to determine the degree of heterogeneity and the pattern of phenotypic variations among subpopulations.The results obtained for various sets of phenotype characteristics were mutually compared and with geographic and migratory data. The results showed reproductive isolation among particular subpopulations and established the connection of geographic and historical factors with biological (phenotypic) variations in the island population. This study has shown that the complex phenotypic traits are good indicators about the populations' structure of islands isolates.

population structure; island of Rab

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