Effects of religion, economics, and geography on genetic structure of Fogo Island, Newfoundland

M H Crawford; T Koertevlyessy; R G Huntsman; M Collins; R Duggirala; L Martin; D Keeping

doi:10.1002/ajhb.1310070405

Effects of religion, economics, and geography on genetic structure of Fogo Island, Newfoundland

Am J Hum Biol. 1995;7(4):437-451. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.1310070405.

Authors

M H Crawford¹, T Koertevlyessy², R G Huntsman³, M Collins³, R Duggirala¹, L Martin¹, D Keeping³

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045.
² Department of Anthropology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701.
³ Blood Transfusion Service, The Canadian Red Cross, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada A1B 4A4.

PMID: 28557094
DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.1310070405

Abstract

The population structure of Fogo Island, Newfoundland is described using geography, religious affiliation, economic factors (such as the presence of a fish-packing plant), and genetic markers. Five different analytic methods, R-matrix analysis, r_ii VS. mean per locus heterozygosity, predicted kinship (ϕ), mean first passage time, and Mantel matrix comparisons, were applied to the Fogo Island genetic and demographic data. The results suggest that geography plays a role on Fogo Island in the distribution of genes, while religion, ethnicity, and economic factors play less significant roles. The communities with fish-packing plants and tourism serve as migratory "sinks" for Fogo islanders seeking employment. Reproductively, the most isolated village on Fogo Island is Tilting, and this is reflected in its genetic uniqueness, initially caused by Irish settlement and subsequently the action of stochastic processes. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.