Genetic and linguistic histories in Central Asia inferred using approximate Bayesian computations.

ABSTRACT: Linguistic and genetic data have been widely compared, but the histories underlying these descriptions are rarely jointly inferred. We developed a unique methodological framework for analysing jointly language diversity and genetic polymorphism data, to infer the past history of separation, exchange and admixture events among human populations. This method relies on approximate Bayesian computations that enable the identification of the most probable historical scenario underlying each type of data, and to infer the parameters of these scenarios. For this purpose, we developed a new computer program PopLingSim that simulates the evolution of linguistic diversity, which we coupled with an existing coalescent-based genetic simulation program, to simulate both linguistic and genetic data with

SUBMITTER: Thouzeau V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5577475 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature