A population genetic perspective on subsistence systems in the Sahel/Savannah belt of Africa and the historical role of pastoralism

0570715 - ARÚ 2024 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Černý, Viktor - Priehodová, Edita - Fortes-Lima, C.
A population genetic perspective on subsistence systems in the Sahel/Savannah belt of Africa and the historical role of pastoralism.
Genes. Roč. 14, č. 3 (2023), č. článku 758. E-ISSN 2073-4425
Grant - others:AV ČR(CZ) AP2203
Program: Akademická prémie - Praemium Academiae
Institutional support: RVO:67985912
Keywords : Africa * Sahel/Savannah belt * archaeogenetics * population genetics * selection * pastoralism
OECD category: Archaeology
Impact factor: 3.5, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/14/3/758/pdf

In the Sahel/Savannah belt two alternative subsistence systems (pastoralism and agriculture) interact. We are solving the question whether the pastoralists became isolated in this space from other populations after cattle began to spread into Africa (~ 8 thousand years ago, kya) or not. If we look at trait closely associated with pastoral lifestyle (lactase persistence), we can see that the pastoralists are clearly distinguished from their neighbors. However, other genetic traits do not indicate such a clear differentiation and suggest a common origin and/or an extensive gene flow among the groups of different subsistence. We show that genomic datasets properly collected in local African populations can complement still insufficient archaeological research especially in regions, where mobile populations with perishable material culture and therefore precarious archaeological visibility are encountered.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0342049