Human migration patterns in Yemen and implications for reconstructing prehistoric population movements

Area of Science:

• Anthropology
• Population Genetics
• Human Evolution

Background:

• Population migration is crucial for understanding human evolutionary history and genetic variation.
• Existing migration estimates often cover short time frames or lack comprehensive data on distance and direction over multiple generations.
• Accurate reconstruction of prehistoric human migration dynamics requires multi-generational, empirical data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically estimate multi-generational human migration patterns, including proportion, distance, and direction.
• To identify factors influencing migration probability across generations.
• To provide data for refining demographic models used in prehistoric reconstructions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized GPS coordinates of Yemeni individuals' residences, birthplaces, and ancestral birthplaces (parents, grandparents).
• Calculated migration proportion, distance, and direction for each generational interval.
• Statistically analyzed generational differences and factors affecting migration probability.

Main Results:

• Migration proportion and distance were similar between sexes within generations.
• The grandparents' generation exhibited significantly lower migration proportion and distance compared to more recent generations.
• Estimated migration proportion at 0.102, with mean and median distances of 96 km and 26 km for the grandparents' generation.

Conclusions:

• Migration patterns have changed over generations, potentially influenced by technological advancements.
• The study provides the first empirical, multi-generational migration estimates from a developing country.
• These estimates are valuable for parameterizing demographic models in prehistoric reconstruction, enhancing our understanding of human evolution.