The genetic origins and impacts of historical Papuan migrations into Wallacea
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Genomic data reveals Wallacean populations primarily derive Papuan ancestry from New Guinea migrations, not early settlers. This, alongside Austronesian admixture, shaped the region's genetic landscape over the last 3,500 years.
Area Of Science
- Population Genetics
- Human Migration
- Archaeogenetics
Background
- Wallacea was settled by anatomically modern humans (AMH) ~50,000 years ago, with populations isolated until Austronesian arrival ~3,500 years ago.
- Modern Wallacean ancestry shows a gradient of Papuan and Asian ancestries, previously attributed to local mixing with Austronesians.
- Emerging evidence suggested Papuan ancestry might originate from New Guinea back-migrations.
Purpose Of The Study
- To reconstruct the population genetic history of Wallacea.
- To determine the origins of Papuan-related ancestry in Wallacean populations.
- To investigate admixture events with Austronesian seafarers and their timing.
Main Methods
- Genome-wide analysis of over 250 new genomes from Wallacean and West Papuan populations.
- Population genetic modeling to infer ancestry proportions and migration histories.
- Integration of genetic findings with archaeological and linguistic data.
Main Results
- Confirmed that ~75-100% of Papuan ancestry in Wallacea originates from prehistoric New Guinea migrations.
- Identified that only a minor fraction of Papuan ancestry is from the initial AMH settlers.
- Observed mixing between Papuan and local lineages in western/central Wallacea, coinciding with substantial Austronesian gene flow (~40-85% ancestry).
Conclusions
- Wallace's genetic makeup is predominantly shaped by New Guinean migrations and Austronesian admixture, not solely by early settlers.
- Admixture events were complex, occurring over extended periods, including the Historical Period.
- The findings highlight a dynamic population history influenced by the spread of Papuan genes, languages, and culture over the past 3,500 years.
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