November 4, 2022
K-State anthropologist publishes study on ancient DNA and migration in top journal
Marta Alfonso-Durruty, associate professor in the sociology, anthropology and social work department, leads a research team in the analysis of ancient DNA in the southernmost region of the Americas, Fuego-Patagonia. The results were published in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology, a leading anthropology journal.
The study assessed the genetic relations and migration of terrestrial and marine hunter-gatherers into the region. The results showed that these populations shared a common ancestor 14,000 years ago supporting the hypothesis that marine and terrestrial groups represent distinct ancestral lineages. The results suggest that marine and terrestrial groups represent distinct migrations into Fuego-Patagonia, so that while the first moved by boat following a coastal route, the latter moved through the inland. This study contributes to our knowledge of the peopling of this region, South America and the Americas at large.