GENETIC DRIFT IN PRESENT HUMAN-POPULATIONS - SURVEY OF A MEDITERRANEAN REGION (LA ALPUJARRA, SOUTH-EAST SPAIN)

This paper presents information on the opportunity for genetic drift i n La Alpujarra, a rural population of the Spanish Mediterranean. This region is characterized by its historical isolation. The analyses were based on a survey of 45% of the population. The Effective Population Size (N-E=1986), the Effective Migration Rate (M-E = 12.4) and the Coe fficient of Breeding Isolation (CBI=246.2) of Lasker & Kaplan (1964) w ere calculated. The value of the latter index indicates that genetic d rift in the Alpujarrenian population is negligible at present because of the cessation of reproductive isolation due to the development of c ommunication networks.