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My understanding is that most of the modern research has generally advised against the idea that Toba caused a population bottleneck. I'm not sure there's any a
by jcranmer 5y ago
My understanding is that most of the modern research has generally advised against the idea that Toba caused a population bottleneck. I'm not sure there's any archaeological evidence of any hominid settlements that were abandoned as a result of the eruption--and there are several sites that demonstrate continuity through the eruption. Furthermore, better constraints on the date of the Toba eruption appear to put it after the onset of the glacial period.
So the theory that it caused a severe bottleneck is something that I'd consider 'discredited' rather than 'disputed' or even 'controversial.'
- Maursault 5y agoIf not Toba, it still seems likely that there was a severe population bottleneck at some point. How else can we explain why human genetic diversity is substantially lower than so many other species, including our nearest extant evolutionary relative, the chimpanzee?
- fourtrees 5y agoMight a serial founder effect during the peopling of Eurasia result in low genetic diversity and the fact that diversity increases the closer you get to Africa? Is there a way to distinguish low diversity due to a serial founder effect and a bottleneck cause by a natural catastrophe?
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]