Clans as Genetic Barriers¹

Abstract

Intermarrying clans represent negligible genetic barriers, which may well be ignored in modeling human population structure. Sections and circulating connubia also have little effect on the mean coefficient of kinship between random individuals, but have larger effects on the coefficient of inbreeding, which in extreme cases may be nearly twice as great as in the absence of a prescribed marriage system. The use of exchange matrices to infer genetic properties of idealized and actual mating systems is illustrated and discussed.