Sex-specific demographic behaviours that shape human genomic variation.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing theoretical concepts and existing literature without new human data.
PubMed 22211311 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2011.05406.x
What was done
The authors reviewed published literature comparing genetic diversity patterns across uniparental (mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome) and biparental (autosomal and sex chromosome) systems at global and local scales. They assessed the degree to which sex-specific migration rates and three anthropological processes—variance in reproductive success (e.g., polygyny), descent rules, and transmission of reproductive success—account for differences in effective population sizes between men and women.
What was found
No quantitative data, effect sizes, or sample sizes were reported in the abstract. Qualitatively, the review found that differences in migration rates between sexes contribute to contrasting genomic patterns but are insufficient to explain them entirely; sex-specific differences in effective population size driven by anthropological and mating behaviors are also required.
Why it matters
This review highlights that cultural systems and mating behaviors, not just physical migration, are key drivers of sex-differentiated genomic variation in humans.
Limits
The abstract provides no primary data, sample sizes, or quantitative metrics. As a narrative review, it reflects qualitative synthesis and theoretical framework development rather than systematic empirical testing.