Evolution of Skin Pigmentation Differences in Humans
Abstract
The distribution of human skin pigmentation variation is highly correlated with the intensity of ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Several hypotheses propose that this strong relationship between skin colour and UVR is best explained by natural selection. The identification of a large number of genes involved in the pigmentary system now enables researchers to test these hypotheses within an evolutionary genetics framework. Genetic data indicate that the light pigmentation that characterizes populations in Europe and East Asia has evolved independently through positive selection, and that functional variation in pigmentation genes in high UVR populations has likely been subject to purifying selection.
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Studies have demonstrated that skin color is, generally, not associated with other traits that have been used to characterize and classify human races.
“These studies and others have also demonstrated that skin color is, generally, not associated with other traits that have been used to characterize and classify human races.”
From Skin color and race (2021) · cites this paper as Norton, 2008
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References 55 · Cited by 1
- Authors
- Norton, H. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Arizona (US)
- Corresponding author
- Norton, Heather L
- ORCID
- Norton, Heather L
- Venue
- Encyclopedia of Life Sciences
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2008-07-15
- OpenAlex
- W1540808711
- Cited by
- 1
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2020: 1
- Type
- reference entry
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Encyclopedia of Life Sciences (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Forensic and Genetic Research
- Keywords
- skin pigmentation, ultraviolet radiation, natural selection, positive selection, purifying selection, pigmentation genes, human evolution, evolutionary genetics
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