Genetic demography of the Moscow population: migration, outbreeding and assortative mating

Abstract

Using marriage records, census data, and other statistical sources, some demographic parameters of Moscow population in 1955 and 1980 have been studied, such as age at marriage, birthplace, nationality and profession of permanent residents. Migration has been shown to be the main factor of Moscow population dynamics. Genetically significant, quantitative and geographic parameters of this process have been obtained (migration rates, migration and marital distances, proportion of interethnic marriages). During the past two centuries the mean distance travelled by migrants, arriving in Moscow, increased by several times, the genetic contribution from eastern and southern parts of the country being especially marked. In the period of maximum migration rates the percentage share of marriages between Moscow-born people was only 10%. The percentage share of interethnic marriages was 14.75% in 1955 and 16.53% in 1980. The degree of isolation by distance, predicted by Malécot's model, appeared to be quite low. Positive assortative mating for nationality, birthplace, age and profession was characterized as a factor, counteracting outbreeding. While the deleterious effects of isolation and inbreeding are well known, the genetic consequences of alternative state are still obscure.

Assortative mating in a Spanish population: effects of social factors and cohabitation time

“…The results of the present study indicate clear evidence of similarity between mates in educational level and occupation, which are usually used as social indicators. Thus, the findings are consistent with previous results suggesting social homogamy for education (Garrison, Anderson & Reed, 1968;Kiser, 1968;Johnson et al, 1976;Mascie-Taylor, 1987) and also for occupations of spouses (Mascie-Taylor, 1987;Kurbatova & Pobedonostseva, 1991) and occupation of husband and fatherin-law (Van Scharen & Susanne, 1974). One of the few studies performed on Spanish populations has also shown some degree of socioeconomic affinity between husband and wife (Sanchez-Laulhe, Sandin & Ugalde, 1988).…”

Spatial Characteristics of Marriage Migration in the Belgorod Population

“…The radius of the Belgorod population calculated using Malecot's isolation by distance model (Table 10) was unusually large, being comparable with the radius of the Moscow population [9], which may have been determined by the large number of short-range migrants. The effective migration parameter was lower than general migration coefficients by several times.…”

“…The parameters of Malecot's isolation by distance model were determined. We also calculated the indices of marriage convergence ( K ) and relative assortative marriage ( A ') with respect to birthplace, some general statistics, and the values of the χ 2 , t , and F tests [7][8][9][10].…”

A comprehensive population survey on the distribution of STR frequencies in Belarus

“…The combined Fisher test for p-values from Fisher's exact tests showed insignificant difference between the Belarusian and Russian populations ( p = 0.23). We explain this insignificance as that the Moscow population of ethnic Russians perhaps is a genetic mixture from various regions of Russia and the neighboring countries due to migration from into the city during the last century [15]. Therefore, our data on the Moscowian Russians is a sort of a combined sample from around Eastern Europe and even beyond that.…”