Genetic diversity of Athabaskan Indians.

If Athabaskan Indians are subdivided by linguistic group, a wide diversity in gene frequencies is disclosed. This diversity approximated that found when linguistically unrelated groups were compared. It was greater than that found for Eskimo-Aleus, even though the latter are more heterogeneous linguistically and subject to a wider variety of environmental conditions. Contiguity, geographic distance, and linguistic similarity were not reflected in similarity of gene frequencies. The gene found for Athabaskans appear to be the result of random process-survivor effects and genetic drift of small isolated groups. They appear to be of no value in detecting ethnic relationships.