The subdivision of species into races

Again and again misunderstood

Abstract

If all individuals of a species would mate with one another purely by chance, there would be no genetically different subgroups within the species, because each allele of a gene would be evenly distributed over the geographical distribution area of the species. However, this is not the case with most animal species. Races originated by separating subgroups from the core group and therefore hardly differ from each other in most genes. They differ from each other only in a few race-characterizing features that arose as a result of the selective separation in geographical distance. The geographic ancestry of the members of a race can be traced from these characteristics. The race-distinguishing features are therefore not chosen subjectively or even arbitrarily, but are adaptations to the different environmental conditions in different geographical regions. Races can be recognized by the combination of such characteristics and differentiated from one another. Since the individuals of different races can reproduce with each other, races are not stable in the long run and gradually disappear when they cross the geographical boundaries and migrate into the area of other races. The concept of race is controversial in humans because race differences are small and disappear as a result of globalization. However, population genetic studies have shown that people of different geographical origins still have features in common that make group recognition possible. For human medicine research and patient treatment, it is important to take into account the different genetically based risk factors in the susceptibility to certain diseases and to differentiate between people with different geographical origins. All criteria that define zoological races can also be applied to human races, so that rejecting the concept of race in humans would also have to include many animal species.