Exploring linkage disequilibrium to date admixture using ancient DNA

Abstract: Admixture studies based on contemporary DNA are well studied and results from these have shown to correlate well with other evidence. The study of using ancient DNA for determining admixture times is a less explored alternative for determining admixture. Admixture-induced Linkage Disequilibrium for Evolutionary Relationships (ALDER) is an established tool for determining admixture time from contemporary DNA. This project investigates the use of ALDER on simulated ancient DNA to determine if it can be used in actual ancient DNA studies. The results from this project suggest that ALDER can be used in actual studies, with good accuracy and reliability.