DNA Match lost with Merge

Question

A merge was done of Newsom-634 with this profile.   Newsom-634 had DNA matches, similar to Newsom-629 (the son).   The question is why in the merge is the DNA information dropped?

I think of all the merges completed by the arborists and we had no idea that DNA data was being dropped during a merge.   Not sure what we could have done, but it is a cause to think about the integrity of the data.

Any thoughts?

Answer 1

I was going to upvote Dave's comment--I'm sure the issue is that because it's a recent merge, you just have to wait up to 24 hours for the DNA information to end up on all the appropriate profiles--but then his answer went off another direction. You don't make entries for DNA connections on an ancestor's profile. It's all automatic, based on relationships. The only reason it wouldn't would eventually be there would be if the merge disconnected the person who created the connection. I think in a merge the only connections that could disappear would be if the two merged profiles had different parents.

Comments

Actually you're not quite right about not making DNA connections on an ancestor's profile.  See: http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/DNA_Confirmation .  That page and some related ones indicate when and how to mark relatives as being DNA confirmed, though as I said I haven't done it because the other person/people aren't on WikiTree.

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You're so right, Dave! That is a link to pages that explain that when you mark either the father or the mother of the profiled person 'confirmed with DNA' you need to provide an explanation in Sources section of the Biography, documenting the DNA tests used to confirm the relationship. But those entries are always entered manually, and would not disappear in a merge. Everything in the 'Biography' section of each profile is retained after a merge.

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But the background update is not always triggered see comment

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Kay and Dave....

You were correct!   The DNA matches are there now, it just took longer than 24 hours....thanks so much.

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Why is there this remark on this profile - I have seen it before and am wondering what it means?:

It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Johanna by comparing test results with other carriers of her mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondrial DNA test-takers in the direct maternal line: [person's name] : AncestryDNA Maternal Lineage (discontinued) HVR1 and HVR2, haplogroup J

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http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kr%C3%BCger-853 took an mtDNA test which was offered by AncestryDNA, but they no longer offer mtDNA testing.

That remark is at http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Van_Jaarsvelt-6 because http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kr%C3%BCger-853 belongs to the same direct maternal line.

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Thanks, that explains it. Does it also mean that the test results [thus far] are invalidated?

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Question. I believe that the DNA testing is only indicated back 10 Generations.  In the rare instance that the merge resulted in moving the ancestor to the 11th Generation, would it then lose the DNA information?

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Y-DNA and mtDNA is indicated back as far as its direct line goes.

Answer 2

Bear in mind that potential matches with relatives aren't created instantly when you report a test having been taken.  So it's possible that if this was a recent merge it may not have propagated yet.  OTOH if it's an actual verified match of two living individuals then it should be easy enough to re-enter it even if it did disappear.  In that case, the entry into an ancestor's profile just needs to be changed to the new Wiki ID.  Of course I'm not totally sure of what propagates and what doesn't since I don't have a known match with a living someone on Wikitree yet,  I do have some matches with living people which imply a match with certain ancestors,, but they haven't been triangulated as is needed to say the connection is proven.  It's always possible that a DNA connection between two people actually comes from a different line than you believe.

Comments

I would have thought the software would append the DNA data like it does all the rest of the data, but, if it doesn't not, then we need to make that clear in the merging instructions page.   Thanks for the answer Dave!

Maybe this is something that ought to be on the list, or at least provide instructions on what to do after a merge.

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I can think of so many reasons it's not a good idea to pass along DNA matches, possible or real, that I need to go reread the DNA help pages here before I pass on bad information.  So hopefully I'll post a question or two this weekend.

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Just a thought - Were the GEDMATCH IDs removed from any of the Matched people?

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Dave, I don't understand why you think it's 'not a good idea to pass along DNA matches'. What is the point in taking a DNA test if you're not going to talk to the people you match? I know, some people take DNA tests hoping to find out medical information, but I assume that we're all on WikiTree because we're interested in genealogy.

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The DNA / GedMatch / etc always shows up immediately after a merge. Or at least it has in the past, I always check that info after a merge.

Answer 3

I'm posting as a separate answer as I suspect it applies to all scenarios mentioned here.  I have seen multiple instances where a full Gedmatch ID is entered to get the DNA link up in place, but the actual ID is later removed - perhaps so it isn't available for people to run 1:1 comparisons, etc.

Mangus, is this something that would show on an error report of any sort?

Elizabeth