Relative apparent synapomorphy analysis (RASA). I: The statistical measurement of phylogenetic signal |
| |
Authors: | Lyons-Weiler J; Hoelzer GA; Tausch RJ |
| |
Institution: | Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno 89512-0013, USA. weiler@grass.ers.unr.edu |
| |
Abstract: | We have developed a new approach to the measurement of phylogenetic signal
in character state matrices called relative apparent synapomorphy analysis
(RASA). RASA provides a deterministic, statistical measure of natural
cladistic hierarchy (phylogenetic signal) in character state matrices. The
method works by determining whether a measure of the rate of increase of
cladistic similarity among pairs of taxa as a function of phenetic
similarity is greater than a null equiprobable rate of increase. Our
investigation of the utility and limitations of RASA using simulated and
bacteriophage T7 data sets indicates that the method has numerous
advantages over existing measures of signal. A first advantage is
computational efficiency. A second advantage is that RASA employs known
methods of statistical inference, providing measurable sensitivity and
power. The performance of RASA is examined under various conditions of
branching evolution as the number of characters, character states per
character, and mutations per branch length are varied. RASA appears to
provide an unbiased and reliable measure of phylogenetic signal, and the
general approach promises to be useful in the development of new techniques
that should increase the rigor and reliability of phylogenetic estimates.
|
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 Oxford 等数据库收录! |
|