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A Practical Guide to Phylogenetics for Nonexperts
Published on: February 5, 2014
Two issues in archaeological phylogenetics: taxon construction and outgroup selection
Michael J O'Brien1, R Lee Lyman, Youssef Saab
1Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. obrienm@missouri,edu
Journal of Theoretical Biology
|June 8, 2002
Summary
Cladistics, a method for phylogenetic analysis, can be applied to evolving cultural phenomena like languages and tools. This study addresses constructing analytical taxa and selecting outgroups for archaeological cladistics.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary studies
- Archaeology
- Computational biology
Background:
- Cladistics is a primary tool for phylogenetic hypothesis construction in biology and paleobiology.
- Its application is rarely extended beyond these fields, despite its potential for any evolving system with nested hierarchies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the applicability of cladistics to archaeological materials, including languages and tools.
- To address key methodological challenges in applying cladistics outside of biological sciences.
Main Methods:
- Developing methods for constructing analytical taxa in archaeology, where no direct equivalent to biological species exists.
- Utilizing paradigmatic classification to define taxa based on co-occurring character states.
- Employing occurrence seriation, an archaeological method, for objective outgroup selection.
Main Results:
- Paradigmatic classification provides a framework for creating analytical taxa from archaeological data.
- Occurrence seriation offers a systematic approach to selecting outgroups in archaeological phylogenetic analyses.
- Demonstrates the feasibility of applying cladistics to cultural evolution.
Conclusions:
- Cladistics is a viable method for analyzing cultural evolution and constructing phylogenetic hypotheses for archaeological materials.
- Methodological adaptations, specifically in taxon construction and outgroup selection, are crucial for successful application.
- Extending cladistics to archaeology opens new avenues for understanding the transmission and heritability of cultural traits.
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