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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
08:57
Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin
Published on: August 14, 2018
The coup de grâce for the nested clade phylogeographic analysis?
1INRA, UMR 1202 Biodiversity, Genes & Communities (BIOGECO), 69 route d'Arcachon, F33612 Cestas cedex, France. petit@pierroton.inra.fr
Molecular Ecology
|October 25, 2007
Summary
Nested clade phylogeographic analysis (NCPA) frequently yields false-positives, according to new automated software. Researchers should await further evaluation before using this popular phylogeographic method.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Population Genetics
- Phylogeography
Background:
- Nested clade phylogeographic analysis (NCPA) is a widely used method for inferring population history and demographic processes across species ranges.
- Despite ongoing updates and a substantial body of literature, criticisms of NCPA's reliability have persisted since its inception in 1995.
Discussion:
- A recent study by Panchal and Beaumont (2007) introduced automated software for NCPA, enabling a precise evaluation of the method.
- Simulations revealed a high frequency of false-positives (over 75%) with the automated NCPA procedure, corroborating earlier concerns.
Key Insights:
- The automated NCPA procedure demonstrates a significant rate of false-positive results in population history reconstructions.
- These findings suggest caution is warranted, recommending researchers pause and await further validation of the NCPA method.
Outlook:
- While no direct all-encompassing alternative to NCPA exists for evaluating phylogeographic datasets, researchers can employ various alternative methods.
- Future research should focus on refining or developing new analytical approaches for robust phylogeographic inference.
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