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Updated: May 10, 2026

A Practical Guide to Phylogenetics for Nonexperts
Published on: February 5, 2014
An integrative view of phylogenetic comparative methods: connections to population genetics, community ecology, and
Matthew W Pennell1, Luke J Harmon
1Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA.
Abstract:
Recent innovations in phylogenetic comparative methods (PCMs) have spurred a renaissance of research into the causes and consequences of large-scale patterns of biodiversity. In this paper, we review these advances. We also highlight the potential of comparative methods to integrate across fields and focus on three examples where such integration might be particularly valuable: quantitative genetics, community ecology, and paleobiology. We argue that PCMs will continue to be a key set of tools in evolutionary biology, shedding new light on how evolutionary processes have shaped patterns of biodiversity through deep time.
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