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A General Model for Estimating Macroevolutionary Landscapes.

Florian C Boucher1,2, Vincent Démery3, Elena Conti1

  • 1Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany (ISEB), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Systematic Biology
|October 14, 2017
PubMed
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This summary is machine-generated.

We introduce the Fokker-Planck-Kolmogorov (FPK) model, a versatile tool for studying quantitative trait evolution. This model expands macroevolutionary analysis beyond Brownian motion and Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes, accommodating complex evolutionary landscapes.

Area of Science:

  • Macroevolutionary dynamics
  • Quantitative genetics
  • Statistical mechanics

Background:

  • Macroevolutionary studies traditionally rely on limited diffusion models like Brownian motion and Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes.
  • Existing models restrict the analysis of complex evolutionary scenarios and landscapes.
  • There is a need for more general models to infer trait evolution dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a general partial differential equation model, the Fokker-Planck-Kolmogorov (FPK) model, for inferring quantitative character evolution.
  • To accommodate diverse evolutionary scenarios, including directional trends, disruptive selection, and multi-peak landscapes.
  • To provide a framework for fitting this model to empirical data.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing the Fokker-Planck equation (Kolmogorov forward equation) as the basis for the FPK model.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Developing methods for fitting the FPK model to empirical data using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian estimation.
  • Employing simulations to assess model performance in discrimination and parameter inference.

    • Main Results:

    • The FPK model successfully describes macroevolutionary landscapes and can be fitted to data.
    • Simulations demonstrate the model's ability to discriminate from alternative models and provide accurate parameter estimates.
    • R code is provided for applying the FPK model to phylogenetic comparative data.

    Conclusions:

    • The FPK model significantly broadens the scope of macroevolutionary research by enabling the estimation of complex evolutionary landscapes.
    • This approach allows for the study of a wider range of evolutionary scenarios previously inaccessible.
    • The FPK model is illustrated with empirical examples of mammalian body mass evolution.