Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-89b8bd64d-4ws75 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-07T21:12:13.890Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Phylogenetic Comparative Methods: A User's Guide for Paleontologists

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 April 2021

Laura C. Soul
Affiliation:
The Natural History Museum, London and National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
David F. Wright
Affiliation:
American Museum of Natural History and National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

Summary

Recent advances in statistical approaches called phylogenetic comparative methods (PCMs) have provided paleontologists with a powerful set of analytical tools for investigating evolutionary tempo and mode in fossil lineages. However, attempts to integrate PCMs with fossil data often present workers with practical challenges or unfamiliar literature. This Element presents guides to the theory behind and the application of PCMs with fossil taxa. Based on an empirical dataset of Paleozoic crinoids, example analyses are presented to illustrate common applications of PCMs to fossil data, including investigating patterns of correlated trait evolution and macroevolutionary models of morphological change. The authors emphasize the importance of accounting for sources of uncertainty and discuss how to evaluate model fit and adequacy. Finally, the authors discuss several promising methods for modeling heterogeneous evolutionary dynamics with fossil phylogenies. Integrating phylogeny-based approaches with the fossil record provides a rigorous, quantitative perspective on understanding key patterns in the history of life.
Get access

Information

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Element purchase

Temporarily unavailable

Save element to Kindle

To save this element to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Phylogenetic Comparative Methods: A User's Guide for Paleontologists
  • Laura C. Soul, The Natural History Museum, London and National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, David F. Wright, American Museum of Natural History and National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
  • Online ISBN: 9781108894142
Available formats
×

Save element to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Phylogenetic Comparative Methods: A User's Guide for Paleontologists
  • Laura C. Soul, The Natural History Museum, London and National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, David F. Wright, American Museum of Natural History and National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
  • Online ISBN: 9781108894142
Available formats
×

Save element to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Phylogenetic Comparative Methods: A User's Guide for Paleontologists
  • Laura C. Soul, The Natural History Museum, London and National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, David F. Wright, American Museum of Natural History and National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution
  • Online ISBN: 9781108894142
Available formats
×