"Modeling the Evolution of Phenotypic Traits on Phylogenetic Trees"
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The use of statistical approaches to model the evolution of species traits on phylogenetic trees, known as phylogenetic comparative methods, has exploded since Felsenstein’s seminal paper in 1985. Originally developed as a statistical fix for comparative analyses, these methods are now routinely applied to address fundamental questions in macroevolution and macroecology, using both extant and fossil data. However, their application has often been limited to relatively simple models, and often assume that traits or species evolve independently of one another and their environment. In this presentation, I will introduce a suite of models we recently developed to infer the effects of interspecific interactions and past environmental changes on the evolution of phenotypic traits. Additionally, these models can be used to study the evolution of multidimensional traits and high-dimensional multivariate datasets, such as 3D geometric morphometrics or comparative transcriptomics. These methods demonstrate that phylogenies of extant taxa provide valuable insights into both past and present biodiversity, offering a unified analytical framework for studying both extant and fossil taxa. Future advancements in these models and statistical tools will further facilitate the integration of different data types and research fields, enhancing our understanding of the processes driving the evolution of taxonomic and phenotypic diversity.
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