Phylogenetics: Theory and Practice of Phylogenetic Systematics

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0470905964 ISBN 13: 9780470905968

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011

The long-awaited revision of the industry standard onphylogenetics

Since the publication of the first edition of this landmarkvolume more than twenty-five years ago, phylogenetic systematicshas taken its place as the dominant paradigm of systematic biology.It has profoundly influenced the way scientists study evolution,and has seen many theoretical and technical advances as the fieldhas continued to grow. It goes almost without saying that the nexttwenty-five years of phylogenetic research will prove asfascinating as the first, with many exciting developments yet tocome.

This new edition of Phylogenetics captures the veryessence of this rapidly evolving discipline. Written for thepracticing systematist and phylogeneticist, it addresses both thephilosophical and technical issues of the field, as well as surveysgeneral practices in taxonomy. Major sections of the book deal withthe nature of species and higher taxa, homology and characters,trees and tree graphs, and biogeography—the purpose being todevelop biologically relevant species, character, tree, andbiogeographic concepts that can be applied fruitfully tophylogenetics.

The book then turns its focus to phylogenetic trees, includingan in-depth guide to tree-building algorithms. Additional coverageincludes:

• Parsimony and parsimony analysis

• Parametric phylogenetics including maximum likelihood andBayesian approaches

• Phylogenetic classification

• Critiques of evolutionary taxonomy, phenetics, and transformedcladistics

• Specimen selection, field collecting, and curating

• Systematic publication and the rules of nomenclature

Providing a thorough synthesis of the field, this importantupdate to Phylogenetics is essential for students andresearchers in the areas of evolutionary biology, molecularevolution, genetics and evolutionary genetics, paleontology,physical anthropology, and zoology.

From the Publisher:

Presents a clear, simple and comprehensive overview of the phylogenetic approach to systematics, which has two major goals: reconstructing the evolutionary relationships among organisms and integrating the results into general reference classifications. Shows how the results of systematic research can be applied to studying the pattern and processes of evolution.

About the Author:

Professor Wiley is Emeritus Professor of Ecology and evolutionaryBiology at the University of Kansas.  Currently he works inthe University of Kansas Natural History Museum.  ProfessorWiley's distinguished career is marked by hundreds of peer-reviewedpapers, a continuous string of research grants, including hiscurrent NSF grant, "Assembling the Euteleost Tree of Life," and thepublication of 5 books.

 

Professor Lieberman is an Invertebrate Paleontologist atUniversity of Kansas.  Professor Lieberman has also authoredfive books as well as numerous peer reviewed publications. His long string of research grants culminates most recently with anNSF grant to study "Revisionary systematic of CheiruridTrilobites."