Unveiling vicariant methodologies in vicariance biogeography : not anything goes

Veller, M.G.P. van

In vicariance biogeography, the present distribution of species over areas is explained with different historical processes. Vicariance is one of these processes and involves speciation by the formation of isolating barriers between areas. By assuming this process, a scenario for the history of areas can be obtained from a phylogeny of species and a distribution of these species over areas. This scenario for the history of areas, however, does not explain the distribution of species over areas because species may become extinct or sometimes migrate between areas. To examine extinction and migration in addition to vicariance as causal processes for the distribution of species over areas, different methods have been developed and implemented in software. In this thesis, these different methods and their implementations are assessed for their procedures and results. From the research it is concluded that not all methods obtain a scenario for the history of areas in a valid way. After...Show moreIn vicariance biogeography, the present distribution of species over areas is explained with different historical processes. Vicariance is one of these processes and involves speciation by the formation of isolating barriers between areas. By assuming this process, a scenario for the history of areas can be obtained from a phylogeny of species and a distribution of these species over areas. This scenario for the history of areas, however, does not explain the distribution of species over areas because species may become extinct or sometimes migrate between areas. To examine extinction and migration in addition to vicariance as causal processes for the distribution of species over areas, different methods have been developed and implemented in software. In this thesis, these different methods and their implementations are assessed for their procedures and results. From the research it is concluded that not all methods obtain a scenario for the history of areas in a valid way. After repair of the computer programs, to enable them to obtain valid scenarios for the history of areas, different methods still do not succeed in obtaining a single scenario for the history of areas when a single dataset is examined. Depending on the formulation and testing of hypotheses of the processes of vicariance, extinction and migration two different categories of methods can be distinguished. Because of better consistence in formulation and testing of hypotheses preference has been given to one of these categories.Show less

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Unveiling vicariant methodologies in vicariance biogeography : not anything goes

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