[Taxacom] Methodological plurality [was cladistic analysis for morphological characters -- UPGMA is not cladistics]

[Kipling (Kip) Will]

On 11/17/2012 9:30 AM, Richard Zander wrote:
> Congruence of what?

Tree topology or more specifically sister-group relationships between 
OTUs. Viewed as a Venn or Euler diagrams it can also be thought of a 
pattern of nesting or hierarchy.

Nesting? Nesting is not a process in nature, it is a
> feature of the method. Of course nesting will be different when
> different methods are used since serial macroevolutionary
> transformations of taxa are interprested (as nesting) in different ways.
>
>

I made no claim that "nesting" was a process. Most list readers will be 
familiar with your opinions on these matters and won't be surprised we 
have trouble finding a common vocabulary. One needs to be careful not to 
confabulate patterns, processes, diachronic and synchronic context of 
phylogenies.

My post was was intended to open a discussion on the use of a plurality 
of methods and what, if any justification for this common practice exists.

kw


-- 

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Kipling W. Will
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