Model selection in phylogenetics

Abstract

Investigation into model selection has a long history in the statistical literature. As model-based approaches begin dominating systematic biology, increased attention has focused on how models should be selected for distance-based, likelihood, and Bayesian phylogenetics. Here, we review issues that render model-based approaches necessary, briefly review nucleotide-based models that attempt to capture relevant features of evolutionary processes, and review methods that have been applied to model selection in phylogenetics: likelihood-ratio tests, AIC, BIC, and performance-based approaches. Copyright © 2005 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.