Synthesizing and databasing fossil calibrations: divergence dating and beyond

Divergence dating studies, which combine temporal data from the fossil record with branch length data from molecular phylogenetic trees, represent a rapidly expanding approach to understanding the history of life. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center hosted the first Fossil Calibrations Working Gr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biology letters 2011-12, Vol.7 (6), p.801-803
Main Authors: Ksepka, Daniel T, Benton, Michael J, Carrano, Matthew T, Gandolfo, Maria A, Head, Jason J, Hermsen, Elizabeth J, Joyce, Walter G, Lamm, Kristin S, Patané, José S. L, Phillips, Matthew J, Polly, P. David, Van Tuinen, Marcel, Ware, Jessica L, Warnock, Rachel C. M, Parham, James F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Bioinformatics
Biological Evolution
Calibration
Computational Biology - methods
Databases, Factual
experts
Fossils
Genetic Speciation
Insecta - anatomy & histology
Insecta - classification
Insecta - genetics
life history
Meeting Reports
Molecular Clocks
North Carolina
Palaeontology
Paleontology - methods
Phylogeny
Plants - anatomy & histology
Plants - classification
Plants - genetics
Preservation, Biological
Vertebrates - anatomy & histology
Vertebrates - classification
Vertebrates - genetics
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Divergence dating studies, which combine temporal data from the fossil record with branch length data from molecular phylogenetic trees, represent a rapidly expanding approach to understanding the history of life. National Evolutionary Synthesis Center hosted the first Fossil Calibrations Working Group (3–6 March, 2011, Durham, NC, USA), bringing together palaeontologists, molecular evolutionists and bioinformatics experts to present perspectives from disciplines that generate, model and use fossil calibration data. Presentations and discussions focused on channels for interdisciplinary collaboration, best practices for justifying, reporting and using fossil calibrations and roadblocks to synthesis of palaeontological and molecular data. Bioinformatics solutions were proposed, with the primary objective being a new database for vetted fossil calibrations with linkages to existing resources, targeted for a 2012 launch.
ISSN:1744-9561
1744-957X
DOI:10.1098/rsbl.2011.0356