Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2016, Volume 37
Joshua Povich, Tania Bettis, & Tamara Mau
Abstract
The desire to engage introductory biology students in phylogenetic analyses using real data and current
research methods can be inhibited by the complexity and multitude of command line- driven programs
typically used for these analyses. We have developed a graphical user interface (GUI) that combines the
components of phylogenetic analysis into one student-friendly application, RevBayes. Here we present
a lab activity in which students address evolutionary questions regarding the relationships among
primates using morphological and molecular data. In this activity, students begin by making observations
of primate skeletons from an interactive online database (eSkeletons.org) and then evaluate hypotheses
about evolutionary relationships using RevBayes to generate the most parsimonious phylogenetic
trees. Students are able to identify where relationships are well-resolved and where additional lines of
evidence are needed. Molecular data from GenBank is then added to give a more resolved hypothesis
about relationships within the group. RevBayes allows students to focus on the central concepts of
phylogenetic analysis and interpretation by simplifying the interface with sophisticated analytical tools.
Keywords: phylogeny, phylogenetics, phylogenetic tree
Boston University (2015)
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