Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/C51992X/1
Phylogenetic Methods for Adaptive Evolution.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor M Pagel, University of Reading, Animal and Microbial Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr A Meade, University of Reading, Sch of Biological Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Reading, Animal and Microbial Sciences
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Marine
- Freshwater
- Overall Classification:
- Terrestrial
- ENRIs:
- Natural Resource Management
- Global Change
- Biodiversity
- Science Topics:
- Environmental Genomics
- Systematics & Taxonomy
- Conservation Ecology
- Behavioural Ecology
- Abstract:
- Ever since Darwin it has been widely appreciated that species evolve by a process of descent with modification. Older ancestral species give rise to 'daughter' species over time, producing something like a family-tree. Biologists refer to these family trees of species as phylogenies, and they are one of the principal means by which biologists investigate the history of life on Earth. Phylogenies of species evolve over many millions of years, meaning that there is no written record of them, and the fossil record is often patchy and incomplete. Because of this, biologists must infer phylogenies by studying the similarities and differences among living species. Genetic similarities and differences provide some of the best information for inferring phylogenies, and most phylogenetic inference now relies on genes. One of the difficulties facing biologists who wish to infer phylogenies from gene sequences is that two closely related species can appear quite different because they have evolved the same genes for different purposes. Surprisingly, for example, whales evolved from a common ancestor with present day hippos, and the small hyrax species of Africa is the closest living relative to the Elephants! These differences can confuse the process of inferring phylogenies, placing species in the wrong places on the phylogenetic tree. To be able to unravel these differences in the way species evolve their genes, biologists need sophisticated models of evolution. Our research will develop mathematical models of evolution that can detect when pairs of species differ in the way that they evolve their genes. This will mean that we will be able more accurately to infer the true phylogenies of species. This will be beneficial to our understanding life on Earth, and also to the many scientists who use phylogenies in their research. Currently, phylogenies are used in nearly all branches of the life sciences, to study such things as viral and pathogenic bacterial evolution, the origin and spread of disease, conservation biology, and the history of the movement of plants, animals, and people around the world.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/C51992X/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £188,795
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - T&S | Total - Staff | Total - Other Costs | Total - Equipment | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £2,729 | £107,953 | £5,158 | £23,296 | £49,660 |
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