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Next‐generation phylogenetics takes root
Author(s) -
McCormack John E.,
Faircloth Brant C.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
molecular ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.619
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1365-294X
pISSN - 0962-1083
DOI - 10.1111/mec.12050
Subject(s) - biology , phylogeography , evolutionary biology , phylogenetics , dna sequencing , mitochondrial dna , ecology , genetics , gene
It has been a tumultuous 5 years in phylogeography and phylogenetics during which both fields have struggled to harness the power of next‐generation sequencing ( NGS ) (Ekblom & Galindo [Ekblom R, 2010]; McCormack et al . [McCormack J, 2012a]). Fortunately, several methodological approaches appear to be taking root. In this issue of Molecular Ecology , O'Neill et al . [O'Neill EM, 2013]) employ one such method – parallel tagged sequencing ( PTS ) – to elucidate the phylogeography of a tiger salamander ( Ambystoma tigrinum ) species complex. This study demonstrates a practical application of NGS on a scale appropriate (and not overkill) for most biologists interested in phylogeography (~100 loci for ~100 individuals), and their results highlight several analytical challenges that lie ahead for researchers employing NGS techniques.