Reconciling gene trees: Deciphering the source and extent of genealogical discordance

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The discordant signal obtained from analysis of different genes has raised new challenges for biologists. When contradictory evolutionary relationships are detected across different parts of the genome, it is difficult to recover and describe the history of a group of species. But this discordance among genes has also raised new opportunities: hybridization, gene flow, and other biological processes each leave their own signature in the pattern of gene tree variability. The goal of this project is to estimate the discordance between gene trees and the biological processes that have affected species and populations. An interdisciplinary team of statisticians, biologists and computer scientists will develop new and robust statistical methods for analysis of genes and species relationships. The tools developed through this project will be implemented in a user-friendly program so that all phylogeneticists can utilize them. Software will be freely distributed to facilitate the utilization of these tools for the study of other groups of species. Undergraduate and graduate students will be trained at the interface between biology, statistics and computer science. Insights from this research will enhance educational modules in evolutionary theory at the undergraduate level and at K-12 teacher workshops.