Citation: Sandvik, H. (2004) Analysing the correlated evolution of discrete and continuous traits: a phylogenetic-comparative method. Pages 29–56 in Life-history and breeding biology of seabirds in a changing environment: a comparative approach. Unpublished doctor scientiarum thesis, Institutt for biology, Universitetet i Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway.

Abstract: A phylogenetically informed method for the analysis of interspecific data with a continuous independent variable and a discrete dependent variable is proposed. The test compares two hypotheses built upon a continuous-time Markov model of evolution. The first (null) hypothesis assumes that the transition rates of the discrete character are dependent on branch lengths. The alternative hypothesis assumes that the transition rates are a function of the amounts of change in the continuous variable. Using likelihood ratio tests or Akaike’s Information Criterion it can be decided which model is better at explaining the data. The evolutionary and statistical assumptions of the method are made explicit and compared to other approaches.

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