This document discusses how evolutionary distinctiveness changes when fossils are added to phylogenetic trees. It shows that adding fossils can both increase and decrease the evolutionary distinctiveness of species depending on where the fossils are placed in the tree. Placing fossils in the tree can provide more information about branch durations and the number of descendants for each branch, which are factors that influence calculated evolutionary distinctiveness scores.

1. How does Evolutionary
Distinctiveness change when we
place fossils in the tree?
Graeme T. Lloyd
@GraemeTLloyd

2. EDGE species
Evolutionary
Distinctiveness
Extinction Risk
Isaac et al. 2007

3. EDGE species
Evolutionary
Distinctiveness
Extinction Risk
EDGE
Isaac et al. 2007

4. Evolutionary Distinctiveness
Isaac et al. 2007
012345
Time (Ma)

5. Evolutionary Distinctiveness
Isaac et al. 2007
012345
Time (Ma)
3
5
1
1
1
1
1
1Branch Duration

6. Evolutionary Distinctiveness
Isaac et al. 2007
012345
Time (Ma)
4
1
2
2
1
1
1
1N Descendants

7. Evolutionary Distinctiveness
Isaac et al. 2007
012345
Time (Ma)
3 / 4
5 / 1
1 / 2
1 / 2
1 / 1
1 / 1
1 / 1
1 / 1Branch Duration /
N Descendants

8. Evolutionary Distinctiveness
Isaac et al. 2007
012345
Time (Ma)
0.75
5
0.5
0.5
1
1
1
1ED

9. Evolutionary Distinctiveness
Isaac et al. 2007
012345
Time (Ma)
0.75 +
5 =
0.5 +
0.5 +
1 =
1 =
1 =
1 =
2.25
2.25
2.25
2.25
5
ED

10. Evolutionary Distinctiveness
012345
Time (Ma)
0.75 +
5 =
0.5 +
0.5 +
1 =
1 =
1 =
1 =
2.25
2.25
2.25
2.25
5
ED
Isaac et al. 2007
?

11. Case study

12. Tree without fossils
Oaks 2011

13. ED without fossils

14. ED without fossils
Alligator sinensis

15. Tree with fossils

16. Change in EDDecreaseinED
IncreaseinED

17. ED with fossils

18. ED with fossils
Gavialis gangeticus
Tomistoma schlegelii