Phylogeography
The phylogeography analyzes and describes the phylogenetic and geographic origin of individual genetic lines of a taxon ( group of organisms ). It is an area of research at the interface of biogeography, population genetics and phylogenetics and combines these disciplines to the methodological approach of molecular ecology. The phylogeography can be referred to as a branch of population biology. It has provided sound evidence evolutionary biology of many species, including humans, and can also build bridges between the findings of paleontology and molecular genetic -based biology.
And Methodology
The term " phylogeography " was introduced in 1987 by John C. Avise and coworkers at the University of Georgia (USA). As the first phylogeogaphische study, however, already a much earlier work can be viewed by Avise. An overview of the early development is of him in The history and purview of phylogeography: a personal reflection given a textbook -like summary in Phylogeography: the history and formation of species.
The early phylogeographic studies were partially judged negatively due to their more descriptive nature and the lack of statistical safeguards. Significant methodological advances allowed going back to Alan Templeton Nested clade analysis, which allowed mathematical- statistically differentiate the processes that lie behind the geographic and genetic distances.
Importance for animals, plants, species protection
Over time, phylogeographic studies have been in numerous animal, plant and microbial systems operated and also discusses the relationships for each species. Examples: mammals, amphibians, fish, crustaceans, cnidarians ( jellyfish ) and plants.
Importance for the evolution of man
Popular phylogeographic research direction was the ( first methodologically inadequate founded) hypothesis of a " mitochondrial Eve", the reconstructed result of the analysis of the mitochondrial genome genetic " first mother " of modern humans who lived around 100-200,000 years ago in Africa. A in this regard informed investigation was that of AR Templeton, who proved based on the analysis of ten different genes that at least two major expansions after the Homo erectus - expansion have taken place out of Africa (see Out - of-Africa theory ) need. Further insights into the history of mankind arose, as well as parasites (viruses, lice), which are connected to the people who were studied phylogeographisch (eg).