Alternative UPGMA & NJ phenetic analyses of Panda relationships
Alternative UPGMA & NJ phenetic analyses of Panda relationships
The
Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic
Averaging (UPGMA)
algorithm
(left) assumes equal rates of evolution, so that branch tips
come out
equal. The
Neighbor-Joining
(NJ) (right) algorithm allows for unequal rates of
evolution, so
that branch lengths are proportional to amount of change. If
rates on
different branches are not markedly unequal, the branching
orders
produced by the two methods will not differ, as in this example
with
Carnivora.
Text material © 2017 by Steven M. Carr