Cladistics: The Theory and Practice of Parsimony Analysis (Oxford Science Publications) [Paperback]

Ian J. Kitching (Author), Peter L. Forey (Author), Christopher J. Humphries (Author), David M. Williams (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0198501382 | ISBN-13: 978-0198501381 | Publication Date: September 10, 1998 | Edition: 2nd

Cladistics aims to reconstruct genealogies based on common ancestry, thus revealing the phylogenetic relationships between taxa. Its applications vary from linguistic analysis to the study of conservation and biodiversity, and it has become a method of choice for comparative studies in all fields of biology. This new edition of Cladistics--first published in 1992--reflects the many changes and developments which have taken place in the field over the last five years, while retaining the clarity and readability that made the first edition so successful. For all students interested in the systematic relationships among organisms, this book provides a state-of-the-art account of the techniques and methods of modern cladistics, and of how to put them into practice.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Cladistics is defined in this work as a 'method of systematic classification that aims to reconstruct genealogies based on common ancestry, thus revealing the phylogenetic relationships between taxa'. Cladistics is the method of choice for comparative studies in the construction of cladograms and consensus trees. Three-item statements, another method of representing relationships, is also discussed. The text will be of interest to students, teachers, and researchers. Cladograms and consensus tree supplement the text."--Biological Abstracts/RRM�

"The last several years have yielded developments on all fronts in cladistic analysis--from how we view characters to tree building methods to interpretations of patterns. Hence, an update of this book that pulls together these advancements is most welcome. While the first edition was essentially a collection of course notes on various topics relevant to cladistics, the second edition is quite different. The scope has been narrowed and refocused, and the new book is one-fifth longer than the original. . . . New topics covered include tree support, combination of data sets, and the still controversial three-taxon analysis method. . . . There are also summaries of the key points in each chapter, a list of recommended references, a glossary, and an appendix of relevant computer software. . . . [Useful] as an upper level textbook or a concise reference for those involved with parsimony analyses."--The Quarterly Review of Biology

About the Author

Ian Kitching, Peter Forey, Christopher Humphries, and David Williams are all at the Natural History Museum, London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2nd edition (September 10, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198501382
• ISBN-13: 978-0198501381
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,735,903 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clear and well organized intro/overview to a complex subj, October 16, 2001

By 

Richard Frantz Jr. (Cheshire, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cladistics: The Theory and Practice of Parsimony Analysis (Oxford Science Publications) (Paperback)

The exposition is clear. The topic has a number of tricky words (hard to pronounce and subtly distinct) but the authors are careful to be precise. Figures are used to advantage to demonstrate concepts.