Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1709590 | Applied Mathematics Letters | 2010 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
The Yule (pure-birth) model is the simplest null model of speciation; each lineage gives rise to a new lineage independently with the same rate λλ. We investigate the expected length of an edge chosen at random from the resulting evolutionary tree. In particular, we compare the expected length of a randomly selected edge with the expected length of a randomly selected pendant edge. We provide some exact formulae, and show how our results depend slightly on whether the depth of the tree or the number of leaves is conditioned on, and whether λλ is known or is estimated using maximum likelihood.
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Computational Mechanics
Authors
Mike Steel, Arne Mooers,