Brian C. O’Meara

A fossilized birth-death model for fossil records lacking sampled ancestors

The paper introduces a new fossilized birth-death model (FBDT) that handles fossil datasets with only terminal fossils, showing it accurately estimates diversification parameters without bias.

Statistical and structural bias in birth-death models

The paper examines statistical and structural biases in birth-death models for estimating speciation and extinction rates from phylogenetic trees and provides corrections to improve accuracy.

Navigating "tip fog": Embracing uncertainty in tip measurements

The paper introduces 'tip fog' to describe variance between true species means and recorded data in comparative biology, showing its impact on model accuracy and parameter estimates.

Phylotastic: improving access to tree-of-life knowledge with flexible, on-the-fly delivery of trees

Phylotastic provides an accessible system for on-the-fly delivery of phylogenetic trees, enabling users to retrieve species phylogenies with minimal effort.

Non-null Effects of the Null Range in Biogeographic Models: Exploring Parameter Estimation in the DEC Model

The paper examines the DEC model's underestimation of local extinction by modifying it to prohibit transitions into the null range, showing improved model fit and adequacy.

Trait Evolution on Phylogenetic Networks

The paper develops a method to analyze trait evolution on phylogenetic networks using a Brownian motion model and applies it to study hybridization effects in cichlid body size and Nicotiana drought tolerance.