Melanie Jane Hopkins

Using state space models to understand trait evolution in fossil lineages

The paper applies state space models to analyze trait evolution in fossil lineages, finding that spine number in diatoms correlates with solar insolation changes.

Assessing the impact of character evolution models on phylogenetic and macroevolutionary inferences from fossil data

The paper evaluates how different models of morphological evolution affect phylogenetic and macroevolutionary inferences from fossil data using Cambrian-Ordovician trilobites.

Combining fossil taxa with and without morphological data improves dated phylogenetic analyses

This study combines morphological and taxonomic data to improve dated phylogenetic analyses of trilobites, resulting in more accurate divergence time estimates and stratigraphically congruent topologies.