Rocks and clocks: calibrating the Tree of Life using fossils and molecules

Donoghue, Philip C.J.; Benton, Michael J.

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2007.05.005

Cited by 422Evolution and Paleontology StudiesGenomics and Phylogenetic StudiesPlant Diversity and Evolution

Rocks and clocks: calibrating the Tree of Life using fossils and molecules

Donoghue, Philip C.J., Benton, Michael J.·2007·Trends in Ecology & Evolution

DOI 10.1016/j.tree.2007.05.005

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Abstract

A great tradition in macroevolution and systematics has been the ritual squabbling between palaeontologists and molecular biologists. But, because both sides were talking past each other, they could never agree. Practitioners in both fields should play to their strengths and work together: palaeontologists can provide minimum constraints on branching points in the Tree of Life with considerable precision, and estimate the extent of unrecorded prehistory. Molecular tree analysts have remarkable modelling tools in their armoury to convert multiple minimum age constraints into meaningful dated trees. As we discuss here, work should now focus on establishing reasonable, dated trees that satisfy rigorous assessment of the available fossils and careful consideration of molecular tree methods: rocks and clocks together are an unbeatable combination. Reliably dated trees provide, for the first time, the opportunity to explore wider questions in macroevolution.

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It may not be possible to produce molecular clocks that can constrain the uncertainty enough to provide any useful information.
“The effects this variation could have on molecular clocks, together with frequent disagreement between the ages estimated by way of the fossil record and molecular clocks—especially for the most ancient lineages (Hedges et al., 2004; Donoghue and Benton, 2007)—mean that it may not be possible to produce molecular clocks that can constrain the uncertainty enough to provide any useful information.”
From The Astrobiology Primer v2.0 (2016) · cites this paper as Donoghue and Benton, 2007

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Authors: Donoghue, P. C. J., & Benton, M. J.
Affiliations: University of Bristol (GB)
Corresponding author: Donoghue, Philip C.J.
ORCID: Donoghue, Philip C.J.
Benton, Michael J.
Venue: Trends in Ecology & Evolution
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2007-08
Volume: 22
Issue: 8
Pages: 424-431
ISSN: 0169-5347 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2007.05.005
OpenAlex: W2100473357
Cited by: 413
References: 76
Citations by year: 2026: 10 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 24
FWCI: 4.60
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Trends in Ecology & Evolution (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion)
Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion)
Funders: Natural Environment Research Council (NE/C511256/1)
Topics: Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Evolution and Paleontology Studies
Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Plant Diversity and Evolution
Keywords: divergence time estimation, fossil calibration, phylogenetic tree, macroevolution, systematics
MeSH terms: Animals, Biological Clocks, Calibration, Biological Evolution, Fossils, Humans, Molecular Biology, Time Factors

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Rocks and clocks: calibrating the Tree of Life using fossils and molecules

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