Timing in relation to the major evolutionary transitions is an original and elegant idea that is especially suited for modeling studies.
Using the taxa in Fig. 1, a comparable question is whether the trout or the skunk is the closest evolutionary relation to the lizard, and why.
For example, for the plant cladogram in Fig. 2, students were asked "Which taxon fern or oak tree is the closest evolutionary relation to the juniper?" These three taxa are located at different levels in the cladogram, with the juniper occupying a hierarchically intermediate position relative to the fern and the oak tree.
Finally, household members with no genetic relation to the couple are, from an evolutionary perspective, less likely to affect reproductive outcomes because their fitness is not affected by this behavior.
It typically detects and defines these entities in relation to the most stable aspects of evolutionary processes, by identifying lineages evolving by a process of vertical inheritance from an ancestral entity.
The proposed clusters of orthology and their further analysis suggest the existence of monocot specific genes and invite to explore their functionality in relation to the distinct physiological characteristics of these evolutionary groups.
The outcome of this reflection is captured in the following quote from Leydesdorff and Deakin (2011: 61) and in relation to the governance issues surrounding their neo-evolutionary model of smart cities.
Leslea received this recognition for her distinguished contributions to the study of primate evolutionary biology, especially in relation to the integration of genetics and the fossil record.
Finally, we have identified striking responses of lineage-specific genes to environmental stimuli in Arabidopsis thaliana and consider these in relation to proposed evolutionary models for the birth and functionality of novel genes.
