title: Consistency of Bayesian inference of resolved phylogenetic trees.
abstract: Bayesian inference is now a leading technique for reconstructing phylogenetic trees from aligned sequence data. In this short note, we formally show that the maximum posterior tree topology provides a statistically consistent estimate of a fully resolved evolutionary tree under a wide variety of conditions. This includes the inference of gene trees from aligned sequence data across the entire parameter range of branch lengths, and under general conditions on priors in models where the usual 'identifiability' conditions hold. We extend this to the inference of species trees from sequence data, where the gene trees constitute 'nuisance parameters', as in the program (*)BEAST. This note also addresses earlier concerns raised in the literature questioning the extent to which statistical consistency for Bayesian methods might hold in general.
authors: Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. Electronic address: mathmomike@gmail.com.
authors: Mike
authors: M
authors: Steel
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D005796:Genes; D008954:Models, Biological; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity
keywords: Bayesian phylogenetics; Gene tree; Species tree; Statistical consistency