1960/07/01 by KENNETH R. SPORNE · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · Mathematics · #Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies #Biology #Closeness #Ecology #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Evolutionary biology #Fern #Fish <Actinopterygii> #Genus #Mathematics #Paleontology #Plant and animal studies #Zoology
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.1960.tb01200.x
openalex publication_date 1960/07/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
During the past 60 years, there has been developed a number of statistical methods for assessing the degree of correlation between biological characters. Some of these methods have become so involved that electronic computers are necessary for their solution. The results have been used for three main purposes, the first of which is the investigation of closeness of affinity between related organisms. The second is the investigation of the processes of coordination of growth among individuals of a single species, and the third is the investigation of the possible course of evolution of groups of related species, genera or families. Investigations of the first kind have concerned bacteria and bees, and of the second, frogs, squirrels, domestic pigeons, fossil fish, fossil teeth, etc. Investigations of the third kind have been mainly in the field of botany, some covering a single fern genus, some the angiosperms as a whole, some the Dicotyledons and some the Monocotyledons. The results of this third kind of investigation are consistent with the view that trends have occurred during the evolution of present-day groups of organisms. Help from the palaeo-botanist is, however, vital in establishing the correctness of this interpretation. The meaning of the expression ‘a trend in evolution’ is briefly discussed.