Question

select all that apply
which two of the following methods are used to evaluate the validity or \strength\ of a phylogenetic tree?

• cluster analysis
• maximum likelihood
• neighbor joining
• bootstrapping
• bayesian inference

Explanation:

• Bootstrapping: Resamples sequence data to calculate support values for tree branches, measuring how consistent the tree structure is with the data.
• Bayesian inference: Uses posterior probabilities to quantify the statistical support for each branch of the phylogenetic tree, assessing tree validity.
• The other options (Cluster analysis, Maximum likelihood, Neighbor joining) are methods for constructing phylogenetic trees, not evaluating their strength/validity.

Answer:

Bootstrapping, Bayesian inference