Posterior distributions are commonly approximated by samples produced from a Markov
chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation. Every MCMC simulation has to be checked for …

Phylodynamic models generally aim at jointly inferring phylogenetic relationships, model
parameters, and more recently, the number of lineages through time, based on molecular …

Grammaticalization is characterized by robust directional asymmetries (eg,). For instance,
body-part nominals develop into spatial adpositions, minimizers develop into negation …

Abstract Model selection aims to choose the most adequate model for the statistical analysis
at hand. The model must be complex enough to capture the complexity of the data but …

The firefly Photinus pyralis inhabits a wide range of latitudinal and ecological niches, with
populations living from temperate to tropical habitats. Despite its broad distribution, its …

I would like to start by thanking my supervisor Dr. Sebastian Höhna for trusting me with the
opportunity of this scientific work. His support and guidance were fundamental for the …