Biologists would most likely use parsimony methods over maximum likelihood methods when
A) looking at behavioral traits.
B) looking at with DNA sequence data.
C) some types of evolutionary changes are more likely than others.
D) the fossil record is good.
E) computational power is limited.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Parsimony methods are preferred over maximum likelihood methods when computational power is limited because parsimony methods are less computationally intensive. They aim to find the simplest explanation or tree with the fewest evolutionary changes, which requires less computational power compared to the complex calculations involved in maximum likelihood methods that account for different rates of evolution and other parameters.

Biologists Would Most Likely Use Parsimony Methods Over Maximum Likelihood