Split networks explained

For a given set of taxa, and a set of splits S on the taxa, usually together with a non-negative weighting, which may represent character changes distance, or may also have a more abstract interpretation, if the set of splits S is compatible, then it can be represented by an unrooted phylogenetic tree and each edge in the tree corresponds to exactly one of the splits. More generally, S can always be represented by a split network,^[1] which is an unrooted phylogenetic network with the property that every split in S is represented by an array of parallel edges in the network.

References

1. Bandelt. Hans-Jürgen. Dress. Andreas W. M.. Andreas Dress. 1992. A canonical decomposition theory for metrics on a finite set. Advances in Mathematics. 92. 47–105. 10.1016/0001-8708(92)90061-o.

Further reading

• Daniel H.. Huson. Celine. Scornavacca. 2011. A survey of combinatorial methods for phylogenetic networks. Genome Biology and Evolution. 3. 23–35. 10.1093/gbe/evq077 . 3017387. 21081312.
• Book: Daniel H.. Huson. Regula. Rupp. Celine. Scornavacca. Phylogenetic Networks: Concepts, Algorithms and Applications. 978-0521755962. Cambridge University Press. 2011.