Genealogies and inference for populations with highly skewed offspring distributions

Abstract

We review recent progress in the understanding of the role of multiple- and simultan- eous multiple merger coalescents as models for the genealogy in idealised and real populations with exceptional reproductive behaviour. In particular, we discuss models with “skewed offspring distribution” (or under other non-classical evolutionary forces) which lead to multiple merger coalescents in the single locus haploid case, and to simultaneous multiple merger coalescents in the multi-locus diploid case. Further, we discuss inference methods under the infinitely-many sites model which allow both model selection and estimation of model parameters under these coalescents.