BIO153H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Phylogenetic Tree, Universal Language, Polytomy
Document Summary
Trees are an effective way to map descent from common ancestry. Darwin was the first to use the phylogenetic tree: classification system, idea of descent with modification from common ancestor. Phylogenetic trees: use thousands of years; different from family trees by time frame. Trees are to be read from root to tip. If there are three branches, it is a polytomy (unresolved pattern of divergence) Ends are taxons (terminal nodes: not enough info, when there are two branched off at the same point, they are sister, basal taxon: out group that branches off at the root for comparison taxa. The more closely located on the phylogenetic tree, the more closely related they are.
