what is a phylogeny tree
A phylogeny tree is a diagram that shows the evolutionary history and divergences of multiple species. Basically shows how and when species are related
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A phylogeny tree, also known as a phylogenetic tree or evolutionary tree, is a branching diagram that represents the evolutionary relationships among different species or groups of organisms. It shows how species or groups are related to each other through common ancestors and depicts the timeline of divergences and shared evolutionary history.
To understand a phylogeny tree, you need to follow these steps:
1. Start with a set of species or groups of organisms that you want to analyze. These can be related to each other or from different branches of the tree of life.
2. Determine the characteristics or traits that you want to use to compare the species. These can include physical features, genetic information, or any other measurable characteristics.
3. Collect data for the chosen traits from each species. This can involve DNA sequencing, morphological analysis, or other methods depending on the trait being studied.
4. Analyze the data using computational tools or software specifically designed for constructing phylogeny trees. These tools use algorithms to compare the traits and compute the similarities or differences between species.
5. Based on the similarities and differences, the software generates a phylogeny tree, which is usually depicted as a branching diagram.
6. The tree will have branches, representing the evolutionary split or divergence between two or more species. The closer the branches, the more closely related the species are in terms of shared ancestry.
7. The branch points, known as nodes, represent common ancestors. These nodes show when the species diverged from their most recent common ancestor, indicating the timing of evolutionary events.
8. The tips of the branches represent the present-day species or groups being studied.
By following these steps and utilizing specialized software or computational tools, scientists can construct phylogeny trees to better understand and visualize the evolutionary history and relationships among different species or groups of organisms.