What 4 types of evidence do we use to construct the tree?

Any trait that can be passed from one generation to the next through inheritance can help us learn about evolutionary relationships. These traits include:

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Evolution and natural selection
Evolution and natural selection
What types of evidence is used to create a phylogenetic tree?
What types of evidence have been used to create the current phylogenetic tree for the animal kingdom?
What types of evidence are used to construct the phylogenetic tree of animals quizlet?

DNA and RNA sequences (as well as other molecular traits like the amino acid sequences of proteins). Because DNA technology is now widely available, relatively inexpensive, and generates a lot of useful evidence, many evolutionary trees being built today are based on DNA sequences. In recent years, many branching connections on the Tree of Life (including where turtles fit on the Tree, how whales are related to other mammals, and the basic relationships among plants, fungi, and animals) have been revised based on DNA evidence. As DNA sequencing becomes faster and cheaper, biologists are increasingly using data from entire genomes to build trees.
The nucleotide sequence of DNA can help us reconstruct evolutionary trees. Graphic adapted from Sponk (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Morphology (i.e., structure and form). Morphology includes all sorts of physical traits that may be encoded in an organism’s genetic material — the size and shape of different body parts, the presence or absence of different physical characteristics, coloration, pattern, and much more. Before 1980, most evolutionary trees were based on morphology alone; today, trees based on DNA alone or a combination of DNA and morphology are much more common. Nevertheless, morphology still has an important role in phylogenetics, in no small part because DNA is usually unavailable for extinct species and because fossils preserve many aspects of morphology. Morphology is often the sole line of evidence that can help us learn how ancient life is related to modern species.
Studying physical differences, such as those among butterflies, can help us reconstruct their evolutionary tree. Image adapted from Axel Meyer (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Physiology and biochemical pathways. Characteristics such as variations in photosynthetic pathway or in digestive system function are heritable and so intimately intertwined with the basic biological systems of life that they can reveal deep evolutionary relationships.
Chemical pathways, such as the ability to use methane as a food source, as many bacteria that live near hydrothermal vents do, can help us understand the evolutionary relationships among those bacteria. Photo © 2012 Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI).
Behavioral and ecological traits. Many behaviors, like complexity of a mating dance, diet breadth, and habitat preference, have an underlying genetic basis and so are heritable. While trees are rarely based on such traits alone, behavioral and ecological traits may be used along with other types of characteristics to build evolutionary trees.
Studying behavioral traits, like the steps in a manakin’s mating dance, can help reveal evolutionary relationships. Photo by Tim Laman.

Basics
Evo Examples

Evolution and natural selection

Evidence for evolution: anatomy, molecular biology, biogeography, fossils, & direct observation.

Evolution and natural selection

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The Elements of Life

In biology, the elements of life are the essential building blocks that make up living things. They are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur. The first four of these are the most important, as they are used to construct the molecules that are necessary to make up living cells. These elements form the basic building blocks of the major macromolecules of life, including carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins. Carbon is an important element for all living organisms, as it is used to construct the basic building blocks of life, such as carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Even the cell membranes are made of proteins. Carbon is also used to construct the energy-rich molecules adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and guanosine triphosphate (GTP). Hydrogen is used to construct the molecules water and organic compounds with carbon. Hydrogen is also used to construct ATP and GTP. Nitrogen is used to construct the basic building blocks of life, such as amino acids, nucleic acids, and proteins. It is also used to construct ATP and GTP. Oxygen is used to construct the basic building blocks of life, such as carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. It is also used to construct ATP and GTP. Phosphorus is used to construct the basic building blocks of life, such as carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids.

What types of evidence is used to create a phylogenetic tree?

A phylogenetic tree can be built using physical information like body shape, bone structure, or behavior. Or it can be built from molecular information, like genetic sequences. In general, the more information you're able to compare, the more accurate the tree will be.

What types of evidence have been used to create the current phylogenetic tree for the animal kingdom?

There are three main sources of data that scientists use to create phylogenetic evolutionary tree diagrams that illustrate such relationships: morphological information (which includes developmental morphologies), fossil record data, and, most recently, molecular data.

What types of evidence are used to construct the phylogenetic tree of animals quizlet?

Fossils are the most helpful form of evidence that can be used to construct a phylogenetic tree. Cells in vertebrate embryos become committed to becoming a particular part of the organism earlier than they do in arthropods.