Branch lengths in a phylogenetic tree help us understand how species have evolved over time and how they are related to one another.
Branch Lengths: If a branch is long, it usually means that a species has changed a lot or has been around for a long time. A shorter branch means fewer changes or that the species has been around for a shorter time.
Example: Imagine a tree where species A and B came from the same ancestor. If the branch to species A is much longer than the one to species B, this means that A has probably changed more or has been around longer since they split from their common ancestor.
Another Comparison: Now, think of a tree with species C and D. If they both came from the same ancestor at the same time, their branches would be about the same length. This shows that C and D have had a similar amount of time to evolve since they split.
Overall, looking at branch lengths helps us learn about the timeline of evolution and how different species are related based on their genetic changes.
Branch lengths in a phylogenetic tree help us understand how species have evolved over time and how they are related to one another.
Branch Lengths: If a branch is long, it usually means that a species has changed a lot or has been around for a long time. A shorter branch means fewer changes or that the species has been around for a shorter time.
Example: Imagine a tree where species A and B came from the same ancestor. If the branch to species A is much longer than the one to species B, this means that A has probably changed more or has been around longer since they split from their common ancestor.
Another Comparison: Now, think of a tree with species C and D. If they both came from the same ancestor at the same time, their branches would be about the same length. This shows that C and D have had a similar amount of time to evolve since they split.
Overall, looking at branch lengths helps us learn about the timeline of evolution and how different species are related based on their genetic changes.