What is a phylogenetic tree?
a) A tree that represents the evolutionary relationships among species
b) A tree that represents the geographic distribution of species
c) A tree that represents the ecological interactions among species
d) A tree that represents the genetic diversity within a species
Answer: a) A tree that represents the evolutionary relationships among species
Read Also: How to construct a Phylogenetic tree?
What is the purpose of constructing a phylogenetic tree?
a) To determine the geographical origin of a species
b) To study the ecological interactions among species
c) To understand the evolutionary history and relatedness of species
d) To analyze the genetic diversity within a population
Answer: c) To understand the evolutionary history and relatedness of species
What is the common representation of a phylogenetic tree?
a) Circular tree
b) Square tree
c) Rectangular tree
d) Branching tree
Answer: d) Branching tree
How are the branches of a phylogenetic tree interpreted?
a) As chronological time
b) As geographic distance
c) As genetic distance or evolutionary divergence
d) As ecological interactions
Answer: c) As genetic distance or evolutionary divergence
What does the root of a phylogenetic tree represent?
a) The most recent common ancestor of all species in the tree
b) The oldest species in the tree
c) The most genetically diverse species in the tree
d) The outgroup species used for comparison
Answer: a) The most recent common ancestor of all species in the tree
What does a branch point (node) represent in a phylogenetic tree?
a) An extinct species
b) An ancestral species
c) A genetically modified species
d) A hybrid species
Answer: b) An ancestral species
What does a terminal node (leaf) represent in a phylogenetic tree?
a) A species that is extinct
b) A species that is genetically distinct
c) A species that is ancestral
d) A species that is currently alive or extinct
Answer: d) A species that is currently alive or extinct
What is the purpose of using molecular data (e.g., DNA sequences) in phylogenetic analysis?
a) To determine the geographic distribution of species
b) To study the ecological interactions among species
c) To understand the evolutionary relationships and relatedness of species
d) To analyze the morphological characteristics of species
Answer: c) To understand the evolutionary relationships and relatedness of species
What is the concept of “branch length” in a phylogenetic tree?
a) The physical length of the branches in the tree
b) The geographic distance between species
c) The genetic distance or amount of evolutionary change represented by the branches
d) The ecological similarity between species
Answer: c) The genetic distance or amount of evolutionary change represented by the branches
What is a “clade” in a phylogenetic tree?
a) A group of species that share a common ancestor
b) A hybrid species that exhibits characteristics of multiple ancestral species
c) A group of closely related species that live in the same geographic region
d) A species that is genetically distinct from other species
Answer: a) A group of species that share a common ancestor
What is the difference between a monophyletic and a polyphyletic group?
a) A monophyletic group includes all species derived from a common ancestor, while a polyphyletic group includes species from different ancestors.
b) A monophyletic group includes only extinct species, while a polyphyletic group includes only living species.
c) A monophyletic group includes species from different ancestors, while a polyphyletic group includes species from a common ancestor.
d) A monophyletic group includes only genetically identical species, while a polyphyletic group includes genetically diverse species.
Answer: a) A monophyletic group includes all species derived from a common ancestor, while a polyphyletic group includes species from different ancestors.
What is a “phylogeny” in the context of phylogenetic trees?
a) The study of the geographical distribution of species
b) The study of the ecological interactions among species
c) The study of the evolutionary relationships and relatedness of species
d) The study of the genetic diversity within a population
Answer: c) The study of the evolutionary relationships and relatedness of species
Read Also: Phylogenetic Tree – Definition, Types, Steps, Methods, Uses
Which algorithm is commonly used for inferring phylogenetic trees from molecular data?
a) Breadth-first search (BFS)
b) Depth-first search (DFS)
c) Maximum likelihood (ML)
d) K-nearest neighbors (KNN)
Answer: c) Maximum likelihood (ML)
What is the purpose of bootstrapping in phylogenetic analysis?
a) To estimate the statistical support for branches in a phylogenetic tree
b) To generate random phylogenetic trees for comparison
c) To calculate the genetic distances between species
d) To determine the geographic distribution of species
Answer: a) To estimate the statistical support for branches in a phylogenetic tree
What is the significance of branch support values (e.g., bootstrap values) in a phylogenetic tree?
a) They indicate the number of DNA sequences used in the analysis
b) They represent the geographical range of a species
c) They provide an estimation of the reliability of the inferred tree topology
d) They indicate the ecological interactions among species
Answer: c) They provide an estimation of the reliability of the inferred tree topology
