HI310 Lecture 4: Phylogeny-and-Systematics-Study-Guide

• School: Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology
• Department: Health Information Technology
• Course: HI310
• Professor: James

Document Summary

Phylogeny: the evolutionary history of a species or a group of species. Systematics: an analytical approach to understanding the diversity and relationships of organisms, both present-day and extinct. The fossil record is based on the sequence in which fossils have accumulated in the strata. (the strata is the layers of piled up sediment) Sedimentary fossils are the most common; however, paleontologists also study other ones. Phylogenies are only helpful if we can determine the fossils ages, as well as clarifying the order in which various characteristics appeared and disappeared. The fossil record is a substantial, but incomplete chronicle of evolutionary change. This is because many of earths creatures may not have died in the right way to form precise fossils also; many fossils may have been destroyed. Just like the forelimbs of many organisms are homologous, meaning the same, so too are the dna sequences and genes.