Homology and Phylogenetic Analysis

OVER ARCHING QUESTIONS:

• What is the origin of all the variation in life forms?
• How do Biologist organize and make sense of all the variation?
• What is my (humans) relationship to all this variation?

STEP ONE OF THE INQUIRY:

• Given what you already know, turn these general questions into a hypothesis with testable predictions.

STEP TWO OF THE INQUIRY:

• Make some accurate, precise and repeatable observations.

Procedures and Directions for Evolution 1 (PRINT and bring to lab #1): Homology_lab_part1.doc

Procedures and Directions for Evolution 2 & 3 (PRINT and bring to lab): 7.8.9.Homology_lab_part2.3.4..doc 

STEP THREE OF THE INQUIRY:

• Summarize your observations and relate them to your hypothesis and predictions. Revise your hypothesis if the observations are inconsistent with the original hypothesis. 

BACKGROUND READING AND SOURCES:

UC Berkely Website on Evolution

Character Matrices

Animal Diversity Web

The Tree of Life

Intro To Homology and Phylogeny

Elvis and Sisters

Pedigrees and Trees: Siblings or Species?

Sugar Glider and Flying Squirrel

Analogy on a Tree: Twice evolved rather than once

3 Types of Evidence to Determine Homology

Introduction to Phylogenetic Trees:

Tree Basics

Phylogenetic Analysis - Building Your Own Trees:

Constructing Trees from Character Matrices

Using Parsimony to Judge Alternative Topologies

Using Mesquite to Build, Analyze and Save Phylogenetic Trees:

Directions for Using Mesquite.doc