Branch length in a phylogenetic tree is proportionate to
A) the number of populations analyzed
B) the number of genes analyzed
C) the number of individual analyzed
D) the number of taxa analyzed
E) the number of molecular changes that have occurred

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Branch length in a phylogenetic tree is proportional to the number of molecular changes that have occurred. This is because molecular changes, such as mutations, accumulate over time and can be used to estimate the time since divergence of two species. The more molecular changes that have occurred between two species, the longer the branch length between them on a phylogenetic tree. The number of populations, genes, individuals or taxa analyzed may affect the accuracy or resolution of the tree, but do not directly determine the branch length.

Branch Length in a Phylogenetic Tree Is Proportionate to