The figure below shows two ways to represent phylogenetic relationships using rRNA from several thermophiles from Obsidian Pool in Yellowstone National Park. The principal advantage to unrooted trees, when compared to rooted trees, is that they
A) are more readable.
B) are easier to draw.
C) are more precise.
D) indicate the position of a common ancestor.
E) are more precise regarding mutation rates.

Question

The figure below shows two ways to represent phylogenetic relationships using rRNA from several thermophiles from Obsidian Pool in Yellowstone National Park. The principal advantage to unrooted trees, when compared to rooted trees, is that they 
A) are more readable. 
B) are easier to draw. 
C) are more precise. 
D) indicate the position of a common ancestor. 
E) are more precise regarding mutation rates.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Unrooted trees do not indicate the position of a common ancestor, but rather show the relationships between different taxa. Rooted trees, on the other hand, do show the position of a common ancestor. Therefore, the advantage of unrooted trees is that they are more flexible in representing the relationships between taxa without the need to explicitly show the position of a common ancestor.

The Figure Below Shows Two Ways to Represent Phylogenetic Relationships