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Exploring the evolution of life, this overview discusses phylogenetics, the study of evolutionary relationships among species. It covers the geological time scale, key evolutionary developments, the impact of mass extinctions, and the diversity of life forms, including bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. The text delves into the emergence of complex life and the transformative events that have shaped the biodiversity we see today.
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Phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relationships and history among biological species or groups of species
Definition of Phylogenetic Tree
A phylogenetic tree is a branching diagram that models the evolutionary lineage of different species
Homologous Traits
Homologous traits, or synapomorphies, are characteristics shared by species due to their inheritance from a common ancestor
Phylogenetics provides a systematic framework for organizing and classifying organisms into a nested hierarchy of taxa, which includes domains, kingdoms, phyla, classes, orders, families, genera, and species
The geological time scale is a system of chronological dating that relates geological strata to time
The earliest evidence of life dates back to around 3.5 billion years ago, suggesting a last universal common ancestor from which all life descended
The geological time scale is divided into eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages
Evolutionary biology traces the diversification of life from common ancestors through genetic changes over successive generations
The earliest life forms were microbial, with bacteria and archaea forming extensive mats that significantly altered Earth's early atmosphere and environment
The evolution of multicellularity occurred around 1.7 billion years ago, leading to organisms with specialized cells and complex structures
Bacteria are unicellular prokaryotic organisms that exhibit a wide range of shapes and ecological roles
Archaea are a separate domain of life with distinct molecular and genetic features, thriving in a variety of environments
Eukaryotes are a diverse domain that includes both unicellular and multicellular organisms, from protists to fungi, plants, and animals
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______ is focused on understanding the evolutionary connections and history among different groups of organisms.
Phylogenetics
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The three ______ of life—______, ______, and ______—cover all known life forms, each with unique characteristics and evolutionary paths.
domains
Archaea
Bacteria
Eukarya
02
Division of Earth's history
Eons, eras, periods, epochs, ages.
