Question

10. Which of the following statements describes a purpose for which biologists use phylogenetic trees?

a. For human diseases once found only in other animals, phylogenetic trees are helpful in determining when and where the infectious organisms first entered human populations.

b. Phylogenetic trees are useful for determining how many times a particular trait may have evolved independently within a lineage.

c. Phylogenetic trees can be used to reconstruct ancestral traits.

d. Phylogenetic trees can be used in conjunction with molecular clocks to estimate the timing of evolutionary events.

e. All of the above

Answer 1

Answer. All of the above are correct because we can determine the infectious disease by checking the history or phylogeny of other animal and comparing it with human we can get when and where the infectious agent entered human population.

Also it show how many times a trait is evolved independently

Help in reconstruct of ancestral traits.

Used in conjunction with molecular clocked to estimate the timing of evolutionary events