Perspectives on the Phylogenetic Tree

Phylogenetic modeling concepts are constantly changing. It is one of the most dynamic fields of study in all biology. Over the last several decades, new research has challenged scientists’ ideas about how organisms are related. The scientific community has proposed new models of these relationships.

Many phylogenetic trees are models of the evolutionary relationship among species. Phylogenetic trees originated with Charles Darwin, who sketched the first phylogenetic tree in 1837 (Figurea). This served as a prototype for subsequent studies for more than a century. The phylogenetic tree concept with a single trunk representing a common ancestor, with the branches representing the divergence of species from this ancestor, fits well with the structure of many common trees, such as the oak (Figureb). However, evidence from modern DNA sequence analysis and newly developed computer algorithms has caused skepticism about the standard tree model's validity in the scientific community.

 Image a shows Charles Darwin’s sketch of lines branching, like those on a tree. Photo b shows a photo of an oak tree with many branches.
The (a) concept of the “tree of life” dates to an 1837 Charles Darwin sketch. Like an (b) oak tree, the “tree of life” has a single trunk and many branches. (credit b: modification of work by "Amada44"/Wikimedia Commons)