Kacey Groves

2/1/2018

Biology 2

Analysis of Plant Phenology Using Bioinformatics and Morphology

As a group students were given a group of plants to compare and place in a phylogenetic

tree. The plants Chara, Pinus, Zamia, Arabidopsi, Lilium, Polypodium, Equestrium, Marchantia,

and, Polytrichum were compared based on physical characteristics. After the physical

comparison students were asked to attempt to propose a hypothetical phylogenetic tree

containing the plants and the characteristics that they both developed and shared with common

ancestors. The students hypothetical tree showed that Chara was the outlier of the group sharing

little to no ancestral characteristics

Zami Pin
with the other flora. Zamia and Pinus a us
Arabido Liliu
were placed as sister taxa on the tree Polytric Marcha psis m
hum ntia
with the shared trait of a woody trunk. Equestri
Ch um
ara
After a hypothetical tree was

developed, students used Fig. 1 Shows students

hypothetical phylogenetic tree
bioinformatics tools to create a true based on the physical
phylogenetic tree for the species.
characteristic of plants.

While the hypothetical tree had

Pi
nu
Za commonalities with the true tree, differences
s
mi
Arabi
a
dopsi were present. While Chara remained the
Liliu
Polyp m
Equ
odiu
Ch Marc mestri
ar hanti um
Polyt
a a
richu
Fig. 2 Shows Computer
 Generated
Bioinformatics Model of
the Phylogenetic Tree

outlier species, Lilium was moved to a sister taxa with Arabidopsi. Pinus and Zamia remained in

a sister taxa, however, they were moved to the end of the phylogenetic tree. The bioinformatics

model illuminated human error and allowed for a thorough calculation and comparison of

genetic traits amongst species.