The Great Tree of Life

The Great Tree of Life is a concise, approachable treatment that surveys the concept of the Tree of Life, including chapters on its historical introduction and cultural connection. The "Tree of Life" is a metaphor used to describe the relationships between organisms, both living and extinct, as described by Charles Darwin. It has been widely recognized that the relationship between the roughly 10 million species drives the ecological system, and recently scientists have come close to a full illustration of the relationship among these millions of species. This work expounds on this exciting research and covers options for how to build the tree. It also demonstrates its utility in a variety of applications, including drug discovery, curing disease, crop improvement, conservation biology and ecology, and responding to the challenges of climate change. The Great Tree of Life is a key aid to improving our understanding of species relationships, increasing essential awareness of biodiversity and the power of employing modern biology to build the tree of life.

Provides a single reference describing the properties, history, and utility of The Tree of LifeIntroduces phylogenetics and its applications in an approachable mannerWritten by experts on the Tree of LifeIncludes an online companion site containing various original videos to enhance the reader’s understanding and experience

I. Introduction II. Tree of Life: Cultural III. History of Tree of Life IV. Building Tree of Life V. Visualization VI. Why it Matters VII. Spurring Innovation