Cladograms and Dichotomous Keys

In this topic, you learned how to create a dichotomous key and how it can help you identify a species among a sample of related organisms. Now you will have a chance to apply your knowledge about dichotomous keys to the real world.

Refer back to your Warm-Up activity in which you took notes on local tree species and the physical characteristics of their leaves. Then, go out into the field and collect leaves from at least four different trees in your neighborhood or local community. Once you have gathered your specimens, create your own dichotomous key to identify each of the tree species by grouping and classifying the leaves based on their physical characteristics.

Before you begin, review the Dichotomous Key Checklist to make sure that you include all of the items required for full credit. You will need to use resources outside of this course to complete this assignment, so please submit a Works Cited document with your assignment submission. If you need assistance, visit the Developmental Module for information on citing resources.

Once you have completed your dichotomous key, please submit your work to the dropbox.