Final answer:
On a cladogram, as one moves away from the base towards the tips, they will see more recent common ancestors and their descendant species, leading to more recent and specialized evolutionary branches. Broad categories like chordates will be near the base, while specific groups like angiosperms and vertebrates would be closer to the tips.
Step-by-step explanation:
As you move farther away from the base and closer to the tips on a cladogram, you encounter newer evolutionary lineages representing more recent common ancestors and their descendant species. Closer to the base, the cladogram shows more ancient lineages and broader groupings, such as phyla or classes. For example, in a cladogram depicting plant phylogeny, moving towards the tips would lead from general categories like spermatophytes to more specific groupings such as gymnosperms and angiosperms, demonstrating a progression towards more recent and specialized evolutionary branches.
Chordates are another example of a broad category that would be located lower on the cladogram. As you move up the tree, you may find more specific clades, such as vertebrates, with an even more refined classification like amphibians or mammals near the tips, representing their respective evolutionary trajectories and diversification.
Phylogenetic trees and cladograms utilize various methodologies for establishing relationships, including morphology, embryonic development, and, increasingly, molecular data such as DNA sequencing. The application of molecular tools like PCR for gene amplification allows for a more precise identification of cladistic relationships and more accurate placement of species on the cladogram.