The General Lineage Concept

The General Lineage Concept is a way to understand the relationships among groups of organisms based on their common ancestors. It recognizes that all living and extinct species can be connected through a branching family tree, called a lineage, which traces their evolutionary history. This concept helps scientists classify organisms by looking at their shared ancestors and evolutionary paths, rather than just physical similarities. Essentially, it emphasizes that groups of related species originate from a single ancestral population and develop over time through evolutionary processes, forming interconnected lineages that reflect their history and relationships.