Classification and Evolution

Question 1

what is classification

Answer 1

process by which living organisms within each group share similar features

Question 2

what are the taxonomic groups

Answer 2

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species

Question 3

why do scientists classify organisms

Answer 3

• identify species
• predict characteristics
• find evolutionary links

Question 4

what are species

Answer 4

group of organisms that are able to reproduce to produce fertile offspring

Question 5

what are the three domains

Answer 5

• eukaraya
• archaea
• bacteria

Question 6

what are the five kingdoms

Answer 6

• prokaryote
• Protoctista
• fungi
• plantae
• animalia

Question 7

what is the binomial naming system

Answer 7

• first part is the genus
• second part is the species
• avoids confusion of using common names

Question 8

what are the features of prokaryotes

Answer 8

• unicellular
• no nucleus
• no membrane bound organelles
• bacteria

Question 9

what are the features of Protoctista

Answer 9

• mainly unicellular
• nucleus
• membrane bound organelles
• some have chloroplast
• some autotrophic (photosynthesis)
• some heterotrophic (ingest other organisms)
• algae

Question 10

what are the features of fungi

Answer 10

• uni/multicellular
• nucleus, membrane bound organelles
• chitin cell wall
• no chloroplasts
• no mechanisms for locomotion
• acquire nutrients by absorption
• mould, yeast, mushroom

Question 11

what are the features of plantae

Answer 11

• multicellular
• nucleus and membrane bound organelles
• no mechanisms for locomotion
• autotrophic feeders
• store food as starch

Question 12

what are the features of animalia

Answer 12

• multicellular
• nucleus and membrane bound organelles
• heterotrophic
• store food as glycogen

Question 13

what types of ribosomes do each domain have

Answer 13

Eukarya = 80s
Archaea = 70s
Bacteria = 70s

Question 14

what is the prokaryote kingdom divided into

Answer 14

• archaebacteria = live in extreme conditions
• eubacteria = live in all environments

Question 15

what is phylogeny

Answer 15

evolutionary relationship between organisms

Question 16

what is phylogenetics

Answer 16

study of evolutionary history of groups of organisms

Question 17

what is the phylogenetic tree

Answer 17

• represent evolutionary relationship between organisms
• earliest species at the base
• most recent species at branch tip
• looks at similarities and differences in physical characteristics and genetic makeups

Question 18

what is the theory of evolution

Answer 18

• Darwin carried out research on birds in Galapagos islands
• beaks and claws have different shapes and sizes
• beaks linked to food available on each island
• birds born with a beak more suited to food had a greater chance of surviving

Question 19

what is the evidence for evolution

Answer 19

• palaeontology - study of fossils
• comparative anatomy - similarities and differences in a species anatomy
• comparative biochemistry - similarities and differences between chemical makeup

Question 20

what is palaeontology

Answer 20

• fossils are formed when plant and animal remains are preserved
• oldest to youngest

Question 21

what is the evidence provided by fossil records

Answer 21

• fossils of simple organisms (bacteria) in oldest rocks
• fossils of complex organisms in recent rocks
• sequence in which organisms are found match ecological links : plant fossils come before animal fossils
• can show how closely related organisms have evolved from the same ancestor

Question 22

what is interspecific variation

Answer 22

variation between members of different species

Question 23

what is intraspecific variation

Answer 23

differences between organisms within a species

Question 24

what are the causes of variation

Answer 24

• genetic causes
• evolutionary causes

Question 25

what are genetic causes of variations

Answer 25

• alleles = different alleles produce different effects
• mutations = changes to DNA sequence
• meiosis = independent assortment + crossing over
• sexual reproduction

Question 26

what is discontinuous variation

Answer 26

• data in groups
• bar charts and pie charts

Question 27

what is continuous variation

Answer 27

• data in range
• histogram

Question 28

what are the characteristics of a normal distribution

Answer 28

• mean,median,mode are the same
• bell shape = symmetry

Question 29

what are adaptations

Answer 29

characteristics that increase an organisms chance of survival and reproduction in its environment

Question 30

what are anatomical adaptations

Answer 30

• physical features
• body coverings, camouflage, teeth

Question 31

what are behavioural adaptations

Answer 31

• way an organism acts
• survival, courtship, hibernation

Question 32

what are physiological adaptations

Answer 32

• processes that take place inside an organism
• antibiotic and poison production

Question 33

what is the process of natural selection

Answer 33

• organisms within a species show genetic variation
• organisms with characteristics best adapted to selection pressure have an increased chance of survival and successful reproduction
• organisms produce advantageous characteristic and pass onto their offspring
• repeated for every generation

Question 34

what is a modern example of modern evolution

Answer 34

Antibiotic resistant bacteria
- MRSA developed resistance to antibiotics
- when bacteria replicates DNA can be altered
- mutation provides resistance
- bacteria exposed to antibiotic
- resistant individuals survive and reproduce
- number of resistant individuals increased over time