4 Genetic Information & variation- Investigating biodiversity

Question 1

In what ways can genetic diversity within or between species be investigated?

Answer 1

-Comparing characteristics
-DNA base sequence
-mRNA base sequence
-Amino acid sequence

Question 2

How can comparing characteristics be used to investigate genetic diversity?

Answer 2

-By comparing the frequency of measurable and visible characteristics between individuals, e.g. height difference within an age group
-Indirect measure
-This has been replaced by genetic techniques

Question 3

How can DNA base sequence be used to investigate genetic diversity?

Answer 3

The greater the differences in base sequence between 2 individuals, the more distantly related they are

Question 4

How can mRNA base sequence be used to investigate genetic diversity?

Answer 4

The greater the differences in base sequence between 2 individuals, the more distantly related they are

Question 5

How can amino acid sequence of proteins encoded by mRNA & DNA be used to investigate genetic diversity?

Answer 5

The greater the differences in amino acid sequence between 2 individuals, the more distantly related they are

Question 6

What are gene technologies?

Answer 6

-Used to investigate genetic diversity by studying the genome
-A recent development that has dramatically changed the way genetic diversity can be studied
-Allow alleles (what gives rise to genetic diversity) in an individual to be directly measured

Question 7

How can variation within a habitat be investigated?

Answer 7

In a quantitative investigation

Question 8

What practices are needed to ensure results from a quantitative investigation are accurate?

Answer 8

Random sampling
-Assigning individuals numbers, and randomly selecting numbers using computer

Calculating mean
-Provides an average for all values collected

Standard deviation
-Shows how far away the values are from the mean average