Bio (April 29) Flashcards

1
Q

In the 1550s, why was it difficult to advance the field of biology? (give 4 reasons)

A

1) no knowledge of genetics
2) limited knowledge of evolution
3) limited life times for observations
4) little records of organisms

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2
Q

Who is Charles Lyell? What ideas is he known for?

A

He is a geologist. He came up with the idea that earth’s geology evolved and that changes in geology are observable today. His ideas were based on his observation of the Temple of Serapis. He believed that the temple had sunk below sea level and was raised up again later over time from natural processes. Darwin was influenced by Charles Lyell’s ideas. The earth is changing perhaps organisms are changing as well.Immense periods of time can produce great change.

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3
Q

Who is James Hutton? What ideas is he known for?

A

He is a geologist. He observed that layers of rock formed very slowly. Because the process takes so long, he determined that the earth is older that 6000 years.

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4
Q

Who is Thomas Malthus? What ideas is he known for?

A

He is an economists. He said that human population growth has limiting factors such as war, famines, disease, natural resources, and living space.

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5
Q

Who is Lamarck? What was his theory of evolution? (Name 5 contributions he made to theory of evolution)

A

He was among the first to develop theories of evolution. His early theory of evolution included:

1) organisms adapt to their environments through acquired traits
2) changes occur in organisms’ lifetime
3) organisms lose parts because they don’t use them (called ‘use and disuse’)
4) evolution is a process of increasing complexity and “perfection,” not driven by chance
5) organisms transmit acquired characteristics to next generation

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6
Q

When did Charles Darwin live?

A

1809-1882

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7
Q

What was Charles Darwin’s occupation? Which country is Darwin from?

A

He was a naturalist from Britain.

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8
Q

What are some ideas Darwin contributed to theory of evolution? (Name two)

A

1) Everything in evolution changes

2) The organisms on the top of the chain have less competition

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9
Q

What was Alfred Wallace’s occupation and which country is he from?

A

He was a naturalist from Britain. He lived during the same time as Darwin.

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10
Q

Why is Alfred Wallace famous? (Name 3 reasons)

A

1) He independently discovered principles of evolution and natural selection
2) He published his findings with Darwin
3) He influenced Darwin to publish The Origin of Species

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11
Q

What ideas are Gregor Mendel known for?

A

He studied the inheritance of factors in pea plants. He determined that organisms have 2 factors for each trait, but only passed on one to each offspring. His research was lost and rediscovered many years after his death.

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12
Q

Who is Oswald Avery? What ideas is he known for?

A

While studying bacteria that causes pneumonia, he determined that chromosomes have genetic info

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13
Q

Who is Hershey Chase? What ideas is he known for?

A

Using radioactive markers, he determined that the DNA of a chromosome had genetic info., not proteins

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14
Q

What is modern synthesis?

A

The modern synthesis is a 20th-century synthesis of ideas from several fields of biology that provides an account of evolution. It includes aspects of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection with DNA being the factor that determines a trait and is passed between offspring.

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15
Q

Who are two famous geologists known for their contribution to the theory of evolution?

A

Charles Lyell and James Hutton

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16
Q

Which economist is known for his contribution to the theory of evolution?

A

Thomas Malthus

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17
Q

Name 5 evidences of evolution

A

1) fossil record
2) homologous structures
3) analogous structures
4) comparative embryology
5) molecular record

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18
Q

Explain how fossil records support the theory of evolution

A

Layers of sedimentary rock contain fossils. New layers cover old layers, creating fossil records. Fossils in layers show organisms have populated earth for a long period of time.

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19
Q

What is divergent evolution?

A

Divergent evolution is the accumulation of differences between groups which can lead to the formation of new species

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20
Q

What is convergent evolution?

A

Convergent evolution is the process by which unrelated or distantly related organisms evolve similar body forms, coloration, organs, and adaptations.

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21
Q

What is analagous structure? Name five characteristics.

A

Different species have the following characteristics:

1) They have similar function
2) They have similar external form
3) They have different internal structures development
4) They have different origins
5) They do not have any evolutionary relationship

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22
Q

What is homologous structures? Name five characteristics

A

Different species the following characteristics:

1) Have similar skeletal structures (e.g. forelimbs of humans, cats, whales)
2) Similar embryological development
3) Different functions
4) Evidence of common ancestor
5) Branched off from common four-limbed ancestor

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23
Q

What type of evolution is evidenced by analogous structures?

A

Convergent evolution

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24
Q

What type of evolution is evidenced by homologous structures?

A

Divergent evolution

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25
Q

What is co-evolution?

A

Two or more organisms adapt to changes in each other. An adaptation in one organism triggers an adaption in another.

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26
Q

Is co-evolution always beneficial?

A

It can be beneficial or be an evolutionary arms race

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27
Q

What are vestigial organs? Say three things about it.

A

1) They are structures in modern animals that serve little or no function.
2) They are remnants of structures that were functional in ancestral species.
3) They are evidence that change occurred in species overtime

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28
Q

What is comparative embryology?

A

It is studying similar embryological developments in closely related species. All vertebrate embryos have similar structures at different stages of development.

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29
Q

What is molecular record? Say three things about it.

A

1) Comparison of DNA and protein structure.
2) Scientists found universal genetic code, which is evident of common descent. In other words, common DNA and proteins in species are molecular record of evolutionary relationships.
3) Closely related species have sequences that are more similar than distant related species

30
Q

What is artificial selection?

A

Artificial selection is the intentional breeding of plants or animals. Artificial breeding can use variations in populations to create vastly different breeds and varieties.

31
Q

What is an example of natural selection in our lifetime?

A

Insects developing drug resistance to insecticide. Insecticide doesn’t kill all insects. The insects that were able to resist the drug and survive reproduce. The resistance to drug is passed on to descendants. Insecticide becomes less effective overall for a species.

32
Q

What are three reasons natural selection occurs? In other words, why can a species develop drug resistance?

A

1) Organisms have inheritable variation
2) There is always competition for scarce resources. There will be more organisms that can survive.
3) Those best adapted to environment will best survive and pass traits to offspring.

33
Q

What is fitness?

A

Fitness is the relative ability of one organism to reproduce.

34
Q

What does it mean to be “most fit”?

A

The most fit is the member of a population that produces the most offering.

35
Q

What is directional selection?

A

Individuals with extreme traits are more fit. (Directional selection is a type of natural selection that favors one extreme phenotype over the mean or other extreme.)

36
Q

What is stabilizing selection?

A

Individuals with average traits are more fit. Eliminates extremes.

37
Q

What is disruptive selection?

A

One population divides itself between 2 niches, so 2 species will arise.

38
Q

What is natural selection? Say three things about it.

A

1) Survival of the fittest.
2) Selection acts on any trait that affects survival or reproduction.
3) Those organisms that can produce the most offspring into the next generation will dominate the gene pool

39
Q

What are three types of natural selection?

A

1) predation selection (biotic)
2) physiological selection (abiotic)
3) sexual selection (same species)

40
Q

In predation selection, what traits might be beneficial to have? Name 4.

A

1) certain behaviors and habits
2) camouflage or mimicry
3) speed
4) defense mechanisms (physical or chemical)

41
Q

What is physiological selection?

A

Acting on body function. Adapt to abiotic factors.

42
Q

In physiological selection, what traits might be beneficial to have? Name 4.

A

1) physiological efficiency (oxygen, food, or water)
2) ability to respond to changes
3) ability to fit in a particular environment
4) biochemical versatility.

43
Q

What is sexual selection?

A

Acting on reproductive success.

44
Q

In sexual selection, what traits might be beneficial to have? Name 3.

A

1) attractiveness to potential mate
2) fertility of gametes
3) successful rearing of offspring

45
Q

What is descent with modification?

A

Each gene of offspring will be slightly different from the previous generation.

46
Q

What is genetic drift? Say two things about it.

A

1) Sometimes a mutation causes a new phenotype that neither benefits nor reduces the population fitness.
2) Genetic drift is the effect of chance events

47
Q

What is founder effect? Say 5 things about it.

A

1) When a new population is started by only a few individuals because a small group splinters off and starts a new colony.
2) Some rare alleles may be at high frequency; others may be missing
3) Skews the gene pool of new population.
4) An example is a human population that started from small groups of colonists.
5) It relates to genetic drift.

48
Q

What is bottleneck effect? Say 6 things about it.

A

1) Some factor (e.g., disaster) reduces population to a small number and the population recovers and expands again.
2) It leads to loss of variation by chance event
3) Alleles lost from gene pool.
4) It is not due to fitness.
5) It narrows the gene pool.
6) It relates to genetic drift.

49
Q

What is genetic equilibrium?

A

No change in the gene frequencies between generations.

50
Q

What are five reasons genetic equilibrium can occur?

A

1) Random mating - no sexual selection
2) Large population - more room for error.
3) No movement into or out of population. Isolation.
4) No mutations.
5) No natural selection - everyone survives equally.

51
Q

What is ecology?

A

The study of the interactions of organisms with each other and their environment.

52
Q

Which type of selection is biotic?

A

predation selection

53
Q

Which type of selection is abiotic?

A

physiological selection

54
Q

Name four ecological factors in evolution

A

1) abiotic
2) biotic
3) niche
4) trophic level

55
Q

What does abiotic mean?

A

non-living; physical rather than biological

56
Q

What does biotic mean?

A

living things

57
Q

What is niche?

A

How an organism lives in relationship to the other members of its biotic community or ecosystem

58
Q

What is trophic level?

A

Only 10% of the available energy can transfer between levels. Energy is constantly lost. Nutrients are constantly recycles. Whenever energy is transferred, some energy is lost.

59
Q

What does entropy mean?

A

Energy is constantly lost

60
Q

What are keystone species?

A

Species that have a larger impact on the environment than would be predicted by their population size. They are often apex predators.

61
Q

What are non-native species? Say four things about it.

A

1) When a species moves or is moved into an environment to which it has not evolved within and which the other organisms have not adapted to.
2) No natural predators.
3) Often disrupts the balance in a previously stable environment
4) Takes over the environment.

62
Q

What are keystone species? Say two things about it.

A

1) Species that have a larger impact on the environment than would be predicted by their population size.
2) Often apex predators

63
Q

What are non-native species? Say two things about it.

A

1) When a species moves or is moved into an environment to which it has not evolved within and which the other organisms have not adapted to
2) No natural predators

64
Q

What do non-native species do the environment they move into? Say two things.

A

1) Often disrupts the blanace in a previously stable environment?
2) Takes over the environment

65
Q

What is symbiosis?

A

A relationship between organisms that live closely together

66
Q

What is interspecific interactions?

A

Symbiotic interactions

67
Q

Describe a competition. Say two things.

A

1) negative negative competition

2) competes for resources

68
Q

Describe prodation/parasitism. Say two things.

A

1) negative positive competition

2) prey must die/host must live

69
Q

Describe mutualism. Say two things.

A

1) positive positive competition

2) examples are lichens (algae and fungus)

70
Q

Describe commensalism

A

1) positive zero competition

71
Q

How does predation drive evolution?

A

Predators adaptations - locate and subdue prey

Prey adaptations - elude and defend

72
Q

What is “aposematic” coloration?

A

Bright warning to predators