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Biodiversity and Evolution Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a species?

A

A group of individual organisms very similar in appearance, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and genetics

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2
Q

What is a habitat?

A

The place where an organism lives

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3
Q

What is biodiversity?

A

The variety of life covering both species richness and species evenness

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4
Q

What is random sampling?

A

Studying a small part of the habitat and assuming it contains a representative set of species tat can be applied to the whole habitat

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5
Q

The three ways to avoid experimenter bias

A

Take samples at regular intervals across the habitat
Use random numbers generated by a computer to use as coordinates
Select coordinates from a map of the area and use a portable global positioning satellite system to find the exact location inside the habitat

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6
Q

What are the eight taxa used in the current system of classification?

A 
Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
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7
Q

Why do we classify?

A

For our convenience
To make our study of living things more managable
To make it easier to identify organisms
To help us see relationships between species

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8
Q

What is the trend in diversity in a taxonomic classification system?

A

As you rise up the ranks of classification, the individuals grouped together show more diversity

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9
Q

What is the binomial system?

A

A classification system that uses two names to identify each species; the genus and the species name

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10
Q

Why cannot we use common names to identify organisms?

A

The same organism may have a completely different common name in different parts of one country
Names differ in each country
Translation of languages or dialects may give different names
The same common name may be used for a different organism somewhere in the world

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11
Q

What is a dichotomous key?

A

A classification system that uses a series of questions with two possible answers to help you identify a specimen

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12
Q

What must you carry out before any large development plan is passed?

A

A environmental impact assessment has to be carried out to see if there are any endagered species in the area

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13
Q

Why has there been a need to change previous classification systems in recent years?

A

Due to the advancements made in microscopy and DNA reading, we have realised that there are many differences and similarities between organisms that we did not know before

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14
Q

What are the kingdoms in a five kingdom classification system?

A 
Prokaryotes
Animals
Plants
Fungi
Protoctists
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15
Q

What are the groups in a three domain classification system?

A

True bacteria
Archae bacteria
Eukaryotes

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16
Q

How can cytocrome c be used to find out how closely related different organisms are?

A

Cytochrome c is found in all cells that respire
We can identify the amino acid sequence in cytochrome c and compare them
The more similar the sequences are, the more closely related they are

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17
Q

How can DNA be used to measure how related species are?

A

The amino acid sequence can be studied and compared

Like cytochrome c, the more similarities it shows the more closely related it is

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18
Q

What is the difference between true bacteria and archae bacteria

A

Different cell membrane structure
Flagella with a different internal structure
Different enzymes for building RNA
No proteins bound to genetic material
Different mechanim for DNA replication and for building RNA

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19
Q

What are the similarities between archae bacteria and eukaryotes

A

Similar enzymes for building RNA
Similar mechanisms for DNA replication and building RNA
Production of some proteins that bind to their DNA

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20
Q

What is variation?

A

The presence of variety of differences between individuals

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21
Q

What is genetic variation?

A

Variation caused by differences in the genes

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22
Q

What is continuous variation

A

Variation where there is a full range of intermidiate phenotypes between two extremes

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23
Q

What is discontinuous variation?

A

Variation where there are discrete groups of phenotypes with none or very few intermidiates between them

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24
Q

Give some exmples of continuous variation

A

Height

Length of leaves

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25
What is polygenic inheritance
When multiple genes code for a physical appearance
26
What type of nutrition do the eukaryotic kingdoms use?
Plants - Autotrophic Animals - Heterotrophic Fungi - Saprotrophic Protoctista - Autotrophic + Heterotrophic
27
What does sessile and motile mean?
Sessile describes organisms that are immobile while motile describes the opposite
28
Are the cells in a prokaryote differentiated?
No
29
What are the cell walls of the members of the five kingdoms made of?
Plants - Cellulose Fungi - Chitin Protoctists - Cellulose, Pellicle, Silica Prokaryotes - peptidoglycan
30
How are carbohydrates stored in eukaryotes?
As starch or glucose
31
How are carbohydrates stored in prokaryotes
In lipid globules or glycogen granules
32
What is classification?
The organisation of living organisms into groups according to their shared similarities or evolutionary paths from a common ancestor
33
What is the difference between a classification system based on domains and one based on kingdoms?
Domain classification includes true bacteria, archae bacteria and eukaryotes Kingdom classification includes plants, animals, fungi, protoctists and prokaryotes Domain system groups protoctists, fungi, plants and animals into one group Based on differences in RNA More accurately reflects origins
34
What is taxonomy?
Classification by observable features
35
What is phylogeny?
Classification by looking at evolutionary pathways
36
What is the starting point of a phylogenic tree referred to as?
A common ancestor
37
How does phylogenic classification group species?
At certain points in evolution, divergence occurred and different groups evolved differently that gave rise to different species
38
Rules that must be obeyed when carry out random sampling
``` Select appropriate method for terrain Sample randomly Take repeats Calculate a sample mean Use same technique when making comparisons Measure species evenness and diversity ```
39
What is species richness?
The number of species in a habitat
40
What is the importance of a simpson's index of diversity for building planning?
If the index shows variety, the habitat can withstand change so planning can continue
41
What is biodiversity?
The number and variety of living things to be found in the world in an ecosystem or in a habitat
42
What is a community?
All of the groups of animals or plants living together in the same area or environment and usually interacting to some degree.
43
What is an ecosystem?
All the living organisms and all the non living components in a specific area and their interactions
44
What is a habitat?
The place where an organism or population lives including climatic, topographic and edaphic factors as well as the plants and the animals that live there
45
What is species evenness?
How abundant individuals are of a species in a habitat
46
What is species richness?
The number of species present in a habitat
47
The main methods of collecting invertabrates
Pitfall trap Pooter Sweep net
48
How does a point quadrat work?
A point quadrat consists of many holes of which can have long pins inserted Any species that touch the pin is recorded and used as a representative result
49
How does the mark - release - recapture method work?
A large sample of a species are marked These individuals are put back into their habitat After a certain time period, a larger sample of species are caught and have the number of marked species recorded This can be used to predict the size of the population of this particular species
50
What are the assumptions made for the mark - release - recapture method?
Individuals spread themselves evenly | No individuals die or are born
51
What precaution must be taken when marking species?
Mark them so as to not make them more bait to predation
52
What are the three aspects of biodiversity?
Species, genetics and ecosystem diversity
53
What is in situ conservation?
Conserving a species in their normal environment
54
How can In situ conservation be achieved?
Legislation | Conservation parks
55
What are the advantages of a conservation park?
Organisms are in their natural habitat They permanently protect biodiversity It allows area management to maintain ecological integrity Provides opportunities for ecologically sustainable land use Facilitates scientific research May be possible to restore ecological integrity of an area
56
What are the conditions needed for a conservation park?
Range of environmental conditions Large enough area for long term survival Range of diversity within each species and environmental conditions
57
What is ex situ conservation?
Conserving an endangered species by activities that take place outside its normal environment
58
Disadvantages of captive breeding?
Expensive Animals fail to breed well in captivity Restricted genetic variation Transition to the wild is often hard
59
What are the disadvantages of seed banks?
Collecting seeds cause some disturbances Seed collecting may not represent full genetic variety Plants from one area may not necessarily grow well in another area Asexual reproduction reduces variety Seeds stored for a long time may become unviable
60
What does the CITES convention state?
An agreement to prevent trading in specimens of wildlife from affecting their survival
61
What are the aims of the CITES convention?
``` Conserve biological diversity Sustainable use of its components Shared access to genetic resources Sharing of scientific knowledge Sharing benefits of genetic resources Encourages use of ex situ conservation along with in situ ```
62
What does the EIA do?
Avoids or minimises impact of biodiversity Allows environmental consequences to be taken into account Promotes information exchange where other partner countries may be affected Promotes emergency response if there is grave or iminent danger to biodiversity

Biology (18 decks)

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