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Biology > Biology Module 3 and Module 4 > Flashcards

Biology Module 3 and Module 4 Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

An ecosystem is made up of groups of organisms and the non-living environment interacting together as a complex self-sustaining natural system.

The ecosystem can maintain itself over a long period of time.

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2
Q

What are the four important points of an ecosystem?

A
  • Groups of organisms
  • The non-living environment
  • Interacting together
  • Self-sustaining
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3
Q

Name three examples of ecosystems.

A
  • Rainforests
  • Grassland
  • Deserts
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4
Q

Is a backyard pond considered an ecosystem? Why?

A

Yes, it has a group of organisms living in it and interacting with the non-living environment and is self-sustaining.

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5
Q

What does the prefix ‘bio-‘ mean?

A

‘Bio-‘ means ‘life’.

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6
Q

What does the prefix ‘a-‘ mean?

A

‘A-‘ means ‘without’.

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7
Q

What are biotic factors?

A

Biotic factors are the organisms in an ecosystem, for example:
* Plants
* Animals
* Bacteria
* Fungi

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8
Q

What are abiotic factors?

A

Abiotic factors are the non-living parts of the ecosystem, for example:
* Soil
* Light
* Heat
* Air

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9
Q

What is a selection pressure?

A

A factor(s) in the ecosystem which favours or acts against certain variations in populations

Examples include predation and disease.

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10
Q

What are the two main effects of selection pressures on species?

A

It may favour certain individuals or act against certain individuals

Favouring leads to increased abundance, while acting against leads to decreased abundance.

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11
Q

What happens to a population when conditions change in their ecosystem?

A

They may die out or fail to continue reproducing unless some individuals have variations that allow them to survive

This is the basis of natural selection.

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12
Q

What are limiting factors?

A

Factors that act as selection pressures, preventing populations from increasing indefinitely

Examples include abiotic factors, biotic factors, lack of space, predators, physical factors, disease, and competition.

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13
Q

List some examples of limiting factors.

A
  • Abiotic factors
  • Biotic factors
  • Lack of space
  • Predators
  • Physical factors (Weather, terrain)
  • Disease
  • Competition for food
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14
Q

How do introduced species impact ecosystems?

A

They often have few negative selection pressures, leading to overpopulation and becoming pests

They can negatively affect native organisms.

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15
Q

What impact do introduced pests have on agriculture?

A

They can reduce crop yields and destroy pastures needed for livestock

Examples include plant pests competing for resources and animal pests damaging crops.

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16
Q

In what ways do introduced pests affect native wildlife?

A

They compete for food and habitat, cause diseases, or are predators of native wildlife

This leads to reduced biodiversity.

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17
Q

What is a consequence of the destruction of native plants by introduced species?

A

Soil erosion occurs because introduced plants usually have shallower root systems

This results in land degradation.

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18
Q

How are scientists combating the problem of introduced pests?

A

By creating selection pressures that act against the survival of introduced pests

An example is using toxic baits against foxes.

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19
Q

What is the role of cactoblastis caterpillars in pest control?

A

They controlled the population of prickly pear plants, acting as a biotic selection pressure

They only affected prickly pear and not other plants.

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20
Q

What was the initial reason for introducing cane toads in Queensland?

A

To eat pest beetles damaging sugar crops

This decision was made in 1935.

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21
Q

What has been the population trend of cane toads since their introduction?

A

Their population has grown out of control and continues to spread

They cover most of Queensland and parts of Northern Territory and Western Australia.

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22
Q

What is a significant reproductive difference between native Australian frogs and cane toads?

A

Native frogs lay 1000-2000 eggs per year, while cane toads lay up to 30,000 eggs at a time

This contributes to their rapid population growth.

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23
Q

What are the dangers of cane toads to native predators?

A

Cane toads are poisonous, affecting the heart and nervous system of animals that consume them

This has led to declines in species like goannas and northern quolls.

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24
Q

What resources do cane toads compete for with native animals?

A

Food and shelter

This competition further threatens native wildlife.

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25
What is an adaptation?
Any features of an organism that promotes the wellbeing of a member of a species in the environment it usually lives in. ## Footnote Adaptations can enhance survival and reproduction in specific environments.
26
What are the three main types of adaptations?
* Structural * Physiological * Behavioral ## Footnote Each type serves a different purpose in enhancing survival.
27
Define structural adaptations.
Physical feature that allows a species to survive in the environment where it lives. ## Footnote Example: the pouch of a kangaroo.
28
What are physiological adaptations?
Body process that increases the chance of survival. ## Footnote Example: sticky saliva of an echidna, which traps ants.
29
Define behavioral adaptations.
Response made by an organism in order to increase the chance of survival and therefore reproduction. ## Footnote Example: A kangaroo will cool down by licking its forearms.
30
List adaptations of desert plants.
* Leaves reduced to spines (to reduce water loss) * Extensive root systems (to increase water absorption) * Store water in swollen stems * Sunken stomates (pores) in their leaves (to reduce water loss) ## Footnote These adaptations help desert plants survive in arid conditions.
31
List adaptations of desert animals.
* Mostly nocturnal to avoid high daytime temperatures * Obtain water from food rather than drinking water ## Footnote These adaptations are crucial for survival in a desert environment.
32
Fill in the blank: An adaptation is any features of an organism that promotes the _______ of a member of a species in the environment it usually lives in.
[wellbeing] ## Footnote This definition emphasizes the role of adaptations in survival.
33
True or False: Adaptations can develop quickly in response to environmental changes.
False ## Footnote Adaptations often develop over a long period through the process of species evolution.
34
What does micro-evolution refer to?
Evolutionary changes within populations of a given species over short periods of time ## Footnote Examples include the peppered moth and bacterial resistance to antibiotics
35
What is macro-evolution?
The accumulation of micro-evolutionary changes over long periods resulting in the formation of a new species
36
What is the process of formation of new species called?
Speciation
37
How old is the Earth?
A little over 4.5 billion years old
38
What are the oldest materials on Earth?
4.3-billion-year-old zircon crystals
39
When did the history of life on Earth begin?
About 3.8 billion years ago
40
What type of cells were the first forms of life on Earth?
Single-celled prokaryotic cells, such as bacteria
41
When did multicellular life evolve?
Over a billion years after single-celled life
42
What were the first familiar life forms to evolve?
Arthropods
43
When did fish first appear in the evolutionary timeline?
530 million years ago
44
When did mammals evolve?
200 million years ago
45
How long has Homo sapiens existed?
200,000 years
46
What percentage of Earth's history have humans existed?
0.004%
47
What is the current geological era called?
The Cenozoic Era
48
What period does the Cenozoic Era cover?
From 66 million years ago to the present day
49
What is the Cenozoic Era also known as?
The Age of Mammals
50
What are the three periods of the Cenozoic Era?
* Paleogene Period (65-23 million years ago) * Neogene Period (23-2.6 million years ago) * Quaternary Period (2.6 million years ago to present)
51
What significant change occurred during the Cenozoic Era?
The extinction of many groups of giant mammals allowed smaller species to thrive
52
What characterized the beginning of the Paleogene Period?
Survival of mammals from the Cretaceous Era
53
What animals became common by the end of the Paleogene Period?
* Dogs * Cats * Pigs
54
What new species emerged during the Neogene Period?
Early primates, including early humans
55
What species dominated the Quaternary Period?
* Cave lions * Saber-toothed cats * Cave bears * Giant deer * Woolly rhinoceroses * Woolly mammoths
56
What opportunity did plant life have during the Cenozoic Era?
To flourish due to the extinction of dinosaurs
57
What types of plants were common during the early Cenozoic Era?
* Pines * Mosses * Oaks * Grasses
58
What plant types dominated the landscape in the later part of the Cenozoic Era?
Flowering plants and edible crops
59
What regions have large numbers of horse fossils been found?
North America, Europe, and Asia ## Footnote These fossils provide important clues to the relationships between different horse species.
60
What skeletal features of horses have provided important clues to their evolution?
Teeth and toes ## Footnote These features help suggest the early history of the horse family.
61
What is the significance of the evolution of the horse?
It is a classic example of mammalian development during the Cenozoic era. ## Footnote Horses evolved from small animals with four-toed feet to larger modern horses with a single hoof.
62
What are monotremes?
An ancient group of egg-laying mammals ## Footnote Platypuses and echidnas are the only remaining species of monotremes.
63
What type of eggs do platypuses lay?
Soft, leathery eggs ## Footnote Platypuses incubate these eggs next to their skin.
64
How do platypuses produce milk?
From pores in the skin, like sweat. ## Footnote This is a unique feature among mammals.
65
What unique feature do platypuses have on their hind legs?
A venomous spur ## Footnote This is a distinctive characteristic of the platypus.
66
What is the oldest confirmed fossil of a platypus ancestor?
Found in New South Wales, dating to around 110 million years ago ## Footnote This fossil was discovered in 1985.
67
How old is the oldest fossil of the modern platypus species?
About 100,000 years old
68
Where did evidence suggest platypuses evolved?
In Australia when it was still connected to South America ## Footnote This suggests a historical geographic distribution of platypus relatives.
69
What evolutionary feature do platypuses share with reptiles and fish?
Certain genes from egg-yolk proteins ## Footnote This indicates that egg-laying was retained from their reptilian ancestors.
70
How have the sizes of modern platypuses changed geographically?
Larger in Tasmania and southern Australia, smaller in northern regions ## Footnote Populations may be diverging into northern and southern varieties.
71
What significant change has occurred in the teeth of modern platypuses?
Original teeth have been replaced with horny pads ## Footnote This adaptation aligns with their more specialized aquatic lifestyle.
72
What types of investigations were used to study the modern platypus?
Dissection and microscopic techniques, along with various technologies from the 1960s onwards
73
What was determined about platypus activity patterns using radio tracking?
Nocturnal activities, home ranges, and longer distance movements ## Footnote Direct observations were previously limited to daylight hours.
74
What body temperature regulation was observed in a platypus during winter?
Stable body temperature around 32°C ## Footnote This was monitored using radio telemetry despite the cold water conditions.
75
How many chromosomes does the platypus have?
52 chromosomes ## Footnote This is an unusual number compared to other mammals.
76
How is sex determined in platypuses?
By the presence of X and Y chromosomes ## Footnote Males have 4 Y chromosomes and 4 X chromosomes, while females have 8 X chromosomes.

Biology (1 decks)

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