Classification and Evolution Flashcards
what is classification
process by which living organisms within each group share similar features
what are the taxonomic groups
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
why do scientists classify organisms
- identify species
- predict characteristics
- find evolutionary links
what are species
group of organisms that are able to reproduce to produce fertile offspring
what are the three domains
- eukaraya
- archaea
- bacteria
what are the five kingdoms
- prokaryote
- Protoctista
- fungi
- plantae
- animalia
what is the binomial naming system
- first part is the genus
- second part is the species
- avoids confusion of using common names
what are the features of prokaryotes
- unicellular
- no nucleus
- no membrane bound organelles
- bacteria
what are the features of Protoctista
- mainly unicellular
- nucleus
- membrane bound organelles
- some have chloroplast
- some autotrophic (photosynthesis)
- some heterotrophic (ingest other organisms)
- algae
what are the features of fungi
- uni/multicellular
- nucleus, membrane bound organelles
- chitin cell wall
- no chloroplasts
- no mechanisms for locomotion
- acquire nutrients by absorption
- mould, yeast, mushroom
what are the features of plantae
- multicellular
- nucleus and membrane bound organelles
- no mechanisms for locomotion
- autotrophic feeders
- store food as starch
what are the features of animalia
- multicellular
- nucleus and membrane bound organelles
- heterotrophic
- store food as glycogen
what types of ribosomes do each domain have
Eukarya = 80s
Archaea = 70s
Bacteria = 70s
what is the prokaryote kingdom divided into
- archaebacteria = live in extreme conditions
- eubacteria = live in all environments
what is phylogeny
evolutionary relationship between organisms
what is phylogenetics
study of evolutionary history of groups of organisms
what is the phylogenetic tree
- 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
what is the theory of evolution
- 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
what is the evidence for evolution
- palaeontology - study of fossils
- comparative anatomy - similarities and differences in a species anatomy
- comparative biochemistry - similarities and differences between chemical makeup
what is palaeontology
- fossils are formed when plant and animal remains are preserved
- oldest to youngest
what is the evidence provided by fossil records
- 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
what is interspecific variation
variation between members of different species
what is intraspecific variation
differences between organisms within a species
what are the causes of variation
- genetic causes
- evolutionary causes
