Classification and Evolution

Question 1

adaptation

Answer 1

a characteristic that enhances survival in the habitat

Question 2

articifical classification

Answer 2

a classification based on just one (or a few) charecteristics

Question 3

anatomical adaptations

Answer 3

structural features of an organism

Question 4

behavoural adaptations

Answer 4

ways behaviour is modified for survival

Question 5

binomial system

Answer 5

a system that uses the genus name and the species name to avoid confusion when naming organisms

Question 6

class

Answer 6

a group of organisms taht all posess the same general traits e.g same number of legs

Question 7

classification

Answer 7

the process of placing living organisms into groups based of similarities

Question 8

common ancestor

Answer 8

the most recent indidvidual from which a set of organisms ina group are directly descended

Question 9

continuous variation

Answer 9

variation where there are two extremes and a full range of values in between

Question 10

convergent evolution

Answer 10

The process whereby organisms not closely related independently evolve similar
traits as a result of being adapted to similar environments or ecological niches.

Question 11

Cytochrome C

Answer 11

A type of cytochrome; an iron-containing protein found within inner mitochondrial
membranes and that forms part of the electron transport chain.

Question 12

discontinuous variation

Answer 12

where there are distinct categories and nothing in between

Question 13

domain

Answer 13

The domain is the highest taxonomic rank. There are three domains: Archaea,
Bacteria and Eukarya

Question 14

enviromental variation

Answer 14

variation caused by response to enviromental facotrs such as light intensity

Question 15

evolution

Answer 15

the gradual process by which the present diversity of living organisms has developed from earlier forms during the last 3000 million years of the history of the earth

Question 16

extant

Answer 16

still in existence; surviving

Question 17

extinction

Answer 17

When the last living member of a species dies and the species ceases to exist.

Question 18

family

Answer 18

a group of closely related genera

Question 19

genetic variation

Answer 19

variation caused by possesing a different combination of alleles

Question 20

genus

Answer 20

a group of closely related species

Question 21

INTERspecific variation

Answer 21

the variation between DIFFERENT species

Question 22

INTRAspecific variation

Answer 22

the variation between members of the SAME species

Question 23

kingdom

Answer 23

Traditionally there are five main kingdoms: Plantae, Animalia, Fungi, Protoctista
(all eukaryotes) and Prokaryotae.

Question 24

Monophyletic group

Answer 24

Organisms that have been classified in the same phylogenetic group (they have
descended from the same ancestor)

Question 25

mutations

Answer 25

A change to the genetic material of an organism, either to a gene or chromosome.

Question 26

natural classification

Answer 26

A classification that reflects the evolutionary relationships between organisms.

Question 27

natural selection

Answer 27

The term used to explain how features of the environment apply a selective force on the reproduction of individuals in a population.

Question 28

niche

Answer 28

the role of an organism within its habitat

Question 29

normal distribution

Answer 29

A probability distribution that is symmetric about the mean, showing that data near the mean are more frequent in occurrence than data far from the mean. In graph form, normal distribution will appear as a bell curve.

Question 30

order

Answer 30

A subdivision of the class using additional information about the organism e.g. meat-eating vs vegetarian

Question 31

phylogeny

Answer 31

The study of the closeness of evolutionary relationships between organisms. The more closely related two organisms are, the more tightly grouped they are during classification e.g. Humans and Gorillas.

Question 32

phylum

Answer 32

A major subdivision of the kingdom. A phylum contains all the groups of organisms that have the same body plan e.g. possession of a backbone.

Question 33

Physiological adaptations

Answer 33

affect the way that process work

Question 34

species

Answer 34

A group of organisms that are very similar in appearance, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and genetics, that can freely interbreed to produce fertile offspring

Question 35

standard deviation

Answer 35

A measure of the spread around a mean.

Question 36

taxonomy

Answer 36

The study of the principles behind classification. It involves the naming of organisms and the groups that they are classified in.

Question 37

variation

Answer 37

the presence of variety - difference between individuals