Ecology & Evolution Unit Quiz Flashcards

Question

Taiga

Answer 1

- Most of Canada’s forests (Coniferous trees) - Warm, moist summers/ dry, cold winters - The weather changes quickly - Soil contains some water and is acidic - Precipitation is 50-250 cm/year

Answer 2

- Cold, permafrost layer beneath the soil - Forms muskeg (water soaks decomposing plants and peat moss) - Short growing season - Low precipitation (50-150cm/ year)

Answer 3

- Increased temperature & sunlight than the taiga and muskeg - Rich soil - Precipitation (25-100 cm/year)

Answer 4

- Mostly trees - Rich soil - Increased sunlight & temperature than the taiga and muskeg - Precipitation (75-250 cm/year)

Answer 5

Soil Conditions (pH, soil type), temperature, sunlight, available water

Answer 6

Litter Layer, Topsoil, Subsoil, Bedrock, Groundwater

Answer 7

Also known as the Upper Layer - Mostly partially decomposed leaves or grasses - Acts as a blanket limiting temperature variations in the soils and reducing water loss from evaporation

Answer 8

- Small particles of rock mixed with decaying matter (humus), often dark soil, a rich supply of nutrients, air and water spaces - Beneath the litter layer and there is air present for dead material to decompose, as oxygen is needed

Answer 9

- It contains more rock particles mixed with small amounts of organic matter. - Usually lighter in colour due to the lack of humus - Contains a large amount of minerals such as iron, aluminum and phosphorus - Beneath the topsoil.

Answer 10

The layer of rock that marks the end of the soil

Answer 11

Water found in the soil

Answer 12

- Chemical Environment - Fresh or saltwater, amount of dissolved oxygen - Other dissolved substances (Ex. nutrients such as phosphorus/ nitrogen) - Temperature, sunlight, water pressure (Deeper underwater you go more pressure)

Answer 13

* Refers to the amount of oxygen gas that is mixed into and held in water. * Moves through the process of diffusion. It's important because aquatic organism need dissolved oxygen to survive. - As temperature **increases** (Gets hotter), dissolved oxygen **decreases**. * When water temperature **DECREASES**, dissolved oxygen **INCREASES**. - As dissolved oxygen begins to drop, fewer organism can be supported

Answer 14

- BOD is a measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by decomposers to break down the organic matter in a sample of water over a five day period at 20 °C - BOD indicates the amount of available organic matter in a water sample - As the number of organisms in an ecosystem **INCREASES**, so does the BOD - (# of organisms **INCREASE** = Biological Oxygen Demand **INCREASE**) - As the number of organisms **INCREASES** and the BOD **INCREASES**, more organisms use the oxygen from the water, causing the level of dissolved oxygen to **DECREASES** - (**INCREASES** # of organisms = **INCREASES** BOD = **DECREASES** dissolved $O_2$ )

Answer 15

Littoral Zone, Limnetic Zone, and Profundal Zone

Answer 16

- The area extending out from the lakeshore to the point where no more plants can grow in the lake bottom. - The most productive part of a lake, it is the area where plants take advantage of the sunlight to carry out photosynthesis. - The size is the determined by the depth of a lake and the slope of its lakebed, both are individual to each lake.

Answer 17

- The area of a lake or pond in which there is open water and sufficient light for photosynthesis to occur. - The most common form of organism within the limnetic zone is called plankton. - Plants can also be found here but they do not need to be anchored.

Answer 18

A measure of how compact the mass in a substance or object is. Mass spread out of a volume.

Answer 19

- The region beneath the limnetic zone in which there is not sufficient light for photosynthesis to occur. - Not usually found in ponds. - The only source of nutrients in this zone is the rain of dead plants and animals

Answer 20

- Lake is covered by ice and snow, which prevents oxygen from dissolving in the water. - Layers of the lake are related to the density of water- the least dense sections are above 0°C, and the most dense section is at the bottom at 4 °C. - Levels of sunlight entering the lake are dependent on ice thickness. - Which has an impact on dissolved oxygen levels.

Answer 21

- Ice starts to melt - Oxygen from the air can enter the water - Wind stirs the water, creating waves that increase the surface area and, in turn, ***INCREASING*** the rate of oxygen dissolving - As the temperature at the surface starts to increase (Warmer) the water will drop due to its higher density. - This will cause water to mix & bring dissolved oxygen to lower areas of the lake. - **Spring Turnover** occurs

Answer 22

* Temperautre INCREASE = Density DECREASE * Temperature DECREASE = Density INCREASE * When a substance is heated, its particles move faster and spread farther apart. * This causes the same amount of substance to take up more space, reducing its density. * When a substance is cooled, the particles slow down and come closer together, making it more dense. * It's MAXIMUM density is 4 degrees celcius and it becomes less dense as it freezes

Answer 23

* Upper layer of the lake - Warms up - Hottest layer and the least dense at 0°C - Has issues of oxygen solubility - Higher temperature = LESS dissolved oxygen

Answer 24

- Temperature drops (Colder), bringing water to 4°C, = water sinks = oxygen level below are renewed. - Fall turnover occurs and breaks up the summer thermal layer

Answer 25

- It is related to the density of water: - The least dense (heavy) is at the top at 0°C - The densest (heaviest) is at the bottom at 4°C

Answer 26

- As the temperature warms above 4°C, it no longer sinks because it is less dense - Just as in winter, the layers are set u,p and the densest layer is at the bottom. - The layers of the lake do **NOT** mix, so organisms at the bottom rely on oxygen being brought down during spring turnover.

Answer 27

Middle layer of the lake Temperature drops rapidly from WARM to COLD

Answer 28

Lowest Layer Remains at a LOW temperature

Answer 29

One of the Forestry Practices Commonly used in tropical areas to clear forests for agriculture, bulldozers remove all existing vegetation, and debris is piled and burned to provide soil nutrients for future crops

Answer 30

Removal of all trees in an area, followed by replanting the dominant (desired) species

Answer 31

Only certain trees are harvested from an area, leaving others to regenerate

Answer 32

- fires set intentionally in defined areas of the parks & controlled.

Answer 33

- Create and maintain different vegetation types - Maintains food supply for animals that benefit from low vegetation

Answer 34

- Any physical or chemical change in surface water or groundwater - Biological, chemical & physical forms of water pollution can be grouped into five categories: - Organic Solid Waste, Disease-Causing Organism, Inorganic Solids, Thermal Energy, Organic Compounds

Answer 35

- When studying water pollution & water quality, scientists look at: - Bacteria, Dissolved Oxygen, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

Answer 36

- Detection of disease-causing bacteria: - Detecting the presence of coliform bacteria tells you animal waste is polluting the water and indicates that other dangerous bacteria may be present

Answer 37

Where it live, its home

Answer 38

The area it is found in the world

Answer 39

What it does and how it survies Its Job.

Answer 40

The number of species in an ecosystem

Answer 41

* Practice of classifying living things * A.K.A Naming stuff * The sciene of classification according to the inferred (presumed) relationships among organism

Answer 42

* Two part * Scientific Name * Usually italicized * The first part is the genus, the second part is the species - Always written, **Genus** **Species**

Answer 43

- Early classification system - Organisms were put into **TWO** groups: **PLANTS** & **ANIMALS** - Each group was called a kingdom: **KINGDOM PLANTAE** & **KINGDOM ANIMALIA** - Animals were further classified based on size, how they moved, if they were in water, air, etc. - Plants were split into **THREE** categories based on their stems - This system worked until the invention of microscopes - Some microorganisms had characteristics like animals, some like plants, and some did not fit nicely into any category.

Answer 44

- Unicellular or multicellular * Eukayotic - Some photosynthesize and some DO NOT - Some are decomposers that obtain nutrients by decomposing and then absorbing their food - Some ingest food - Ex. Algae, amoeba

Answer 45

* Improved on Aristotle’s system by classifying microorganisms that were neither animals nor plants in a THIRD kingdom called PROTISTA * Created the ***THREE KINGDOM CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM:*** * Protista * Plantae * Animalia

Answer 46

* Six Kingdoms: 1. **Archaea (or Archaebacteria):** - Single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus. Live in extreme environments 2. **Bacteria ( or Eubacteria):** - Single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus 3. **Protista** 4. **Fungi** 5. **Plantae** 6. **Animalia** - [3,4,5,6] Unicellular or multicellular organisms. Have cells that have nuclei. Called eukaryotes

Answer 47

- Secret digestive enzymes onto their food source and then absorb the molecules that are released by the enzymes - DO NOT move - DO NOT have **chloroplasts** (Unable to photosynthesize) - Can be multicellular or unicellular - Ex. Mushrooms, mould

Answer 48

- An organism that photosynthesizes to make its own food - Most do **NOT** move & multicellular

Answer 49

* Multicellular * Heterotrophs - Ingest their food - Most are mobile - Complex and specialized cells

Answer 50

- Levels of classification ***ABOVE*** the kingdom are called **DOMAINS** - 3 domains: ***Bacteria, Eukarya, Archaea***

Answer 51

King --> Kingdom Phillip --> Phylum Came --> Class Over --> Order From --> Family Great --> Genus Spain --> Species ***NOTE:*** If two species have the same Genus they are closely related.

Answer 52

- A method for determining the name of an organism - Very helpful for identifying organisms with slight differences * A two-part hey used to identify living things [Di = "two"] * The key is constructed so that a series of choices must be made, and each choice leads to a new branch of the key. Until the name of the organism has been identified.

Answer 53

A structural, behavioural or physiological process that helps an organism survive and reproduce in a particular environment [Occurs over many generations]

Answer 54

- The visible or individual differences between individuals of the same species - Variation in individuals can be an **advantage** or **disadvantage,** or **have** **no** **effect** on the individuals.

Answer 55

Created the theory "Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics" - Felt species increased in complexity over time, until they achieved a level of perfection - Felt characteristics that were acquired during an organism’s lifetime could be passed on to its offspring, called the **inheritance of acquired characteristics.** - Initially, his ideas were believed but later rejected after biologists learned about cells, genes and heredity. - Example: - Giraffes were believed to have originally had a short neck. So they keep on stretching their neck to reach leaves higher on the tree. Until their necks progressively become longer. In which they can give that trait to their offspring.

Answer 56

Darwin' Theory was called the "Theory of Natural Selection"

Answer 57

- Random changes in the genetic material of an organism - Happens continuously in the DNA of any living organism and can occur spontaneously - When DNA is copied before a cell divides - When DNA mutates, a cell can show new characteristics - Mutations can lead to good or bad changes

Answer 58

1. Earth species shows variation 2. There is compettion within each species for food, living space, water, mates, etc. 3. The "better adaptation" members of these species are more likely to survive- "survial of the fittest" 4. These surviovrs will pass on their better genes to their offspring who will also show this beneficial variation. * ***VARIATION --> COMPETITION --> ADAPTATION --> SELECTION***

Answer 59

* Yes, mutations can provide selective advantage. - Mutations can be harmful, good or cause a disadvantage in one environment or an advantage in another environment. - When a mutation is harmful in one environment but good in another environment, we say it provides “selective advantage” in the new environment - Ex. Individuals with sickle-cell anemia may have a disadvantage in one environment, but when placed in an environment with high rates of malaria, they have a huge advantage.

Answer 60

* The resultof differential reproductive success of individuals caused by variations in their inherited characteristics. - A process that results when the characteristics of a population of organisms change because individuals with certain inherited traits survive specific local environmental conditions - For natural selection to occur, there must be a variety of diversity within a species - Populations change, **NOT** individuals - Natural selection doesn’t anticipate change in the environment instead, natural selection is situational - A trait at one time may have no relevance to survival, but if the environment changes, the trait might now be advantageous

Answer 61

Overproduction (More babies that can survive in the environment) Competition Varation- (Mutation) Survival of the fittest (Most adapted) Origin of New Species

Answer 62

Fossil Records, Transitional Fossils, Anatomy, Patterns of Distribution, Embryology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Artifical Selection, Natural Selection

Answer 63

- Shows the history of life by showing the species that were alive in the past - Fossils found in young layers of rock (from recent times) are **MORE** similar to species that are alive today than fossils found in older, deeper rocks - Fossils appear in chronological order to the rock layer, so probably ancestors to species can be found in older rocks. - Not all organisms appear in the fossil records at the same time- the fossil record shows that fish are the oldest vertebrates, amphibians came later, reptiles came later, and mammals and birds came later than that

Answer 64

- Reinforces the idea that amphibians evolved from ancestral fish, and reptiles evolved from ancestral amphibians; mammals and birds evolved from different groups of reptiles - **[Fish —> Amphibians —> Mammals —> Birds]**

Answer 65

- Original fossils showed gaps that led people to be skeptical of the idea of evolution - Later, “transitional fossils” were discovered - these show intermediary links between groups of organisms

Answer 66

The study of the past and present geographical distribution of organism

Answer 67

Darwin and Wallace hypothesized that species evolved in one location and then spread out to other regions.

Answer 68

- Geographically **close** environments are more likely to be populated by **related species** than locations that are geographically **separate** more similar - Animals found on **islands** often closely resemble animals found on the **closest continent** - Fossils of the same species can be found on the **coastline** of neighbouring continents - Closely related species are almost **NEVER** found in exactly the same location or habitat - Since it will be **TOO** much competition for resources

Answer 69

- Bone structure - Many living creatures that look quite different on the surface have similarities underneath their skin that suggest that they are related to each other.

Answer 70

- Features with similar structures but different functions - “Homo” = Same “~logous” = Information - Structures that have similar structural elements and origin, but may have a different function - They are similar because they came from a common ancestors *** Ex. The limbs of a human, cats, whale and bats.**

Answer 71

- Features that are similar in appearance and function, but do not appear to have the same evolutionary origin - Body parts that perform similar functions, even though the organisms do ***NOT*** have a common evolutionary origin - Develop differently and have very different internal structures and embryonic development. - Ex. Wings of a bird **AND** the fin of a penguin

Answer 72

- Rudimentary structures with no useful function - Body structures in animals that show gradual change over time. In some cases, these changes have reduced or removed the functions of some body parts and organs. - Ex. The wings of penguins and the leg bones of snakes, and the wisdom tooth in humans

Answer 73

- Stages of baby development - Embryos of different organisms exhibit similar states of embryonic development - Suggesting a common ancestry - Embryos of different organisms that are closely related show very similar stages of embryonic development

Answer 74

- Evolutionary relationships among species are reflected in their DNA and proteins - All cells are made of membranes filled with water, genetic material, proteins, lipids and carbs - Proteins called enzymes control biochemical reactions in all organisms - Proteins are synthesized from amino acids in all organisms - All cells can replicate DNA in all organisms - Scientists can determine how closely related two organisms are by comparing their DNA

Answer 75

Another word for plant and animal breeding, in which people breed individuals with desired characteristics in order to get offspring with those same characteristics

Answer 76

An organism's reproductive success.

Answer 77

- When one or more different species evolve similar characteristics due to a common environment - Analogous structures

Answer 78

- When an ancestral species diverges into many different species - Homologous structures

Answer 79

Organisms that are able to breed with one another to create the same fertile offspring.

Answer 80

Geographical Barriers Biological Barriers

Answer 81

* The formation of new species and it can occur when two populations are prevented from interbreeding. * If populations become isolated enough, speciation will eventually occur because of changes accumulated in populations due to natural selection, which affects reproduction.

Answer 82

- Physically separate barriers - Ex. Mountains, islands, lava flow, rivers - The species **DO NOT** have to be isolated forever, but it does have to be maintained long enough for the species to become reproductively incompatible with the original population

Answer 83

- Keep species reproductively isolated even if their ranges overlap - Examples: - **Pheromones**: Chemical signals/ smells that are used to attract mates - Different habitats within a common area - **Behaviour**: Mating calls of birds are often different between species birds that have diverged from a common ancestor may have similar calls, but they are different

Answer 84

- Occurs as a result of ***physical barriers.*** - Speciation by reproductive isolation - Most new species are believed to arise by a 3 step process called **allopatric speciation:** 1. A physical barrier separates a single interbreeding population into two or more groups that are isolated from each other. - Any mutations that occur in one of these isolated groups are **NOT** shared with the other population 2. Natural Selection works in the separated groups ***independently***, resulting in **inherited differences** in the **TWO** populations. - In other words, the populations evolve independently. - Differences in selective pressures will be greater if the populations experience pronounced differences in their environments 3. In time, accumulated physical and/or behavioural differences between the populations become so pronounced that the groups, should they be reunited, would no longer be sexually compatible. - At this point, they have from **TWO** or more distinct species

Answer 85

- A new species may result from accumulated changes in the population over a long period of time - A new species gradually develops as a result of mutations and adaptation to changing environmental conditions, and the old species is gradually replaced. - If this was the only mechanism of speciation, the total number of species and diversity of species would NOT change over time - Also called **phyletic speciation** or **anagenesis**

Answer 86

- It occurs as a result of a ***biological barrier*** - Occurs when there are **no physical barriers** preventing any members of a species from mating with each other. - Members of the species remain close together - The new species has some characteristics that make them prefer a certain aspect of the environment (such as food or shelter), keeping them from reproducing with other members of the species

Answer 87

- One or more species arise from a parent species that continue to exist - Increases biological diversity because it increases the number of species - Also called **branching evolution** or **cladogenesis**

Answer 88

The diversification of a common ancestral species into a variety of species, all of which are differently adapted. A rapid version of Cladogenesis.

Answer 89

- Currently, two models exist for how fast evolutionary change is occurring: 1. Gradualism 2. Punctuated Equilibrium

Answer 90

- Gradual change occurs steadily in a linear fashion - Big changes occur as a result of many small changes - We don’t see this in the fossil records

Answer 91

- The fossil record generally shows species that appear suddenly and then disappear just as abruptly - This shows periods of rapid change - Punctuated equilibrium model proposes that evolutionary history consists of long periods of equilibrium where there is little change, “punctuated’ or interrupted by periods of speciation. - According to this, most species undergo most of their morphological changes when they first diverge from the parent species. After that, the species change relatively little.

Answer 92

1. Life forms have developed from ancestral species 2. All living things are related to one another by varying degrees through common descent 3. All living things on Earth have a common origin (share a common ancestor) 4. The mechanism by which one species evolves into another species involves random heritable genetic mutations. - Some mutations result in a survival advantage for an individual. - If so, the individual is more likely to survive and pass this mutation on to their offspring. - Eventually, the successful mutation increases in the population and causes the population as a whole to start to change.

Answer 93

- It is better to use a scientific name rather than a common name because scientific names are standardized across languages and countries, ensuring clarity in communication among scientists globally. - It also avoids ambiguity, as common names can vary regionally, leading to confusion. - Ex. A “jellyfish” can refer to multiple species, but the scientific name is specific, so it is easier to distinguish between them. - The scientific name also provides insight into the organism’s biological characteristics and relationships with other species. - Scientific names remain stable over time due to the majority of the names are Latin, which is a dead language. Unlike common names, which can change with cultural shift or new discoveries.

Answer 94

Variation does not always lead to adaptation because variation is the raw material for adaptation, but only beneficial variations that are selected for by the environment can lead to adaptations.

Answer 95

Variation occurs because of the random nature of genetic processes and interactions, and it's essential for evolution and the survival of species in changing environments.

Ecology & Evolution Unit Quiz Flashcards

(119 cards)