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Biology AS > F212 3 - Biodiversity, Classification and Evolution > Flashcards

F212 3 - Biodiversity, Classification and Evolution Flashcards

1
Q

Abundance

A

The frequency of occurrence of plants in a sampled area, such as a quadrat.

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2
Q

Adaptation

A

Feature of a living organism that increases its chances of survival, for example thick fur on an animal that lives in a cold habitat.

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3
Q

Allele

A

A version of a gene.

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4
Q

Allopatric

A

Speciation due to organisms of a species being separated by geographical barriers so that over time members of the two populations become so different that they cannot interbreed and are considered to be two different species.

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5
Q

Anomalous

A

Describes a result/data point that does not appear to fit the pattern of the other results. It may be assumed to be anomalous if the experimenter has made an error or if the apparatus used is not suitable for the measurements being taken.

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6
Q

Antibiotics

A

Molecules produced by microorganisms that kill or limit the growth of other microorganisms

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7
Q

Artificial selection

A

Also called selective breeding – the process of improving a variety of crop plant or domesticated animal by breeding from selected individuals with desired characteristics.

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8
Q

Asexual reproduction

A

The production of genetically identical new organisms by a single ‘parent’ organism.

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9
Q

Autotroph

A

An organism that makes its own food from simple inorganic molecules, such as carbon dioxide and water. Some (photoautotrophs), e.g. plants, use light as the source of energy. Some (chemoautotrophs), e.g. some bacteria, use chemical energy. Autotrophs are the producers in a food chain.

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10
Q

Binomial system

A

A system of naming living things using two Latin words – the genus name and the specific name.

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11
Q

Biodiversity

A

The number and variety of living things to be found in the world, in an ecosystem or in a habitat.

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12
Q

Carnivore

A

An animal that eats meat.

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13
Q

Class

A

Taxonomic group used in classification of living organisms. Members of the same class share some characteristics. Within each class are orders, consisting of families, genera and species. Similar classes are grouped into a phylum.

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14
Q

Classification

A

The organisation of living organisms (or other items) into groups according to their shared similarities.

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15
Q

Clones

A

Genetically identical cells or individuals.

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16
Q

Conservation ex situ

A

Conservation in areas other than the natural habitat.

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17
Q

Conservation in situ

A

Conservation in the natural habitat.

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18
Q

Continuous variation

A

Variation between living organisms where there is a range of intermediates, such as height, hair colour and intelligence in humans. These characteristics are determined by many genes that interact. The expression of these genes is also influenced by the environment.

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19
Q

Discontinuous variation

A

Variation between living organisms within a species, where there are discrete categories and no intermediates, e.g. blood groups A, B, AB or O in humans. This type of variation is determined by one gene.

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20
Q

Diversity

A

Being diverse – usually used in the context of biodiversity – where there are many different types of organisms present, or genetic diversity within a population of organisms that have genetic variation.

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21
Q

Domain

A

Classification group. Carl Woese’s three-domain classification system divides the Kingdom, prokaryotae into two domains and places all Eukaryotes in the third domain.

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22
Q

Ecosystem

A

All the living organisms and all the non-living components in a specific area, and their interactions.

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23
Q

Environmental impact assessment

A

An assessment of the damage that may be caused to the (local) environment by a proposed development.

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24
Q

Eukaryote

A

An organism having cells with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

25
Q

Eukaryotic cell

A

Cells that have a nucleus inside a nuclear envelope, and other membrane-bound organelles.

26
Q

Evolution

A

Gradual process by which the present diversity of living organisms arose from simple primitive organisms that were present about 4000 million years ago. New species have arisen by natural selection.

27
Q

Evolutionary distance

A

A measure of how far apart two organisms are on the evolutionary scale. Closely related species will be a short distance apart while distant relatives will be further apart.

28
Q

Extinction

A

The death of the last individual in a species.

29
Q

Family

A

Taxonomic group used in the classification of living organisms. Related genera are placed in the same family.

30
Q

Gene

A

A length of DNA that carries the code for the synthesis of one (or more) specific polypeptide.

31
Q

Gene pool

A

The sum total and variety of all the genes in a population or species at a given time.

32
Q

Genetic erosion

A

The loss of genetic variation due to (artificial) selection.

33
Q

Genome

A

All the genetic material inside an organism (or cell).

34
Q

Genus

A

Taxonomical group used in the classification of living organisms. Species that are similar are placed in the same genus.

35
Q

Habitat

A

The place where an organism or population lives. It includes the climatic, topographic and edaphic factors as well as the plants and animals that live there.

36
Q

Heterotroph

A

Organism that has heterotrophic nutrition – it gains nutrients from complex organic molecules. These molecules are digested by enzymes to simple soluble molecules and then built up into the complex molecules that the organism requires. Heterotrophs are consumers or decomposers in a food chain.

37
Q

Homologous

A

Chromosomes that have the same genes at the same loci. Members of an homologous pair of chromosomes pair up during meiosis. Diploid organisms, produced by sexual reproduction, have homologous pairs of chromosomes – one member of each pair from the male parent and the other member from the female parent. (Can also be used to refer to structures that have different functions but have a common evolutionary origin, such as human arm and a bird wing.)

38
Q

Hyphae

A

The strands that make up the body of a fungus.

39
Q

Kingdom

A

Taxonomic group. Living organisms are grouped into one of five kingdoms: Prokaryotae, Protoctista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.

40
Q

Monoculture

A

A crop of plants of a single species bred to be very similar.

41
Q

Monophyletic

A

A group of organisms is said to be monophyletic if they all share a common ancestor and therefore belong to the same classification group.

42
Q

Mutation

A

A change in the structure of DNA, or in the structure and number of chromosomes.

43
Q

Mycelium

A

The mass of filaments (hyphae) that make up the body of a fungus.

44
Q

Natural selection

A

The best-adapted organisms in a population can outcompete those that are less well-adapted. They are selected by the environment to survive and reproduce, so passing on the favourable alleles that have made them well-adapted. Over time this produces a change in the proportions of alleles in the gene pool and evolution occurs. Natural selection is the mechanism for evolution.

45
Q

Niche

A

The exact role of an organism in the ecosystem – its use of the living and non-living components of the ecosystem.

46
Q

Order

A

Taxonomic group used in classification of living organisms. Similar families are placed in the same order.

47
Q

Phylogeny

A

The evolutionary relationships between organisms.

48
Q

Phylum

A

A taxonomic group used in classification of living organisms. Similar classes are grouped into the same phylum.

49
Q

Prokaryote

A

An organism with cells that do not contain a true nucleus.

50
Q

Quadrat

A

A square frame used for sampling in field work.

51
Q

Selection pressure

A

An external pressure that drives evolution in a particular direction.

52
Q

Speciation

A

The formation of a new species.

53
Q

Species

A

A group of organisms whose members are similar to each other in shape (morphology), physiology, biochemistry and behaviour, and can interbreed to produce fertile offspring.

54
Q

Sustainable development

A

Development that does not cause excessive harm to the surrounding environment. The local biodiversity (species diversity, habitat diversity and ecosystems) and the local people are able to continue to live and operate alongside the development.

55
Q

Sympatric

A

Speciation that occurs within one area – some factor other than geographical separation has prevented free interbreeding between members of the species.

56
Q

Taxon (pl: taxa)

A

A taxonomic group, such as a class or a family, used to aid classification.

57
Q

Taxonomy

A

The study of the principles behind classification.

58
Q

Variation

A

The differences between individuals.

Biology AS (12 decks)

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