Lab Quiz

Question 1

Founder Effect

Answer 1

When a few individuals from an original population disperse and inhabit (“found”) a new area. The genetics of these few individuals will be passed on to all the offspring in the newly inhabited area; thus the genetic diversity of this population will be less comprehensive compared to the original population

Question 2

Bottleneck Effect

Answer 2

When a population is greatly reduced but then recovers. Relatively few individuals survive the bottleneck, so they pass their less-comprehensive genetic diversity onto the rest of the growing population.

Question 3

Microevolution

Answer 3

A change in allele/gene frequency in a population. Can happen due to mutation, natural selection, gene flow, and genetic drift.

Question 4

Genetic Drift

Answer 4

A change in allele frequencies due to chance. Genetic drift occurs in every population and every generation, but affects smaller populations more significantly.

Question 5

Genotype

Answer 5

The genetic constitution of an organism. The total sum of genes transferred from parent to offspring. The complete set of heritable genes that can be transferred to the offspring from its parents

Question 6

Allele

Answer 6

Alternate forms of the same gene; different alleles may code for different phenotypes

Question 7

Phenotype

Answer 7

Set of observable characteristics or traits of an organism that results from the interaction of its genotype with its environment.

Question 8

Monophyletic

Answer 8

A genetic group that includes all the descendants of an ancestor that can include any number or organisms or groups. Synonym for clade.

Question 9

Paraphyletic

Answer 9

A group that contains a common ancestor, but not all of its descendants

Question 10

Homology

Answer 10

Similar structures between two organisms resulting from common ancestry

Question 11

Eukaryotic organelle characteristics

Answer 11

Have mitochondria, chloroplasts, Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes (much larger than prokaryotes’), etc.

Question 12

Prokaryotic organelle characteristics

Answer 12

Only have ribosomes

Question 13

Eukaryotic nucleus characteristics

Answer 13

Has a true nucleus surrounded by a nuclear membrane

Question 14

Prokaryotic nucleus characteristics

Answer 14

Has no true nucleus, but has a nucleoid, or nuclear region

Question 15

Eukaryotic organization of DNA characteristics

Answer 15

DNA is packaged in more than 1 linear chromosome with histones and other proteins. Have much more DNA than prokaryotes

Question 16

Prokaryotic organization of DNA characteristics

Answer 16

Has 1 usually circular chromosome and few proteins

Question 17

Eukaryotic type of cell division

Answer 17

Mitosis

Question 18

Prokaryotic type of cell division

Answer 18

Binary fission

Question 19

Eukaryotic size

Answer 19

Large

Question 20

Prokaryotic size

Answer 20

Very small

Question 21

Modified leaves

Answer 21

Flowers are modified leaves

Sepals, petals, stamen, and pistils are whorls of modified leaves at a single node

Question 22

Rosette

Answer 22

Stem modification

A short, upright shoot with very short internodes so leaves appear almost whorled at the ground level. Leaves protect stem from animals and weather and the tight arrangement makes it difficult to uproot the plant

Examples: dandelion and lettuce

Question 23

Rhizome

Answer 23

Stem modification

A horizontal stem that may be under or partly in the ground and may bear leaves on its upper surface and roots on its lower surface. Stores starches, proteins, and other nutrients

Example: iris

Question 24

Stolon/Runner

Answer 24

Stem modification

A stem that grows horizontally over the ground and may produce new plants at the nodes. Allows plant to propagate nearby areas

Example: strawberry

Question 25

Bulb

Answer 25

Stem and leaf modification

Shoot with short stem and thick fleshy leaves. Outermost leaves are thin, dry, and protective. Specialized for nutrition and energy storage

Example: onion, tulip, hyacinth

Question 26

Corm

Answer 26

Stem modification

A thickened, usually underground and upright stem that accumulates food such as starch. It stores food in the stem (a bulb stores primarily in the leaves). May see encircling rings that are leaf scars of detached leaves

Examples: gladiolus, crocus

Question 27

Tuber

Answer 27

Stem modification

An enlarged, short, fleshy, underground stem that often develops from the tip of the rhizome and is utilized for food storage and propagation

Example: Irish potato

Question 28

Stem Tendril

Answer 28

Stem modification

A slender, coiling structure that provides support. Generally in the axil of a leaf or leaf scar. If a tendril originates from an axillary bud, it is a stem tendril.

Examples: grape, Virginia creeper

Question 29

Thorn

Answer 29

Stem modification

Hard, woody, pointed branch that may bear small leaves and provides protection from herbivores. Thorns typically found in the axil of a leaf or leaf scar.

Examples: honey locust, hawthorn

Question 30

Cladophyll/Cladode

Answer 30

Stem modification

A branch that resembles a leaf and may bear flowers, fruit, and/or small leaves. Generally found in the axis of a leaf, which may be small and scale-like or may have fallen off.

Example: butcher’s broom

Question 31

Stem succulence

Answer 31

Stem modification

Thick, fleshy stem specialized for water storage.

Example: cactus

Question 32

Sepals and petals

Answer 32

Leaf modification

Sterile parts of the flower

Question 33

Pistil

Answer 33

Leaf modification

Reproductive part of the flower. Female part consists of ovary, style, and stigma

Question 34

Stamen

Answer 34

Leaf modification

Reproductive part of the flower. Male part composed of filament and anther. Anther is at the top and produces pollen

Question 35

Leaf tendril

Answer 35

Leaf modification

Coiled structure that attaches a plant for support. Generally has a bud in its axil or will be a modified leaflet of a compound leaf

Example: pea

Question 36

Spine

Answer 36

Leaf modification

A hard, sharp-pointed structure offering protection from herbivores. A spine will have a bud, leaf, or leaf scar in its axil. In some cases spines take he place of leaves

Example: cactus

Question 37

Bract

Answer 37

Leaf modification

A leaf that may be reduced or substantially different from the others on a stem and is usually found just below a flower. It provides additional color to attract pollinators.

Example: the colored, floral bracts of poinsettias

Question 38

Stipule

Answer 38

Leaf modification

Often blade-like appendage at the base of the leaf blade or leaf petiole. Function is unknown, and many are hypothesized to be useless

Example: pea

Question 39

Leaf succulence

Answer 39

Leaf modification

A fleshy leaf specialized for water storage

Example: crassula

Question 40

Insectivorous leaves

Answer 40

Leaf modification

Leaves specified for trapping and ingesting insects and other small invertebrates. Ingested insects usually provide a source of nitrogen.

Example: pitcher plant, venus fly trap, sundew, and butterwort

Question 41

What are endophytes?

Answer 41

Microorganisms that live inside plants for at least part of their life cycle without causing obvious signs of disease. Endophytes can be bacteria or fungi and often co-evolve with their hosts.

Question 42

Why are endophytes important?

Answer 42

Possess immense biochemical diversity and are known to produce antibiotics, antiviral compounds, antioxidants, insecticides, and other molecules that are beneficial to the host plant or and/or that may be helpful in human medicine, agriculture, and industry. Many endophytes produce enzymes that have potential applications in industry and medicine.

Question 43

What is the ecological function of endophytes?

Answer 43

They produce a wide range of compounds useful for plants for their growth, protection to environmental conditions, and sustainability.