Year 11 Biodiversity

Question 1

Define biodiversity

Answer 1

Biodiversity is the variety of all living things; the different species, the genetic information they contain and the ecosystems they form.

Question 2

What is a mega diverse country?

Answer 2

A country recognized for possessing diverse ecosystems and many endemic species, such as Australia.

Question 3

Define gene

Answer 3

Gene: unit of heredity

Question 4

List the importance of maintaining biodiversity.

Answer 4

• Provisioning services (food, clean water, timber)
• Regulating services (climate, disease, pollination)
• Cultural services (recreational, aesthetic benefits)
• Supporting services (soil formation, nutrient cycling)

Question 5

Describe genetic biodiversity.

Answer 5

Genetic biodiversity = all of the different genes within a population/species.

Question 6

Describe species biodiversity.

Answer 6

Species biodiversity = the variety of species within a habitat or region.

Question 7

Describe ecosystem biodiversity.

Answer 7

Ecosystem biodiversity = the variety of ecosystems within a given region.

Question 8

Define a keystone species.

Answer 8

A species that has a large influence on an ecological community despite its relatively low abundance.

Question 9

What is the biological species concept?

Answer 9

A group of organisms whose members have the potential to interbreed in nature and produce fertile offspring.

Question 10

What is the morphological species concept?

Answer 10

Characterises a species by its morphology or form.
Can be applied to fossils: Comparison of structures such as bones can determine variablilty between similar species. characteristics to identify include: body symmetry, structure of skeleton, digestive system etc

Question 11

What is the phylogenetic species concept?

Answer 11

The smallest group of organisms who can all trace their origins to a single common ancestor. utilises genetic techniques and is used in all classififcation systems.

Question 12

Define sub-species.

Answer 12

A taxonomic group that is a division of a species, usually arising from geographical isolation.

Question 13

Define hybrid.

Answer 13

An offspring resulting from the cross between parents of different species or sub-species.

Question 14

How can biodiversity be measured?

Answer 14

• Species richness
• Species evenness
• Simpson Index calculations

Question 15

What is species richness?

Answer 15

The number of different species present in an area.

Question 16

What is species evenness?

Answer 16

Takes into account the abundance of each species in a community.

Question 17

What does the Simpson Index measure?

Answer 17

A measure of biodiversity that takes into account both species richness and species evenness.

Question 18

What is a World Heritage site?

Answer 18

A location recognized by UNESCO for its cultural or natural significance, examples include Shark Bay and the Great Barrier Reef.

Question 19

Define a biodiversity hotspot.

Answer 19

A biogeographic region that is both a significant reservoir of biodiversity and is threatened with destruction.

Question 20

What are international migration routes?

Answer 20

Routes used by animals for migration, including breeding areas for birds, whales, turtles, and whale sharks.

Question 21

List the criteria for a biodiversity hotspot.

Answer 21

• Contains at least 1500 species of vascular plants that are endemic
• Must have lost at least 70% of the original habitat

Question 22

What is biological classification?

Answer 22

A hierarchical system based on molecular sequences, physical features, and reproduction methods.

Question 23

Why do biologists classify living things?

Answer 23

• Organizing information
• Identifying patterns and trends
• Effective communication
• Internationally recognized system

Question 24

What is the significance of the Linnaean system of Binomial nomenclature?

Answer 24

An internationally recognized two-part naming system that includes Genus and species.

Question 25

List the main classification groups (taxa) used in biology.

Answer 25

* Domain * Kingdom * Phylum * Class * Order * Family * Genus * Species

Question 26

What happens as you move down the hierarchical groups (taxa)?

Answer 26

Organisms share more characteristics and there are fewer organisms at each successive level.

Question 27

What types of characteristics can be used for classification?

Answer 27

* Physical characteristics (morphology) * Reproductive methods * Molecular sequences

Question 28

What is a clade?

Answer 28

A clade (also known as a monophyletic group) is a group of organisms that includes a single common ancestor and all of its descendants.

Question 29

Define cladistics.

Answer 29

A method of grouping animals based on lines of descent rather than structural similarities.

Question 30

What is a cladogram?

Answer 30

A diagram used in cladistics to show evolutionary relationships among organisms.

Question 31

True or False: Classification systems reflect evolutionary relatedness between groups of organisms.

Answer 31

True

Question 32

Define Genome

Answer 32

Genome: an organism’s complete set of DNA

Question 33

Why is the Fitzgerald River a biodiversity hotspot

Answer 33

supports over 1,700 identified plant species, which represents almost 20% of the State’s described plant species.

Question 34

Difference between native and endemic species

Answer 34

Native can belong to multiple regions, while endemic belong to one specific region.

Question 35

Why is it difficult to determine endemism in marine species?

Answer 35

There is no definitive boundary in marine/oceanic environment.

Question 36

Limitations of Biological species concept:

Answer 36

Not possible to appl to fossils of extinct organisms, because it's impossible to know which individuals could interbreed. Sometimes an overlap of species can occur, and a hybrid forms, carrying mismatched chromosomes.

Question 37

Limitations of Morphological species concept

Answer 37

Unrelated species may evolve similar physical characteristics due to adapting to similar environments.

Question 38

Limitations of phylogenetic species concept

Answer 38

it does not identify species based on reproductive boundaries between them, it may have the effect of identifying populations connected by gene flow as different species.

Question 39

How can phylogenetics be used?

Answer 39

Genetic information is used to create phylogenetic trees that show common ancestry from branching points.

Question 40

Percentage cover:

Answer 40

how much an area is covered by a plant/feature.

Question 41

Percentage frequency

Answer 41

Probability a species will be found in a single quadrant.

Question 42

List one biotic and abiotic factoe tht limit a species abundance and distribution.

Answer 42

Pests Mountain Ranges- Weather/climate

Question 43

features of Eukaryotes

Answer 43

contain DNA within a nucleus and membrane organelles.

Question 44

features of prokaryotes

Answer 44

no nucleus, membrane bound

Question 45

features of animalia

Answer 45

mammals, insects, sea sponges

Question 45

features of archaea

Answer 45

prokaryotes, live in extreme environments

Question 46

features of Plants

Answer 46

eukaryotic, cell walls, photosynthesis

Question 47

features of fungi

Answer 47

multicellular, breakdown+ absorb nutrients

Question 47

features of protists

Answer 47

single celled/multicellular, eukaryotic

Question 48

relationship between phylum and class

Answer 48

A phylum is a broader taxonomic grouping with multiple classes, each of which contains organisms sharing more specific characteristics than those within the phylum as a whole.

Question 49

why is Linnaeus's binomial system used

Answer 49

-universal identification language easy to organise

Question 50

state the idea that classification os based on

Answer 50

Biological classification is based on the idea of shared ancestry and derived characteristics.

Question 50

example of physical characteristics used in classification

Answer 50

physical/structural/morphological

Question 51

example of how methods of reproduction are used in classification

Answer 51

sexual: two parents and the union of gametes can be internal or external. asexual one parent producing identical offspring

Question 52

example of how molecular sequences are used in classification

Answer 52

DNA, RNA and amino acid can be analysed to help with classification. provides information for ancestral relationships and divergence times.

Question 53

What is paraphyletic

Answer 53

A paraphyletic group is a group that shares a common ancestor but excludes some of its descendants.

Question 54

Impacts of new technologies and molecular sequencing of dna

Answer 54

reclassing of organisms dna supports hypotheses of evolutionary relationships provide highly detailed info on evolutionary history