1 Flashcards
What do fossils provide?
A record of life forms that once existed in the past.
What do paleontologists infer from fossils?
What past life forms were like and the environment they lived in.
What is a fossil?
Preserved remains of organisms from the past.
What process replaces calcium phosphate in bones with minerals?
Mineralization.
What are trace fossils?
Indirect evidence of organisms such as tracks, trails, and feces.
How does erosion affect fossils?
Erosion wears away rock layers, exposing preserved remains.
What do fossils reveal about Earth’s history?
They show that evolution has occurred and how Earth’s surface has changed.
What is the approximate age of the oldest bacteria?
3.8 billion years.
What significant event occurred 4.4 billion years ago?
The formation of oceans.
What was the first step in the origin of life according to laboratory experiments?
Organic molecules can form in a strongly reducing atmosphere.
What are prokaryotic cells?
The earliest and simplest cell forms that lack a well-defined nucleus.
What characterizes eukaryotic cells?
A distinct nucleus surrounded by a membrane and other membrane-bound organelles.
What is the significance of sexual reproduction in evolution?
It increases genetic variability, hastening evolution.
What are the two kinds of extinction?
- Taxonomic/pseudoextinction
- True extinction
What is the main cause of modern species extinction?
Destruction of habitats.
What is the ‘Great Dying’?
The End Permian Mass Extinction.
What are some suggested causes of the End Cretaceous Mass Extinction?
- Asteroid/comet impact
- Climate change
- Volcanic activity
What is the current rate of species extinction?
About 4000 species per year.
What is the geological time scale’s largest division?
Eon.
What is the oldest known fossil age?
3.5 billion years.
What are stromatolites?
Layers of calcium carbonate formed by photosynthetic bacteria.
What is the significance of the Ediacara fauna?
They are the oldest fossils of larger, multicellular, soft-bodied marine animals.
What major development occurred during the Cambrian period?
A period of great diversification in life forms.
What were the dominant life forms during the Devonian period?
Fishes and vascular land plants.