10.1 Species and taxonomy

Question 1

What is a species?

Answer 1

a group of similar organisms that can reproduce to produce fertile offspring

Question 2

what parts of the classification system are used to name a species?

Answer 2

Genus, species

Question 3

How do we name species?

Answer 3

Using the binomial system

Question 4

What are the rules of the binomial system?

Answer 4

• italics or underlined if hand written
• first letter of first name uppercase
• first letter of second name lowercase

Question 5

list the benefits to the species that result from courtship behaviour

Answer 5

prevents mating with a different species.
allows members of the same species to know when others are ready to mate
recognising members of their own species capable of breeding
formation of a pair bond
synchronize mating (when a female is a season)
some species adapt their physiological state in order to allow them to breed

Question 6

Why is it important for species to be able to recognise their own species with courtship?

Answer 6

So they can produce fertile offspring

Question 7

Why is it important to synchronise mating?

Answer 7

So that mating takes place when most fertile and there is maximum probability of sperm and egg meeting

Question 8

What is artificial classification?

Answer 8

divides organisms based on differences useful at the time eg. wings

Question 9

What is phylogenetic classification?

Answer 9

Classifies species into groups based on evolutionary relationships between organisms and ancestors

Question 10

What are the three domains?

Answer 10

• Bacteria
• Archaea
• Eukarya

Question 11

What is taxonomy?

Answer 11

theory and practise of biological classification

Question 12

What is classification?

Answer 12

Grouping organisms together

Question 13

what does it mean for a classification characteristic to be analogous, why is it often not helpful to use them?

Answer 13

analogous characteristics develop independently as adaptations to a common function/need e.g. flying
does not necessarily identify species from same evolutionary line

Question 14

List the features that make up the bacteria domain

Answer 14

no membrane bound organelles
unicellular
ribosomes are smaller compared to eukaryotic cells
cell walls present and made up of muerin
single loop of naked DNA, no histones associated

Question 15

List the features that make up the archaea domain

Answer 15

Genes and protein synthesis more similar to eukaryotes
cell walls do not contain muerin
complex form of RNA polymerase
membranes contain fatty acid chains and glycerol attached by ester linkages
used to be classified as bacteria however a number of important differences allowed them to have their own domain

Question 16

List the features that make up the eukarya domain

Answer 16

cells contain membrane bound organelles
membranes contain fatty acid chains and glycerol attached by ester linkages
not all have a cell wall, but if they do muerin is not present
ribosomes are larger than bacteria and archaea
divided then into 4 kingdoms.
- animals
- plantae
- fungi
- protista

Question 17

define biodiversity

Answer 17

general term used to describe variety in the living world

Question 18

define species diversity

Answer 18

the number of different species and the number of individuals species of each species within the community

Question 19

Define genetic diversity

Answer 19

The variety of genes possessed by the individuals that make up a population of a species

Question 20

Define ecosystem diversity

Answer 20

the range of different habitats, from a small local habitat to the whole earth

Question 21

What are the taxonomic ranks (hierarchy of classification) in order?

Answer 21

Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species

Question 22

what is species richness a measure of?

Answer 22

the number of different species in a community