11: Classification

Question 1

What is Classification?
What are the 2 aspects?

Answer 1

• the way in which living organisms are divided
  Hierarchical: smaller group within larger groups and no overlap between groups
  Phylogenetic: based on the evolutionary history of organism

Question 2

Write the Hierarchal System:
What size order is the hierarchical system in?
What is the Binomial naming System?
What is each group called?

Answer 2

1. domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
2. Descending order
3. First name Genus (capital), last name Species (non-capital)
4. Taxon

Question 3

Describe the correlation of branches in Phylogentic Tree’s and Evolutionary Relationship:

Answer 3

• the closer the branches, the close the evolutionary relationship + therefore the more recently they shared a common ancestor
• each branch represents where a divergence occurred (where a common ancestor evolves to become a new species

Question 4

Define Species:

Answer 4

• a group of organisms with similar characteristics, which can interbreed to produce fertile offspring

Question 5

Describe 5 functions of Courtship Behaviour:

Answer 5

• Species recognition
• Synchronising reproductive behaviour: e.g only when individuals are at the correct stage of the reproductive cycle (fertile), they will respond
• Identify a mate capable of breeding: e.g need to be sexually mature
• Formation of a pair bond: e.g keeps male + female together increasing survival chances of the offspring
• Becoming able to breed: e.g bringing members of the physiological state to breed

Question 6

State 4 ways you can Investigate Diversity within/between a species:

Answer 6

1. comparing frequencies of measurable/observable characteristics
2. comparing the base sequence of DNA
3. comparing the base sequence of mRNA
4. comparing the amino acid sequence of proteins encoded by DNA + mRNA

Question 7

When measuring Variation what are 2 factors that have to be used to ensure reliability?

Answer 7

• large samples are more representative of the population
• random sampling needs to be used to avoid bias

Question 8

What is the correlation between Standard Deviations and Significance?

Answer 8

• if the standard deviations overlap there is no significant difference between the 2 means
• if the standard deviations don’t overlap there is a significant difference between the 2 means