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Praxis (5236) - Biology > 4A2 Organization of Living Things and Order in the Biosphere > Flashcards

4A2 Organization of Living Things and Order in the Biosphere Flashcards

Describe levels of organization within living organisms and the importance of cellular differentiation. Understand levels of organization within the biosphere and their roles in maintaining life on Earth.

1
Q

What is the purpose of biological organization?

A

To organize living objects from the smallest parts to the largest parts.

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2
Q

List the levels of biological organization from smallest to largest.

A
  • Atoms
  • Molecules
  • Cells
  • Tissues
  • Organs
  • Organ Systems
  • Organism
  • Population
  • Community
  • Ecosystem
  • Biome
  • Biosphere
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3
Q

Define:

Cells

A

The basic units of life.

An organism cannot be considered living unless it is made up of at least 1 cell.

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4
Q

What is cell differentiation and why is it important?

A

The process of cells becoming more specialized, which is important because it creates the different cell types needed for specialization in multicellular organisms.

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5
Q

When many cells with the same structure and function come together they form what?

A

Tissues

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6
Q

A collection of tissues creates what?

A

An organ.

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7
Q

Define:

Organism

A

A basic living thing, which can be multicellular or unicellular.

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8
Q

Define:

Population

A

A group of organisms of the same species living in the same place at the same time.

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9
Q

Define:

Community

A

Two or more populations of organisms living together.

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10
Q

Define:

Ecosystem

A

The collection of both living and non-living things in an area.

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11
Q

Define:

Biome

A

An area of the world that has a similar temperature, vegetation, soil makeup, and rainfall.

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12
Q

What is the largest level of ecological organization?

A

The biosphere.

Composed of all life on Earth.

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13
Q

Why are stem cells unique?

A

They can differentiate into any type of cell based on the needs of the body.

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14
Q

What are the 2 most common types of stem cells?

A
  • Embryonic stem cells
  • Adult stem cells
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15
Q

Where are stem cells found within the body?

A

Within various types of tissues.

This includes the brain, bone marrow, and liver.

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16
Q

What is a biome?

A

A regional area characterized by the plants, animals, and climate in that area.

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17
Q

Name the five primary biomes in the world.

A
  • Grassland
  • Desert
  • Forest
  • Aquatic biome
  • Tundra
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18
Q

Where are savannas located?

A

Near the equator.

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19
Q

What are the two types of temperate grasslands?

A
  • Prairies - contain tall grasses
  • Steppes - contain shorter grasses
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20
Q

What is the largest steppe in the world called?

A

The Eurasian steppe.

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21
Q

What are the three categories into which savannas are sometimes divided based on precipitation level?

Savannas are considered a grassland.

A
  • Wet
  • Dry
  • Thornbush
22
Q

What are some common animals found in savannas?

A
  • Lions
  • Zebras
  • Cheetahs
  • Giraffes
  • Elephants
  • Vultures
23
Q

How much precipitation do temperate grasslands receive annually on average?

A

10 to 20 inches

24
Q

What are the four main types of deserts?

A
  • Hot and Dry
  • Semi-Arid
  • Coastal
  • Cold
25
What are the characteristics of **hot deserts**?
* Annual rainfall usually averages 6 inches per year. * Temperatures can range from 25 to 100°F. * Extreme hot deserts can have temperature ranges over 100°F. ## Footnote Typically located on the tropic of cancer and the tropic of Capricorn.
26
What are the characteristics of **semi-arid deserts**?
* Located in the Northern Hemisphere in areas such as Europe, North America, Russia, and northern Asia. * Summers are long with temperatures ranging from 69 to 80°F. * Winter for semi-arid deserts can be much cooler. * Usually experience up to 20 inches of rainfall yearly.
27
Where are **coastal deserts** found and what are their characteristics?
* Found on the western edges of continents between 20 degrees to 30 degrees latitude. * Have high humidity but experience little precipitation. * Summers range from 55 to 75°F and winters average 41°F.
28
Where are **cold deserts** found and what are their characteristics?
* Found in the Antarctic, Greenland, Northern and Western China, Turkestan, and Iran. * Temperatures average 28 to 39°F in the winter and 70 to 79°F in the summer. * Receive a large amount of snowfall and higher rainfall amounts, averaging 6 to 10 inches per year.
29
What is the **Savanna desert** and what are its characteristics?
* The African savanna spans several countries in Africa and is composed mainly of grasses with few scattered trees and shrubs. * Temperatures range from 68 to 77°F in the winter and 68 to 86°F in the summer. * Yearly precipitation levels average 40 to 60 inches.
30
What are the characteristics of **temperate deciduous rainforests?**
* Located in mid latitudes between polar and tropics. * Experience warm and wet summers and cold winters. * Rainfall averages 30 to 60 inches annually.
31
What are the characteristics of **tropical rainforests**?
* Located close to the equator. * Warm, humid, and moist receiving 80 to 400 inches of rainfall each year. * Temperatures average 70 to 85°F. * Contain the greatest species richness in the world.
32
What are the characteristics of **jungles**?
* Tropical forests with thick vegetation. * Located in tropical climates. * Do not have a canopy of trees as seen in the rainforest.
33
What are the characteristics of **Taiga/Boreal forests**?
* Coldest and driest climate of the forest biome categories. * Located in the northern hemisphere south of the Arctic Circle. * Most precipitation falls as snow. * Coniferous trees are endemic to the area.
34
What is the **difference** between Jungles and Rainforests?
* **Rainforests** tend to be more dark, damp, and humid because of the canopy formed from the tall trees. * In the **jungle**, trees are smaller and not as high, allowing the sun to reach the ground.
35
What are the two main categories of Aquatic Biomes?
* Freshwater * Marine
36
What are **aquatic biomes**?
Located in areas dominated by water, they are the largest of all biomes, covering almost 75% of Earth.
37
What defines **freshwater habitats**?
They have less than 1% salt in the water and include ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams.
38
What defines **marine habitats**?
They have a high concentration of salt in the water and include oceans and salty seas.
39
What are **coral reefs**?
They are located in the ocean and are considered a subtype of marine biomes. ## Footnote They are known for their enormous diversity of organisms.
40
What is the **tundra biome** characterized as?
A treeless polar desert, the coldest and harshest biome on Earth. ## Footnote Tundra biomes can be found in high latitudes in Alaska, Canada, Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia, and Sub-Antarctic Islands.
41
What is **permafrost**?
**Permanently frozen ground** located under the soil and is unique to the tundra biome.
42
What are the **two categories** of tundra biomes?
* Arctic tundra * Alpine tundra
43
What animals can be found in the **arctic tundra**?
* arctic foxes * polar bears * gray wolves * snow geese * musk oxen
44
What are the characteristics of the **arctic tundra**?
* Covers one fifth of the Earth's surface. * Located at the North Pole above the tree line. * Has harsh temperatures that can reach -50°F.
45
What are the characteristics of the **alpine tundra**?
* Found further away from the poles. * Experiences higher temperatures. * Has a wider range of precipitation than the arctic tundra.
46
What is the **difference** between an environment and an ecosystem?
* An **environment** is the place an organism calls home, composed of all abiotic and biotic factors. * An **ecosystem** includes factors within a habitat that directly interact with each other.
47
What are the **levels of organization** in an ecosystem?
* Organismal ecology * Population ecology * Community ecology * Ecosystem ecology * Biosphere ecology
48
What is **organismal ecology** focused on?
Individual organisms and how they interact with their environment.
49
What does **population ecology** focus on?
A specific type of organism and identifies population trends, density, and abundance within a given area.
50
What does **community ecology** include?
Multiple species, focusing on the number, type, density, and abundance of organisms within a given area.
51
What does **ecosystem ecology** consider?
The interactions between organisms and the abiotic components of an area.
52
What is the focus of **biosphere ecology**?
All living organisms and all environments on the planet.

Praxis (5236) - Biology (39 decks)

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