B6 Variation Flashcards
What is variation
The difference in characteristics of individuals in a population
What are the 3 main causes of variation
. Genetic causes (genes they have inherited)
. Environmental causes (the conditions in which they have developed
. A combination of genes and environment
What are mutations
Changes to the genetic code. They take place all the time. Most have no effect on the phenotype. Some can have an effect on the phenotype. A small number of mutations actually determine the phenotype
What were the first life forms on earth
Single cells
What does evolution by natural selection mean
All species of living things evolved from these simple life forms - single cells
What is evolution
The change in the inherited characteristics of a population over time through the process of natural selection
What happens when 2 populations of species become so different in phenotype
They can no longer interbreed to produce fertile offspring. the 2 populations have become different species
What is selective breeding
Process by which humans breed plants and animals for particular genetic characteristics
Give 4 examples of selective breeding with reasoning
. Dogs - gentil nature
. Food crops - disease resistant
. Cows - produce more milk/more of them
. Plants - larger flowers
How is selective breeding carried out
. Select the largest male and female from a mixed population of cows
. Breed them together - sexual reproduction. This gives variation in offspring so the offspring will be a mixture of larger and smaller animals
. Select the largest male and female from the offspring and breed them together
. Continue to do this over many generations until offspring are large
What are the problems with selective breeding
. If we breed closely related animals or plants, then we can get interbreeding. This can cause some breeds to be:
Prone to disease
Prone to inherited defects
How are gentecially modified crops (GM crops) produced
By transferring genes Into plants
Why are plants genetically modified
. Produce greater yield than normal crops
. Resistant to disease and insect attack
. Bigger and better friut
. Some are resistant to herbicides
Why are ppl against GM crops
. Could affect populations of wild flowers and insects
. Some ppl feel we need more research on the health effects of eating GM crops
What are gene therapy
. Genetic modification is currently being explored as a way to treat inherited disorders in humans
. Long term effects are not known
. If we modify a gene, we do not know the potential effects on other genes
How is genetic engeneering carried out
. Identify the gene we want to transfer (can be gene from human, plant, animal)
. Use enzyme to isolate the gene
. Insert DNA into a vector. This can be a placmid or a virus
. The disired gene is transfered into the cells of the target organisation
Give example of genetic engeneering
. In genetic engineering, genes from one organisation are cut out and transfered to cells of a different organism. The genome of the bacteria is modified and now includes a human gene
Eg: insulin
. Insulin is hormone which helps regulation blood glucose concentration in humans
. Ppl with type 1 diabetes can’t make own insulin so they inject themselves with insulin regularly. Bacteria modified to contain human insulin gene
. This bacteria now produces human insulin
. The insulin can be purified and used for type 1 diabetes
What are fossils
Remains fog organisms form millions of years ago which are found in rocks
Describe 3ways in which fossils are formed
. Can be formed where parts of the organisms have not ddcayed (happens when conditons for decay are absent eg: to cold, no oxygen, no water)
. Parts of organism are replaced with minerals as they decay
. Fossils can be preserved and traced for organisms eg footprints, burrows
What are the probs with fossils
Earliest life forms where soft bodied (didn’t have shell or Skelton). They very early form fossils
. Fossils that did form have been destroyed due to change in rock in the earth’s crust. Because there are very little fossils of the earliest life form scientists can’t be sure how life started exactly
What is ment by extinction
When no remaining individuals of that species Is still alive
How and why do species become extinct
. Catestrophic event eg astroid hit earth
. Environmental changes eg weather patterns
. A new disease/predator (could kill all of the individuals of a species and make them extinct
. A new, more successful species evolves and competes with it
What are some key points about bacteria
. Can evolve rapidly because they reproduce at a fast rate
. Antibiotics kill bacteria
. Used in medicine, farming - prevent animals from developing bacterial disease
How does bacteria become antibiotic resistant
. Mutation could make bacterium resistant to antibiotics
. If we use antibiotic, all bacteria is killed apart from the bacterium which is resistant to antibiotics
. This antibiotic resistant strain survives and reproduces without any completion from other bacteria. Overtime the population of this rises the spreads as people are not immune to it and there is no effective treatment
How do u reduce the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria
. Doctors should no prescribe antibiotics inappropriately such as treating non serious or viral infections
. Patients should complete there course of antibiotics so all bacteria dies and non survive to mutate and form resistant strains
. The agricultural use of antibiotics should be restricted
What are the issues with developing new antibiotics
. Takes a long time
. Expensive
. Hard to keep up with the emergence of new resistant strains
What classification system did Carl linius come up with
System developed to classify species into different categories based on structure and characteristics. Has plant kingdom and animal kingdom
Who came up with the 3 domane system
Carl woese
What is the 3 domain system
. Archea:
Primitive bacteria found in extreme conditons such as hot springs
. Bacteria:
True bacteria
Lives in the human digestive system
. Eukaryota:
Include animals, plants, fungi, protist
What is an evolutionary tree
Method used by scientists to show how closely related organisms are to each other
What data is used for an evolutionary tree
Classification data eg: DNA
And fossil data for extinct organisms
What is the problem with the data used for an evolutionary tree
Fossils records not complete for many species
Describe sexual reproduction
. Produces genetically different cells using 2 organisms
. Firtilistation occurs
. Involves gametes
. When environmental changes occur, variation gives a survival advantage by natural selection
. Gives species a greater chance at survival when conditons become challenging
Describe asexual reproduction
. Produce genetically identical cells
. Only 1 parent
. Doesn’t involve gammetes
. More time and energy efficient - no need to find a mate
. Faster than sexual reproduction
. Many identical offspring can be produced when conditions are favourable
. Risk they can all die if conditons are unfavourable