Biodiversity Flashcards
what is a species?
can interbreed to produce fertile offspring’s and Do not normally interbreed with any other group of organisms. occupy the same ecological niche. will be similar in terms of DNA, physical attributes etc
what ecological niche?
An ecological niche is the role and position a species has in its environment e.g. how it gets food and shelter, how it survives, and how it reproduces
what is a hybrid?
give an example?
Different species can sometimes interbreed to produce hybrid offspring. The parent organisms are still considered separate species because their offspring are infertile. liger – the infertile offspring of a male lion and a female tiger.
what is courtship?
Animal activity that results in mating and reproduction.
how can individuals of the same species recognise each other?
by the way they act.
but also they can recognise each other by looks
explain the difference in courtship between human and animals?
Humans are unusual in that mating is often carried out without the intention of creating fertile offspring!
females only reproduce at..? so..?
females only reproduce eggs at a certain time so courtship behaviour is important so that the male is aware that if the female is not in a receptive stage then she can provide an accurate response in order for the male to find another receptive partner
explain why courtship is important?
Courtship is important as it acts as an isolating mechanism to prevent different species from interbreeding. Also helps to ensure successful mating between members of the same species This means that fertile offspring are produced. The species survives!
courtship enables individuals to?
- recognise members of their own species
- identify a mate that is capable of breeding
- form a pair bond that will lead to successful mating and raising of offspring
- synchronise mating so will only take place when there is a maximum possibility of egg and sperm meeting
- become able to breed by bring a member of the opposite sex into the psychological state that allows breeding to occur
what do females look for in mating
Choose a strong and healthy mate that is capable of breeding
Elaborate courtship rituals help strengthen pair bonds that may last through the raising of the young or longer. Why is that important?
result in a bond forming between two animals that can, in many cases, last a lifetime. This bond becomes evolutionarily advantageous in species where both parents must care for the young by increasing the likelihood that the parents will stay together after mating.
examples of courtship?
explain what is meant by species are specific?
helps to ensure successful mating between members of the same species This means that fertile offspring are produced The species survives!
what are pheromones?
some female insects use this to attract males
what is a sign stimulus?
Sign stimulus (releaser) The essential feature of a stimulus, which is necessary to get a response.
why do we have a classification system?
because there are millions of species and it helps us to Understand relationships between organisms and keep track of changes
what is phylogeny?
the study of how closely related organisms are in terms of evolution
what is a hierarchy?
smaller groups are placed within larger groups. There is no overlap between groups.
how are organisms grouped?
- common features
- shared evolutionary history
what are the 3 domains?
- bacteria
- archaea
- eukarya
what is the order of classification? name each group.
DOMAIN
KINGDOM
PHYLUM
CLASS
ORDER
FAMILY
GENUS
SPECIES
what is each group called?
a taxon
each species is universally identified by a binomial name which consists of?
the name of the genus and species.
DNA, proteins and classification
after science, comparisons can be made from..?
by direct examinations of their:
- DNA
- or mRNA
- proteins encoded by their DNA
explain the advantage of this?
This allows better comparisons and understanding of evolutionary relationships