Biodiversity and Adaptation

Question 1

What is genetic diversity?

Answer 1

The number of different alleles of a gene is a population

Question 2

What is natural selection?

Answer 2

Individuals of a population that are best suited to their environment survive and reproduce more. The beneficial alleles are most likely to pass on to the next generation

Question 3

What is evolution?

Answer 3

Change in allele frequency over time

Question 4

Describe the process of natural selection.

Answer 4

1. Variation of alleles exists in population
2. Result of mutation
3. Selection for individuals with beneficial allele
4. Different reproductive successes ( survive + reproduce)
5. Changes the allele frequency
6. Over a long period of time

Question 5

What is directional selection?

Answer 5

1. A change in the conditions of the environment
2. Individuals with an extreme type of characteristic are more likely to survive and reproduce e.g antibiotic resistance
3. Parent population is exposed to antibiotic
4. Only those with allele for resistance will survive and reproduce
5. Allele for antibiotic resistance allele will increase in offspring
6. ∴ The mean amount of antibiotic resistance changes

Question 6

What is stabilising selection?

Answer 6

1. Individuals with extreme types of characteristic are less likely to survive / reproduce e.g Human birth weight
2. Very heavy babies more likely to die
3. Very light babies more likely to die ( cold due to a higher SA:Vol ratio
4. Most likely to survive in the middle range
5. Means remain close to the same

Question 7

What is a species?

Answer 7

Organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring

Question 8

What does courtship behavior do?

Answer 8

1. Allows for the recognition of the same species
2. Stimulates the release of gametes
3. Allows for the recognition of the opposite sex
4. Indicates sexual maturity

Question 9

What is phylogenetic classification?

Answer 9

Arranging species into groups based on evolutionary relatives

Question 10

What is a population?

Answer 10

All the organisms of the same species in a habitat

Question 11

What is a community?

Answer 11

All of the population of all of the species in a habitat

Question 12

What is biodiversity?

Answer 12

The variety of species in an area

Question 13

What is the definition of species richness?

Answer 13

The number of different species in an area

Question 14

What is the index of diversity?

Answer 14

Describes the relationship between the number of species in a community and the number of individuals of each species

Question 15

What are some of the effects of farming on biodiversity?

Answer 15

1. Decreases biodiversity
2. Forests are cleared
3. Hedgerows are removed
4. Monoculture
   - Fewer species of plants
   - Fewer species of insects
   - Fewer food sources for other species
   - Fewer habitats + niches

Question 16

What is conservation?

Answer 16

Getting farmers to conserve biodiversity by :
- Protecting species by law
- Restrict urban development in important / biodiverse areas

Question 17

What are some ways you would compare genetic diversity?

Answer 17

1. Comparing DNA / mRNA sequencing
2. Compare the Amino Acid sequence (primary structure)
3. The observation of charecteristics

Question 18

What can diversity / variation be caused as?

Answer 18

1. Genetic differences e.g Blood type
2. Environmental differences e.g Nutrition

Question 19

What is standard deviation?

Answer 19

The average variation of the data away from the mean

Question 20

Why would your random sample?

Answer 20

1. It avoids bias
2. Divide sampling area into grid
3. Random number generator to pick co-ordinates