Biodiversity, Classification and conservation Flashcards
What is the taxonomic hierarchy? (DKPCOFGS)
dumb kids prefer cheese over fried green spinach
*Each rank/group is called a taxon
3 domains:
*Bacteria
*Archae
*Eukarya
Describe the 3 domains in the taxonomic heirarchy.
Cell Type:
Bacteria-Prokaryotic
Archaea-Prokaryotic
Eukarya-Eukaryotic
Size:
B-0.5-5μm
A-0.5-5μm
E-10-100μm
DNA:
B-circular, not associated with histones, plasmids may be present
A-circular, some assosiated with histones, plasmids may be present
E-Linear, associated with histones, But DNA im chloroplast and mitochondria is circular, plasmid absent
Nucleus:
B-Absent, DNA is at nuceloid region/lies free in cytoplasm
A-Absent
E-Present
Organelles:
B and A-No membrane bound organelles
E-Has membrane bound organelles
Ribosome:
B and A-70s
E-80s (but chloroplasts and mitochondria have 70s)
Cell wall:
B-Made of peptidoglycan
A-Present, but does not contain peptidoglycans
E-Kingdom plantae=cellulose and kingdom fungi=chitin
Method of cell division:
B and A-Binary fission
E-Mitosis, reproduction can be asexual and sexual
Cell organisation:
B-Unicellular, spherical/rod/spiral/comma shaped, May form pairs/tetrads/strings/filaments/clusters/palisades
A-Unicellular
E-Unicellular or multicellular, colonial
AVP:
B-May have flagella, pili, capsule, slime layer etc
A-Some are extremophiles, cell membrane composition different from bacteria/eukarya
Describe how bacteria can be classified.
bacteria vary greatly in shape and can be classified using shapes.
Spherical-Coccus (plural: cocci)-Streptococcus pneumoniae
Rod-shaped: Bacillus (plural:bascilli)-Bacillus anthracis (causes anthrax in sheep and cattle)
Spiral-spirallum (plural: spirilli/spirilla)-Leptospira (causes leptospirosis)
Comma shaped-Vibrio-Vibrio cholerae (causes cholera)
What are the four kingdoms of eukarya?
- Proctoctista
- Fungi
- Plantae
- Animalia
Describe proctoctista
Examples: Plasmodium falciparum, algae, amoeba, paramecium
Cell organisation: Unicellular, some colonial
Hetero/Autotrophic: some hetero (animal like= Protozoa) and some autotrophic (plant-like = algae, have chloroplast)
Cell wall: Cellulose cell wall present in some
Vacuole: Present in some
Motility: Some have flagella/cilia and are motile
Describe Fungi:
Examples: Yeasts, Mushrooms, Penicillium
Cell organisation: Mostly multicellular, some unicellular
Hetero/autotrophic: Heterotrophic (saprophytes/parasites)
Cell wall: Made of chitin
Special organelles/ structures: Mycelium composed of thread like hyphae
May or may not have cross walls/septum
Reproduce by spores
Motility: Not motile, never have cilia/flagella
Storage of carbohydrates: glycogen
Describe plantae
Examples: Ferns, mosses, flowering plants, conifers
Cell organisation: Multicellular with differentiated cells
Hetero/autotrophic: Autotrophic, can carry out photosynthesis
Describe animalia
Examples: Vertebrates, insects, corals, worms, jelly fish
Cell organisation: Multicellular with many types of differentiated cells
Hetero/autotrophic: heterotrophic
Cell wall: Absent
Vacoule; Small. temporary
Special organelles/structures: Cells have differentiated to form tissues and organs, have nervous coordination and can respond to stimuli quickly.
Motility: Motile, cells sometimes have cillia or flagella
Storage of carbohydrates: glycogen
Describe viruses:
Viruses:
*Non cellular structure
*50 times smaller than bacteria (20-300nm)
*Much simpler
*No plasma membrane, cytoplasm, ribosomes
*Only:
1. DNA or RNA
2. Protein coat=capsid
-Protective coat
-May have one or two coats
3. Many Viruses also have a lipid envelope
4. Some proteins may be present
e.g. haemaglutinin, neuraminidase
*All parasitic
*Can only reproduce by infecting living cells
*uses protein synthesisising machinery of host cell to replicate
- Virus bind to cell
- Incorporate viral DNA/RNA into cell
- Use host cell’s ribosomes, ER, Golgi to producr viral proteins
- Produce viruses
How can viruses be classified?
Viruses can be classified by:
*Type of nucleic acid they contain (DNA or RNA)
*Single stranded or double stranded
*Appearance
and more….
Define species:
Species: Group of similar organisms with the same
*Morphological
*Physiological
*Behavioural
*Biochemical features
*Which can interbreed to produce fertile offspring
*i.e. NOT reproductively isolated from each other
*members of one species are reproductively isolated from another species
Define ecosystem
*It is a self-sustaining unit
*It is a self-contained/defined area
*It is a community of organisms (i.e. included all populations of diff species)
*Many interactiond occur between biotic and abiotic factors
*All is linked by food webs, energy flow in system, nutrient cycling
*There is interdependence between organisms and enviroment
Define niche
*Role of organism or how it first in an ecosystem
*Including:
*Where it lives
*How it obtains its energy
*members of the same species occupy same niche
*Diff species alter their use of the niche to avoid competition by dividing recources (recourse partitioning)
Define biodiveristy
3 levels of biodiveristy to consider:
1. Variation in ecosystems or habitats
2. The number of diff species and their relative abundance
3. Genetic variation within each species
How to calculate the biodiversity of a habitat?
Use simpson’s index of diveristy (D)
D=1-(∑(n/N)^2)
Where n=number of induviduals of each species present in the sample
N=total number of all induviduals of all species
The higher the index (nearer to 1), the higher the diversity
How to assess the distrubution and abundance of organisms in a local area?
Method 1: Random sampling using frame quadrats
For plants or small, slow moving animals
method
Method 2: Systematic sampling along line transects/Belt transects
For plants or small, slow moving animals
Find distrubution across an area
Method 3: Mark-release-recapture
For small, mobile animals
Describe the method of random sampling using frame quadrats
- Mark out area to be sampled using string and marker pole
- Use random number generator to obtain coordinates
- Place quadrat on ground at random coordinates
*Use same quadrat size of 1m^2
*Small squares are 10x10cm usually - Identify species within quadrat using key/nature guide
- Estimate species abundance
1) Counting no. of induviduals/unit area = species density
When it’s diffucult to isolate induviduals/small species/plants
2) Estimating percentage error
3)Using a named abundance scale
e.g. AFCOR scale, Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale
