Biodiversity = Species and Taxonomy

Question 1

What is the definition of a species?

Answer 1

A group of organisms that are capable of breeding and producing fertile living offspring

Question 2

How do you name an organism?

Answer 2

• the first name is the genus which the organism belongs to. This is in italics and the first letter is a capital
• the second name is the species that the organism belongs to. This is also in italics

Question 3

What four things do courtships behaviours help organisms do?

Answer 3

• form pair bonds
• recognise identify a mate that is capable of breeding.
• synchronise breeding
• allow organisms of the same species to recognise each other
• stimulates the release of gametes

Question 4

How do pair bonds increase the probability of successful mating

Answer 4

• the two organisms can provide both food and security to their offspring, increasing the chances that their offspring survive and reproduce

Question 5

How does synchronised breeding increase the probability of successful mating?

Answer 5

• there is maximum probability of the sperm and egg cell meeting

Question 6

How does identifying a mate capable of breeding increase the probability of successful mating?

Answer 6

• both organsims would then be sexually mature, fertile and receptive to mating allowing offspring to be produced

Question 7

How does species being able to recognise each other increase the probability of successful mating?

Answer 7

Members of the same species will do and recognise each other, which prevents interbreeding so reproduction is more successful.

Question 8

What are the two types of classification?

Answer 8

• artificial classification
• phylogenetic classification

Question 9

What is phylogenetic classification?

Answer 9

• A type of classification that uses a hierarchy in which smaller groups are placed within larger groups, with no overlap between groups.
• this is based on evolutionary relationships between organisms and their ancestors
• it also classifies species into groups using shared features derived from their ansestors

Question 10

How is phylogenetic classification done?

Answer 10

• comparing:
• base sequences
• amino acid sequences
• the frequency of measurable characteristics
• fossils

Question 11

What is artifical classification?

Answer 11

• organisms divided according to differences that are useful within that time. For example: colour, size,number of legs

Question 12

What is taxonomy?

Answer 12

• the study of groups and their positions in a hierarchal order
• this is known as taxonomic ranks

Question 13

What is a hierarchy?

Answer 13

• smaller groups within larger groups with no overlap between different groups

Question 14

What is the order of taxa?

Answer 14

• Domain (not included, just for understanding)
• Phylum
• Class
• Order
• Family
• Genus
• Species

Question 15

What is a domain?

Answer 15

• the highest taxonomic rank
• this includes = bacteria, Archea, Eukarya

Question 16

What are the five kingdoms?

Answer 16

• prokaryotes
• protocistis
• fungi
• plants
• Animals

Question 17

What is phylogeny?

Answer 17

• the evolutionary relationship between organisms