Biodiversity - Yr 1

Question 1

Genetic Diversity

Answer 1

The greater the number of different alleles that all members of a species possess, the greater the genetic diversity of that species.

Question 2

Allele frequency

Answer 2

the number of times an allele occurs within the gene pool in a population, relative to all others at same locus

Question 3

Gene pool

Answer 3

all the different alleles of all the genes of all the individuals in a population at any one time

Question 4

Natural Selection

Answer 4

Natural Selection is Darwin’s theory to explain the mechanism of evolution. The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce and pass on their advantageous alleles to the their offspring, whilst those less well adapted fail to do so.

Question 5

Directional selection

Answer 5

Favours one extreme of the range of characteristics and the other extreme is selected against – shift in population curve

Question 6

Stabilising selection

Answer 6

Favours the mean of the distribution because the extremes are at a selective disadvantage – frequency of mean phenotype increases

Question 7

Polygenes

Answer 7

Group of genes that are responsible for controlling a characteristic.

Question 8

Normal distribution curve

Answer 8

A bell-shaped curve produced when a certain distribution is plotted on a graph

Question 9

Biodiversity

Answer 9

The range and variety of genes, species and habitats within a particular region. Made up of three components: genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity.

Question 10

Species

Answer 10

A group of organisms that have a common ancestry and so share the same genes and are capable of breeding together to produce fertile offspring - are reproductively separated from other species.

Question 11

Binomial naming system

Answer 11

Linnaeus’ system to name species. 1st: Generic name (genus). 2nd: Specific name (species) E.g. Felix tigris

Question 12

Hierarchy

Answer 12

Groups within larger groups; with no overlap between groups at each rank

Question 13

Artificial Classification

Answer 13

Process of classifying organisms based on differences useful at time e.g. colour, size, number of legs

Question 14

Phylogenetic Classification

Answer 14

Process of classifying organisms based upon evolutionary relationships between organisms and ancestors

Question 15

Analogous Characteristics

Answer 15

Characteristics with the same function not the same evolutionary origins. e.g. wings of butterflies and birds used for flight but originated in different ways.

Question 16

Homologous Characteristics

Answer 16

Characteristics with similar evolutionary origins regardless of their functions in the adult of a species e.g. wing of a bird, arm of a human and front leg of a horse

Question 17

Taxon

Answer 17

Each group within a phylogenetic biological classification (pl. taxa)

Question 18

Courtship behaviour

Answer 18

A specialised behaviour that precedes the fertilisation of eggs by a male to ensure successful reproduction.

Question 19

Classification

Answer 19

Organisation of living organisms into groups

Question 20

Taxonomy

Answer 20

The practice of biological classification

Question 21

Domain

Answer 21

Largest taxon either bacteria, archaea and eukarya

Question 22

Kingdom

Answer 22

Second largest taxon of classification. Eukarya domain divides into Protoctista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.

Question 23

Community

Answer 23

The organisms of all species that live in the same area

Question 24

Population

Answer 24

A group of organisms of the same species occupying a particular space at a particular time that can potentially interbreed.

Question 25

Species diversity

Answer 25

Number of different species and number of individuals of each species within any one community

Question 26

Ecosystem Diversity

Answer 26

Range of different habitats within a particular area

Question 27

Genetic diversity

Answer 27

Variety of genes possessed by individuals that make up any one species

Question 28

Species richness

Answer 28

The number of different species represented in an ecological community. It does not take account the abundances of species or their relative abundance distributions.

Question 29

Index of diversity

Answer 29

A formula is used to quantify the biodiversity of a habitat. It takes into account the number of species present as well as the abundance of each species.

Question 30

Biomass

Answer 30

The total mass of living material, normally measured in a specific area over a given period of time

Question 31

Conservation

Answer 31

Management of the Earth’s natural resources in such a way that maximum use can be made of them in the future

Question 32

Intercropping

Answer 32

The practice of growing two or more crops in close proximity usually to produce a greater yield on a piece of land.

Question 33

Habitat

Answer 33

The place where an organism normally lives

Question 34

Random sampling

Answer 34

Sampling a population to eliminate bias e.g. grid square and co-ordinates

Question 35

Sampling bias

Answer 35

When a sample is collected in such a way that some members of the intended population are more or less likely to be included than others. The data you collect may therefore not be accurate or represent the group.

Question 36

Sample size

Answer 36

The number of observations in a sample.

Question 37

Mean

Answer 37

A type of average where you add up all of the numbers then divide by how many numbers there are.

Question 38

Median

Answer 38

A type of average where you place the numbers you are given in value order and find the middle number.

Question 39

Mode

Answer 39

A type of average that is the number that occurs the most often.

Question 40

Standard deviation

Answer 40

A measure of how spread out about the mean your values are. The more spread out the data the higher it will be.