Biological Diversity Flashcards
Taxonomy
A system by which we name & classify all organisms, living & extinct
Binomial Nomenclature
System used today by Carl von Linne, every organism has 2-part name
Domains
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Four kingdoms of Eukarya
Protista
Fungi: yeast, mold, mushrooms
Plantae: mosses, ferns, flowering plants
Animalia
Evolutionary Trends in Animals
Specialized Cells, Tissues & Organs Germ Layers Body Symmetry Development of Head Body Cavity Formation
Tissue
Group of similar cells that perform one function
Sciatic nerve
Organ
Group of issues that work together to perform related functions
Germ Layers
Main layers, form various tissues & organs of the body, formed in embryonic development
Ectoderm
Outermost layer, becomes skin & nervous system
Nerve cord + brain
Endoderm
Innermost layer, becomes viscera (guts) or digestive system
Mesoderm
Middle layer, becomes blood, muscles & bones
Coelom
A fluid-filled body cavity that is completely surrounded by mesoderm tissue
Provides space for elaborate organ systems
Ex: digestive tract or cardiovascular system
Porifera
Sponges
Cnidarians
Hydra & Jellyfish
Platyhelminthes
Flatworms including Tapeworms
Nematodes
Roundworms
Annelids
Segmented Worms like Earthworms, Leeches
Mollusks
Squids, Octopuses, Slugs, Clams, and Snails
Arthropods
Insecta (Grasshopper), Crustacea (Shrimp, crab), Arachnida (Spider)
Echinoderms
Sea Stars (Starfish) & Sea Urchins
Chordates
Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals
Cladogram/polygenetic Tree
Diagrammatic representation of the evolutionary history that all living things evolve from the last universal common ancestor (LUCA)
Taxa
Levels of organization in system of classification;
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
Extremophiles
Organisms that live in extreme environments
Make up domain Archaea
Three-Domain System
Based on DNA analysis, reflects evolutionary history & the relationships among organisms
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Decomposer
Organisms that play a vital role in the ecosystem & that recycle dead organic matter
Bacteria & Fungi
Pathogen
Organism that causes disease
Genetic Engineering
Branch of science that uses recombinant DNA techniques for practical purposes
Conjugation
A primitive form of sexual reproduction where individuals exchange genetic material
Methanogens
Extremophile
Organisms that obtain energy in a unique way by producing methane from hydrogen
Halophiles
Extremophile
Organisms that thrive in environments with high salt concentrations like Utah’s Great Salt Lake
Thermophiles
Extremophiles
Organisms that thrive in very high temperature, like in hot springs in Yellowstone Park
Saprobes
Organisms that obtain food from decaying organic matter
Pioneer Organisms
The first to colonize a barren environment in primary ecological succession
Cell
Basic unit of all forms of life
Mesoglea
The middle layer of a 2-layered animal, which holds the 2 layers together
Tripoblastic
Animal consisting of 3 cell layers
Every animal more sophisticated than flatworms
Pseudocoelomate
An animal with a false coelom
Fluid-filled tube between endoderm & mesoderm that support the animal
Acoelomate
An animal that has no true coelom
Gastrovascular Cavity
Glastrocoel, primitive digestive tract
Hydra
Hermaphrodites
Organisms that contain both female & male sex organs
Shared Traits
Those that organisms have in commmon
Derived Traits
New characteristics or innovations that are not shared with ancestor
Decomposer Fungi
Secrets enzymes that breaks down & absorb nutrients from non living organic material
Mutualist Fungi
Help plants absorb nutrients especially phosphates by breaking them down more efficiently than the roots can themselves, mycorrihaze
Predatory Fungi
Capture prey
Parasitic Fungi
Feed on living organisms without killing them
Segmentation
Repetition of anatomically identical units that can be added to and modified for different purposes as animals evolve
