Biological Diversity - Section 2

Question 1

What are heritable traits?

Answer 1

Passed down from generation to generation

Examples: eye colour, hair type, skin colour

Question 2

What is discrete variation?

Answer 2

Differences in characteristics that have defined form

Examples: either have blue eyes or not

Question 3

What are continuous variations?

Answer 3

Differences in characteristics that have a range in form

Example: height

Question 4

Variation caused by the interactions with the environment are ______ _________.

Answer 4

Not heritable

Question 5

What is asexual reproduction?

Answer 5

Involves only one parent. All the resulting offspring are genetically identical to the parent

Question 6

What are some examples of asexual reproduction?

Answer 6

Binary fission
Budding
Spore production 
Vegetable reproduction or propagation
Regeneration

Question 7

What is binary fission?

Answer 7

A cell splits exactly in half producing two identical individuals. This is how many one-celled organisms reproduce

Question 8

What is budding?

Answer 8

The parent produces a small bud, or a smaller version of itself. The bud eventually pinched itself off the parent.

Question 9

What is spore production?

Answer 9

Spores are similar to seeds, but are produced by the division of cells of the parent

Question 10

What is vegetable reproduction/propagation?

Answer 10

The reproduction of a plant that does not involve the formation of a seed. Some plants will grow “runners”, others from tubers and bulbs, and many have roots that will form suckers

Question 11

What is regeneration?

Answer 11

The process of an organism either regrowing a missing appendage, or growing a whole new organism from its own separated body parts

Question 12

What is sexual reproduction?

Answer 12

Usually involves two parent organisms. This reproduction occurs in both animals and flowering plants, and results in offspring that are a unique genetic combination of characteristics from both parents

Question 13

What are gametes?

Answer 13

Specialized cells involved in the process of sexual reproduction

Question 14

What is a zygote cell?

Answer 14

The cell created by the joining of two gametes

The first cell of a new individual

Question 15

What is the process called cleavage?

Answer 15

When the zygote divides into two cells

Question 16

What is an embryo?

Answer 16

Continued division of the zygote forms a multicellular life formed called an embryo

Question 17

What is sexual reproduction in plants?

Answer 17

Requires the joining of a male and female hamate to produce a zygote and an embryo

Most plants produce both male and female gametes

Question 18

What is pollen in a plant?

Answer 18

Pollen contains the male gametes of a plant.

Pollen is found in the stamen, or male part of the plant

Question 19

What are ovules in a plant?

Answer 19

Ovules contain the female gametes of a plant

Ovules are found in the pistil or female part of the plant

Question 20

What is pollination?

Answer 20

Occurs when pollen is transferred from the anther of the stamen to the stigma of the pistil

Question 21

What is fertilization?

Answer 21

Occurs when the male or female gametes unite

Question 22

What is cross-pollination?

Answer 22

Occurs when the pollen of one plant is carried to the stigma of another by wind, water or animals.

Question 23

What is cross-fertilization?

Answer 23

Occurs when a grain of pollen produces a long tube that eventually grows down the style into the ovary that contains the ovules.

Question 24

What is an advantage of asexual reproduction?

Answer 24

Can produce lots of individuals very quickly

Question 25

What is a disadvantage of asexual reproduction?

Answer 25

Produces no variation in heritable characteristics. Variation helps species survive the environment

Question 26

What is an advantage of sexual reproduction?

Answer 26

Provides a lot of variation to help species survive environmental changes

Question 27

What is a disadvantage of sexual reproduction?

Answer 27

Takes a lot of energy and only reproduces a limited number of offspring