biology - 2.1c - identification and taxonomy Flashcards
How can indentification of an organism in a sample be made?
Using classification guides, biological keys, or analysis of DNA or protein.
How can organisms be classified?
By both taxonomy and phylogenetics.
What does taxonomy involve?
The identification and naming of organisms and their classification into groups based on shared characteristics.
What is classic taxonomy classification based on?
Morphology.
What is phylogenetics?
The study of the evolutionary
history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms.
What is phylogenetics changing?
The traditional classification of many organisms.
What does phylogenetics use heritable traits for?
To make inferences about an
organism’s evolutionary history and create a phylogeny (or phylogenetic tree).
What heritable traits does phylogenetics use?
Morphology, DNA sequences, and protein structure.
What is a phylogeny (or phylogenetic tree)?
A diagrammatic hypothesis of its relationships to other organisms.
What can genetic evidence reveal?
Relatedness obscured by divergent or convergent evolution.
What does familiarity with taxonomic groupings allow?
Predictions and inferences to be made about the biology of an organism from better-known
(model) organisms.
What are examples of taxonomic groups?
Nematodes, arthropods and chordates.
What are model organisms?
Those that are either easily studied or have been well studied.
What are examples of model organisms?
The bacterium E. coli;
the flowering plant Arabidopsis
thaliana;
the nematode C. elegans;
the arthropod Drosophila melanogaster (a fruit
fly);
mice, rats, and zebrafish, which are all chordates.
What have model organisms been very important in?
The advancement of modern biology.
