Chapter 1 Test Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

What does biology mean?

A

The study of life

Derived from Greek: bios meaning life, logos meaning to study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Why study biology? (4)

A

Biotechnological advances

Medical advances

Addressing needs of a growing population

Challenges of decreasing rate of biodiversity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What does biology do? (3)

A

Studies characteristics and behaviors of organisms

Studies the origin and evolution of organisms

Studies the interactions of organisms and their environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the traits of living things?

ORDERHEG

A
Order
Reaction to stimuli
Development
Energy utilization
Reproduction
Homeostasis
Evolutionary adaptation
Growth
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the levels of organization?

A
Biosphere
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Organism
Groups of cells
Cells
Molecules
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Define biodiversity

A

The variety of different organisms in an ecosystem, the number of individuals within each species and the variety of habitats within the ecosystem

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Define species

A

All organisms capable of breeding freely among each other under natural conditions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Define hybridization

A

The cross breeding between two different species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How are organisms defined?

A

Defined by their species however those who reproduce asexually aren’t considered part of species therefor are defined by morphology

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Define morphology

A

The study of physical appearance and characteristics of an organism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Define evolutionary change

A

A change that occurs in a species over a long period of time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Define genetic diversity

A

The genetic variability of each individual within the same species

Determined by the biological parents and the genetic info they pass down

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Define heterotroph

A

An organism that consumes other living and dead organisms to gain nutrients

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Define autotroph

A

An organism that can produce its own nutrients using natural resources

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Define species diversity

A

Measure of diversity within ecosystems, taking into account the variety of species present and the number of individuals within each species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Define structural diversity

A

The variety of physical shapes and sizes in an ecosystem

Aka the variety of different habitats within an ecosystem

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is happening to the diversity of life?

What would this mean for humans?

A

Diversity is decreasing, species are going extinct (3 per hour as of 2017)

Loss of food supply
Loss of natural medicines
Cause disruptions in the biogeochemical cycle
Economic impact on tourism and forestry industries

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the three components of biodiversity?

A

Species diversity (variety of different species within an ecosystem)

Genetic diversity (differences between living organisms within a species; genes create a unique offspring which gives the species the ability to adapt to a changing environment)

Ecosystem diversity (variety of different habitats in a particular area; the more organisms that can live there, the more diverse the ecosystem, the more stable the ecosystem)

19
Q

Name things that could kill off a species (6)

A
Climate (natural disasters)
Human activity
Disease
Territorial behavior
Limited resources
Invasive species
20
Q

Why care about biodiversity?

A

Intrinsic value and utilitarian value

21
Q

What do we get from biodiversity? (7)

A

Food, oxygen, clean water, medicine, ideas, aesthetics, resistance to environmental stresses and diseases

22
Q

What are some threats to biodiversity? (5)

A
Habitat destruction
Pollution
Global climate change
Species introduction
Exploitation
23
Q

Define biological classification

A

The systematic grouping of organisms into biological categories based on physical and evolutionary relationships

25
Q

Why do we classify organisms?

A
  • to represent similarities and proposed relationships
  • biologists can be certain they’re discussing the same organism
  • common names don’t say how they’re related or classified
  • common names could be misleading
26
Q

Define taxonomy

A

The science of identifying and classifying all organisms (living and fossilized)

27
Q

How did they classify organisms in the past?

A

A hierarchy that was flawed due to its unchanging policy and the fact that animals were always above plants

28
Q

Explain the Linnaean system

A

Species were grouped into taxonomic ranks (taxons) which included 7 major levels (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species)

Similar species grouped into genera, similar genera into families, similar families into orders, orders into classes, classes into phyla, and phyla into kingdoms

29
Q

What is a dichotomous key?

A

A series of branching, two-part contrasting statements used to identify organisms

An easy method to identify them but not perfect

30
Q

Describe the problem with using this system (using physical characteristics and similarity to group organisms) in modern taxonomy

A

Using similarity as the basis for grouping has challenges as some features are difficult to observe (inner characteristics)

31
Q

What is binomial nomenclature

A

A two-word naming system for species whereby species are assigned a genus name followed by a species name which form the official universally accepted name (ex Rosa canina)

32
Q

Define evolution

A

The scientific theory that describes changes in species over time and their shared ancestry

Theory states all living things are descended from a common ancestor; some species more closely related than others

33
Q

Define phylogeny

A

The study of the evolutionary relatedness between and among species

34
Q

define evolutionary classification

A

Grouping organisms together based on their evolutionary history, shown through phylogenic trees

Not just looking at physical characteristics

35
Q

Define phylogenetic tree

A

A diagram depicting the evolutionary relationships between different species or groups

Groups of organisms in a tree are descendants of one or more common ancestors

Species grouped into clades

36
Q

Define clade

A

A taxonomic group that includes a single common ancestor and all its descendants

Can be small or large

37
Q

What is the one challenge of evolutionary classification and phylogenetic trees?

A

Uncovering relations going back millions of years requires detailed analysis of fossil and genetic evidence

38
Q

What does modern taxonomy use to identify species?

A

DNA

DNA barcoding: uses DNA tech to create a DNA profile of every species in the form of a barcode

Eventually researches will have a handheld device to immediately identify species with a small DNA sample

39
Q

What are the five phylogenetic Kingdoms?

A

Monera (Eubacteria and Archaeabacteria)

Protista

Fungi

Plantae

Animalia

40
Q

Define cladogram

A

Diagram that shows the evolutionary relationships among a group of organisms

Based on characteristics only observable in existing species

41
Q

What are phylogenies determined on?

A

Embryological development (similarities in embryos)

Homologous structures (similar body structure)

Genetic similarities (similar DNA and RNA)

42
Q

What are molecular clocks?

A

A tool used to calculate the timing of evolutionary events in an epoch scale

Relies on mutations to mark time

Measures the number of mutation which accumulate over time in different species (can determine when two species diverged)

43
Q

What are domains?

A

Most inclusive taxonomic category (larger than a kingdom)

Eukarya, Bacteria, Achaea

44
Q

Compare prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Size, cell, organelles, oxygen, wall

A

P: small; rigid cell wall; single-celled; no membrane bound organelles; may not need O2; cell walls often contain peptidoglycan

E: larger; flexible cell wall; multi-cellular; membrane-bound organelles; usually need O2; cell walls when present are simple

45
Q

Describe each kingdom (4 each)

A

Eubacteria: prokaryote; cell wall w/ peptidoglycan; unicellular; auto or hetero

Archaeabacteria: prokaryote; no peptidoglycan; unicellular; auto or hetero

Protista: eukaryote; some have cell walls w/ cellulose other w/ chloroplasts; most unicellular; auto or hetero

Fungi: eukaryote; cell wall w/ chitin; most multicellular; hetero

Plantae: eukaryote; cell walls of cellulose + chloroplasts; multicellular; auto

Animalia: eukaryote; no cell walls or chloroplasts; multicellular; hetero