Chapter 1 - Understanding Biodiversity Flashcards
Define biodiversity.
the number and variety of species and ecosystems on Earth
3 types of biodiversity
genetic diversity, species diversity, structural diversity
5 human impacts
habitat loss, over-exploitation, pollution, climate change, invasive species
hybridization
the cross-breeding of 2 different species
morphology
(the study of ) the physical characteristics of an organism
Differences between genetic diversity, species diversity, and structural diversity
Genetic - genetic variation within an organism; refers to individuals of the same species Species - variety of species in an ecosystem and the number of individuals within each of those species Structural - range of physical shapes and sizes within an ecosystem
heterotroph
an organism that obtains nutrients by consuming other organisms (living or dead)
autotroph
an organism that uses sources of energy to produce nutrients from water, gases, and/or minerals; they make their own food
taxonomy
the science of identifying and classifying all organisms based on physical attributes and evolutionary relationships
What is a clade?
A taxonomic group that contains a common ancestor and ALL its descendants
Difference between a prokaryote and a eukaryote
Prokaryotes are single-celled and do not contain membrane bound organelles Eukaryotes are single or multi-celled and do contain membrane bound organelles
Characteristics of Kingdom Eubacteria
- Prokaryotic - Vary in size/shape - Diverse means of obtaining energy - Reproduce asexually
Characteristics of Kingdom Archaea
- prokaryotic - most are very small - live in extreme environments - reproduce asexually
Characteristics of Kingdom Protista
- eukaryotic - some have chloroplasts and cell walls - heterotrophic, photosynthetic or both - reproduce asexually or sexually - most live in aquatic environments
Characteristics of Kingdom Fungi
- eukaryotic - cell wall composed of chitin - most are multicellular - no chloroplasts - all heterotrophic - reproduce sexually or asexually