Chapter 10- Biodiversity Flashcards
Define species
- basic unit of classification
- species are capable of breeding to produce living, fertile offspring
Explain the binomial system
- universal system based upon latin or greek names
- first name called the generic name denotes the genus and the first letter is upper case
- second name called the specific name denotes the species and the first letter is always lower case
What does courtship behaviour resemble
the physical, biochemical and behavioural characteristics of a species
What does courtship behaviour enable individuals to do
- recognise members of the same species
- identify a mate that is capable of breeding
- form a pair bond
- synchronise mating
- become able to breed
What are the two forms of classification
- artificial classification- divides organisms according to differences that are useful at the time
- phylogenetic classification- based upon evolutionary relationships between organisms and ancestors
What is the taxonomic rank
Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
What is biodiversity
- the term used to describe the variety in the living world
- refers to the number and variety of living organisms
Definition of species diversity
number of different species and the number of individuals of each species within any one community
Definition of genetic diversity
variety of genes possessed by the individuals that make up a population of species
Definition of ecosystem diversity
range of different habitats
What is species richness
the number of different species in a particular area at a given time
Equation to work out index of diversity
index of diversity = total number of organisms of all species(N) - 1 / total number of each species (n) - 1
How does agriculture affect biodiversity
- lower index of diversity
- therefore lower genetic variability
- less wild life
Examples of conservation techniques to maintain species diversity
- maintain hedgerows
- plant hedges instead of fences for field boundaries
- leave wet corners of fields instead of draining them
- plant trees
- use organic fertilisers
How was genetic diversity traditionally observed
by observing the characteristics of an organism
What does it mean when an organism is polygenic
organisms are coded for by more than one gene
How can we now investigate diversity
we can read base sequences of DNA with the help of computers where nucleotide bases can be tagged with different colours
Define interspecific variation
if one species differs from another
Define intraspecific variation
members of the same species which differ from each other
What is a normative distribution curve
a bell shaped curve that shows continuous variation
What is standard deviation on a normative distribution curve
measure of the width of the curve
