Diversity Flashcards
What is Diversity?
A RANGE or VARIETY of something (city with cultural diversity).
What is Biodiversity?
The VARIETY of LIFE found in a particular ECOSYSTEM.
What is Biodiversity the product of?
Product of YEARS of evolution as organisms ADAPT to changes in the environment.
What can Biodiversity tell scientists?
The HEALTH of a biological system.
What are the 3 types of Diveristy?
GENETIC, SPECIES, and ECOSYSTEM Diversity.
What is Genetic Diversity?
Different FORMS of genes in a particular species. The differences allow organisms to be UNIQUE.
What is a Species?
A population whose members can BREED FREELY and produce FERTILE OFFSPRING.
What does more Biodiversity result in?
More GENETIC DIVERSITY, and thus SURVIVAL of a species.
What is Monoculture?
An environment that supports VERY FEW organisms, such as crops on a farm.
What does Monoculture lead to?
It leads to LESS BIODIVERSITY, and makes an environment VULNERABLE to DISEASE and pathogens.
What is Species Diversity?
The NUMBER of species and its RELATIVE ABUNDANCE in a given area (often greater in warmer and wetter climates).
What is Ecosystem Diversity?
Variety of SMALLER ecosystems WITHIN a LARGER ecosystem and the RELATIONSHIP between them.
What is the Human Impact on Biodiversity?
LOSS of biodiversity (threatens FOOD SUPPLY, eliminates sources of MEDICINES, impact on TOURISM, disruption to BIOGEOCHEMICAL cycles), MONOCULTURE.
What is the primary cause of species loss?
HUMAN ACTIVITY that causes large scale destruction of ecosystems.
What are the 5 Threats to Biodiversity?
HABITAT DESTRUCTION (deforestation, draining wetlands), POLLUTION, SPECIES INTRODUCTIONS, global CLIMATE CHANGE, EXPLOITATION.
What is the benefit of Genetic Diversity?
Allows populations to ADAPT to environmental CHANGES.
What is the benefit of Species Diversity?
Allows ecosystems to SURVIVE ecosystem CHANGES.
What is the benefit of Ecosystem Diversity?
Allows a DIVERSE RANGE of species to THRIVE.
What is a Keystone Species?
A species that has a disproportionately LARGE EFFECT of their ECOSYSTEM.
What is the purpose of a classification system (taxonomy)?
To ACCURATELY identify particular organisms NO MATTER WHERE it exists.
How does Linnaeus’ system categorize organisms?
Based on MORPHOLOGICAL (physical) characteristics. The more features in common, the closer the relationship (koala bear, polar bear, and panda bear).
What are the Taxonomy categories called, and how are they organized?
Each category is called a TAXON and they are organized from LEAST to MOST SPECIFIC.
What is the order of all the Taxa?
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus (unable to produce fertile offspring), Species (able to reproduce fertile offspring).
What is Binomial Nomenclature?
A TWO-part scientific name that includes the GENUS and SPECIES name.
Genus is CAPITALIZED and both names are UNDERLINED when written or ITALICIZED when typed. Eg. Homo spaiens (humans) or Felis domestica (house cat).
What do organisms in the same genus have in common?
The have many COMMON CHARACHTERISTICS.
What are the two facts about species?
All members of a species are SIMILAR but NOT IDENTICAL, and members of the SAME species can only BREED WITH EACH OTHER to produce fertile offspring (inter-species breeding does not occur in nature).
What is a Dichotomous Key?
A key that contains a SERIES OF CHOICES that lead the user to the correct NAME OF AN ORGANISM. There are always TWO CHOICES in each step. Each question directs the user to the next question.
What details are important in a Dichotomous Key?
SPECIFIC information, yes/ no questions, separate LARGHE GROUPS first.
What is the first step in writing a Dichotomous Key?
WRITE out the NUMBER of steps (1a: 1b:, 2a: 2b:). There is always one less step than species. Eg. 1a: shoes have heels, go to 2 1b: shoes don’t have heels, go to 3.
How did Charles Darwin and the Theory of Evolution classify things?
By using PHYLOGENY, the study of the evolutionary development of a group of organisms and their relationships.
What is classification within Taxa’s based on?
COMMON Ancestors.
How many generations in a family tree in Biology?
THOUSANDS of generations.
What evidence does Classification by Evolution use?
FOSSILS and MOLECULAR ANALYSIS, as well as MORPHOLOGY and PHYSIOLOGY.
What is a Phylogenetic Tree?
Like a family tree, but traces relationships between ENTIRE SPECIES and shows the TIME between new traits. All organisms are descendants from a COMMON ANCESTOR. Relationships (similarities and differences) are based on PHYSICAL AND GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS.
How do you read a Phylogenic Tree? What does the root and branches represent?
The ROOT is the ANCESTOR, the BRANCHES are the DESCENDANTS. From the root to the tip is going FORWARD in time.
What is Speciation?
When a NEW SPECIES is formed due to EVOLUTION, GEOGRAPHIC ISOLATION, etc.
What is a Clade?
A TAXONOMIC GROUP that includes a SINGLE COMMON ANCESTOR and all its DESCENDANTS.