Diversity of Life Flashcards
List the three levels of biodiversity
Genetic, species, ecosystem
Describe the importance of each level of biodiversity
Genetic - allows species to adapt
Species - allows for environmental changes
Ecosystem - allows species to thrive
How might the loss of biodiversity negatively affect humans?
The loss of biodiversity affects our ecosystems. We need healthy ecosystems in order to provide ourselves with food, clean water/air and the general idea of nature.
How does the classification of organisms lead to a better understanding of biodiversity?
Classifying organisms can help us understand the different kinds of organisms and the parts they play in our ecosystem. This way we can also compare the similarities and differences between different organisms.
What is the major difference between organisms of the kingdoms Archaebacteria and Eubacteria and organisms of the domain Eukaryotes?
Kingdom Archaebacteria is found only in extreme conditions while Kingdom Eubacteria is found everywhere over the planet.
How are taxonomy, phylogeny, and classification related?
Taxonomy is the study of classification, phylogeny describes the studies of evolution/evolutionary relationships and classification labels and puts organisms into different categories based on their shared characteristics.
What is the biological definition of a species?
A species is a group of organisms that can reproduce to make more of themselves and they produce fertile offspring.
Explain the potential danger of using only a few crops to feed the world’s population. What would be a better approach?
Reduced biodiversity means that there is more of a chance for pests and insects to infect these crops. It also means that our diets are becoming less diverse which can cause health issues.
the lion and tiger belong to the same family. The gray wolf and the brown bear belong to the same order. Which pair are more closely related? Explain.
The lion and the tiger are more closely related. In the hierarchy, order comes before family. This means that while they are related, they are less closely related than a family would be.
Explain the difference between the lytic and lysogenic cycle.
The main difference is that the host cell is destroyed by the lytic cycle but not by the lysogenic cycle. The lysogenic cycle also lies dormant in the attachment phase until something triggers it.q
There is disagreement about whether viruses are actually living organisms. Why is there confusion?
All living organisms use energy. Viruses also use energy which is why some say they are living, however, viruses need to use host cells’ energy.
Are fungi more closely related to plants or animals? Justify your answer.
Fungi are more closely related to animals because they do not photosynthesize, do not have leaves and have chitin in their cell walls.
List 3 key adaptations that distinguish angiosperms from earlier plants.
Gymnosperms and angiosperms can be separated from one another by the existence of endosperm, the presence of flowers, and fruit production.
Describe the adaptations that allowed plants to move from water to land.
Stand upright
Prevent moisture
Control exchange of gasses
Conducting tissues for moving nutrients and wastes
Reproductive strategies for terrestrial environments
Describe how deforestation can contribute to climate change.
Habitat destruction causes a lot of issues. Deforestation means fewer trees are in the environment which contributes to the overall carbon dioxide levels in the environment. It also causes fewer crops, flooding, soil degradation, and an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
