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Biology > Ecology And Evolution (core) > Flashcards

Ecology And Evolution (core) Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
0
Q

Habitat

A

The environment in which a species normally lives

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1
Q

Species

A

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring

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2
Q

Population

A

A group of organisms of the same species who live in the same area at the same time

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3
Q

Community

A

A group of populations living and interacting with each other in an area

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4
Q

Ecosystem

A

A community and it’s abiotic environment

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5
Q

Ecology

A

The study of relationships between living organisms and between these organisms and their environment

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6
Q

Autotroph

A

Synthesizes its organic molecules from simple inorganic substances

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7
Q

Heterotroph

A

Obtains organic molecules from other organisms

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8
Q

Consumers

A

Ingest organic matter that is living or has recently been killed

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9
Q

Detritivores

A

Ingest non-living organic matter

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10
Q

Saprotrophs

A

Live in or on non-living organic matter, secreting digestive enzymes into it and absorbing the products of digestion

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11
Q

Food chain

A

Sequence of trophic relationships, where each member of the sequence feeds on the previous one

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12
Q

3 examples of food chains

A

1) rainforest: passionflower -> Heliconius butterfly -> tegu lizard -> jaguar
2) European grassland and the air above:
carrot plant -> carrot fly -> flycatcher -> sparrow hawk -> goshawk
3) ocean: phytoplankton -> zooplankton -> sardine fish -> tuna fish

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13
Q

Role of saprotrophic bacteria and fungi in nutrient recycling

A

Digestive enzymes secreted onto dead organic matter gradually break down this organic matter and release nutrients locked up in complex organic compounds
-> without them, nutrients will remain permanently locked up in dead organic matter

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14
Q

Historical records of carbon dioxide

A

Concentration measured in bubbles of air trapped in the Arctic ice at different times
From 2 000 years before 1800 - co2 concentration fairly constant at 270ppm
From 1800 onwards - the concentration rose

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15
Q

‘Modern’ records of carbon dioxide concentration

A

Since 1958 monitored at Mauna Loa, Hawaii
General trend: upwards (more than 100 ppm higher than in 1800 and rising - 290 ppm)
+ there’s an annual fluctuation (lower in spring, higher in winter)

16
Q

Greenhouse gases (5)

A 
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Oxides of nitrogen
Sulfur dioxide
Water vapor
17
Q

Greenhouse effect

A

Heat retention by gases in the atmosphere (natural process):
sun emits short wavelength light, which can mostly pass through the atmosphere -> sunlight warms up the surface of the earth! which emit long wave radiation -> GHGs trap some of the long wave radiation -> earth surface is much warmer that it would be if the radiation escaped

ENHANCED by increased production of greenhouse gases due to human activity

18
Q

Sigmoid curve of population growth (phases)

A
  1. Exponential phase
  2. Transitional phase
  3. Plateau phase
19
Q

Carrying capacity

A

The maximum population size that can be supported by the environment

20
Q

Evolution

A

Cumulative change in the heritable characteristics of a population

21
Q

Evidence for evolution (3)

A

1) homologous anatomical structures (e.g. pentadactyl limb in vertebrates)
2) fossil records (e.g. Acanthostega - has 4 legs, like most aphibians, reptiles, and mammals, but also gills and fish-like tail - lived in water - missing link)
3) selective breeding of domesticated animals (dogs)

22
Q

How sexual reproduction promotes variation?

A

1) meiosis allows a huge variety of different gametes to be produced by each individual
2) fertilization allows alleles from 2 different individuals to be combined in 1 new individual

23
Q

Variation

A
  • mutation is the original source of new genes or alleles
  • variation is promoted by sexual reproduction
  • prokaryotes don’t reproduce sexually - have other ways to promote variation by exchanging genes
  • some species reproduce only asexually: mutation still produces some variation, but their capacity for evolution is much lower
24
Q

Natural selection

A

Survival of the fittest
Better adapted individuals pass their characteristics onto more offspring - the results of natural selection ACCUMULATE
as one generation follows another characteristics of a species gradually change - it EVOLVES like pokemons

25
Q

Antibiotics

A

Used to control diseases cause by BACTERIA in humans

26
Q

Gonorrhea

A
  • sexually transmitted disease
  • caused by Neisseria gonorrheae bacteria
  • 1980: 0.2% of cases caused by antibiotic-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrheae
  • 1990: 8.5% caused by those strains
27
Q

Multiple antibiotic resistance in bacteria (evolution in response to environmental change)

A

Large population of bacteria/: some may carry genes for resistance to the antibiotic (which can arise by spontaneous mutation or be acquired in a form of sexual reproduction between bacteria of different populations)
Antibiotic absent: resistant bacteria have no advantage
Antibiotic present: most non-resistant bacteria killed; resistant ones are the basis of the future population in which ALL bacteria carry the gene for antibiotic resistance

28
Q

Melanism in ladybugs

(evolution in response to environmental change)

A

Adalia bipunctata (fenotype: typical)

  • two spotted lady bug (beetle)
  • red wing cases with 2 black dots - warn and discourage predators

Adalia bipunctata (f: melanic)

  • black wing cases
  • absorbs heat more efficiently - has selective advantage when sunlight levels are low (it’s difficult for other Adalia bipunctata to warm up, so they die)
  • common in 1960s in industrial areas in Britain, but decline since then (correlation: decrease in smog in the air = decrease in frequency of melanic ladybugs)
29
Q

Bryophyta

A 
Mosses
No roots
Rhizoids - structures similar to root hair
Simple leaves and stems
Spores produced in capsules 
Max 0.5 m
30
Q

Filicinophyta

A

Ferns
Have roots, leaves, and short non-woody stems
Pinnate leaves (divided into pairs of leaflets)
Spores produced in sporangia
Max. 15 m

31
Q

Coniferophyta

A 
Shrubs, trees
Have roots, leaves, and woody stems
Narrow leaves with a thick, waxy cuticle
Seeds develop from ovules on the surface of scales of female cones
Male cones produce pollen
Max. 100 m
32
Q

Angiospermophyta

A

Flowering plants
Have roots, leaves, and stems
Seeds develop from ovules inside ovaries (part of flowers)
Fruits develop from flowers to disperse seeds
Max. 100 m

Biology (9 decks)

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