ENVI 101 Unit 2 Flashcards
Prokaryotic Cells
Bacteria, enclosed by a membrane, no nucleus
Eukaryotic Cells
All other life besides bacteria, enclosed by a membrane, nucleas, specialized internal structures
Three domain classification system
Bacteria, archaea, eukarya
Taxonomic Classification
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
Kingdoms
Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Plants, Fungi, Animals, Protists
Protists
Diatoms and protozoans
Species
Group of living organisms with characteristics that distinguish it from others and produce fertile offspring
Species diversity
The number and abundance of different species living in an ecosystem
Species richness
The number of different species
Species evenness
A measure of the comparative abundance in an ecosystem
Genetic diversity
Variety of genes within a population or in a species
Biomes
Large regions distinguished by climate, plant, and animal life
Eight major biomes
Tropical forest, savanna, temperate grasslands, desert, shrublands, temperate forest, conifer forest, tundra
Core habitats
Center of a biome
Edge habitats
Edge of a biome
Ecological niche
Total use of biotic and abiotic resources for a species in its environment
Habitat
Place in which a species lives
Generalists
Broad niches, can live in many places, eat anything, tolerate wide range of conditions
Specialists
Narrow niches, more prone to extinction
Native species
Naturally occur in a region where they evolved
Nonnative species
Species that migrate deliberately into an ecosystem
Invasive species
A species that causes ecological or economic harm to a new environment where it is not native
Indicator species
Provide early warnings of changes in environmental conditions, represent the health of an ecosystem
Keystone species
Has a large effect on the types and abundance of other species in an ecosystem, relative to their size
Example of a keystone species
Wolves in Yellowstone, controlled elk populations, which restricted killing of trees by elk
Trophic cascade
Top predator controls the populations of the trophic levels below them
Adaptive trait
Improves the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce compared to other individuals in the population
Heritable trait
Passed from one generation to the next
Allele
Form of a gene
Mutations
Changes in the coded genetic information in your DNA
Bilateral symmetry
Divisible in symmetrical halves
Amniotes
Embryo develops in an amnion
Speciation
When one species evolves into two or more different species
Geographic isolation
Different groups of the same population of a species become physically isolated from one another for a long time
Reproductive isolation
Mutations and changes in the gene pool from natural selection operate independently in the geographically isolation populations
Artificial selection
Scientists change the genetic characteristics of populations with similar genes, ex. selective breeding
Endemic species
Species only found in one area
Grasses
Photosynthetic tissue because little energy is required for support tissues (stems)
Shrubs
A plant with multiple woody, persistent stems (no central trunk) and under 4m tall
Trees
Will invest more resources in stems and other supporting structures, increased height and access to light
Deciduous leaves live…
for only a single growing season / year
Evergreen leaves live…
beyond a year
Needle-leaf evergreen grow in…
environments where the growing season is very short (higher latitudes)
Tropical rainforests
Dominated by broadleaf evergreen plants, between 10 degrees N and S, temperatures warm all year and rain happens daily
Dry tropical forests
Undergoes a dry season, length of season based on latitude
Savanna
Mainly grasses with trees or shrubs, warm temperatures with distinct seasonality in precipitation, many large herbivores
Grasslands
Occur in the midlatitudes in midcontinental regions where annual precipitation is reduced as air masses move inland
Grasslands evolved under…
the selective pressure of grazing
Deciduous temperate forests
Dominate the wetter regions in temperate areas, high annual rainfall
Conifer forest
Cone-bearing trees, snowy winter
Chaparral / Shrublands
Found along the western margins of the continents between 30 and 40 degrees latitude, hot, dry summers with at least one month of drought, leading to fires, cold moist winters
Alpine tundra
Lower latitudes in higher mountains, severe environment with strong winds, snow, and fluctuating temperatures
Arctic Tundra
High latitudes and cold temperatures, most vegetation short and mainly belowground