Evolution and Biodiversity Flashcards
Define evolution
The process whereby heritable characteristics of an organism change over time.
What is the fossil record?
From this point on, fossils could be sequenced according to age and the gradual change in organisms over time could be observed.
What is palaeontology?
A branch of science that investigates fossils.
What is adaptive radiation ( divergent evolution)
The evolutionary explanation of homologous structures is that organisms that possess then have had the same origin, from an ancestor that also possessed this structure.
Over time they have become different and perform different functions based on the environment/needs of the organism.
What are analogous structures?
Analogous structures did not evolve from a common ancestor. They are a result of convergent evolution due to similar selective pressures.
What are the three features that causes variation within a population
- Mutations - new alleles are produced by gene mutation which enlarges the gene pool of a population.
- Meiosis - produces new combinations of alleles by breaking up existing combinations in diploid cells. Also crossing over and independent orientation make every cell produced likely to carry a different combination of alleles to parents
- Sexual reproduction - gametes from different parents allow combinations of alleles from two different individuals
Which process results in decreased variation:
A. Meiosis
B. Mutation
C. Sexual Reproduction
D. Natural Selection
D. Natural Selection
Outline the three domains
- Bacteria
- Archaea
- Eukaryota
Outline the grey wolf from kingdom to species level.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: Lupus
Outline date palm from kingdom to species level.
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Angiospermophyta
Class: Monocotyledoneae
Order: Palmales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Phoenix
Species: Dactylifera
Name the four plant phylas
Bryophyta - mosses, liverworts, hornworts
Filicinophyta - Ferns
Coniferophyta - Conifers
Angiospermophyta - flowering plants
Outline what bryophyta does not have
No true roots,
Not tall enough to have xylem or phloem
No pollen, ovaries, seeds or fruits
Outline the properties of filicinophyta
Have roots, xylem and phloem.
Have no pollen, instead produce spores.
No ovaries, seeds or fruits.
Outline the properties of coniferophyta
(Pine cones). Have roots, xylem and phloem.
Produce pollen in male cones and ovules in female cones.
Produce seeds but not fruit.
Outline the properties of angiospermophyta
Have roots, xylem and phloem.
Produce pollen in flowers and ovules contained within flowers.
Produce seeds and these can be dispersed within fruits or by wind animals. etc.
Name the 6 phylum groups for invertebrates
- Porifera
- Cnidarian
- Platyhelminthes
- Annelida
- Mollusca
- Arthropoda
Outline the properties of porifera
No mouth or anus
asymmetrical
Skeleton - internal spicules
External recognition features - many pores over the surface through which water is drawn in for filter feeding
Varied shapes
Outline the properties of cnidaria
Mouth only, no anus
Radial symmetry
Skeleton - soft but hard corals secrete calcium carbonate
External recognition features - tentacles arranged in rings around the mouth with stinging cells. Polyps or medusae (jellyfish)
Outline the properties of platyhelminthes
Mouth only, no anus
Bilateral symmetry
Soft with no skeleton
External recognition features - flat and thin bodies in the shape of a ribbon.
No blood system or system for gas exchange.
Outline the properties of mollusca
Mouth and anus
Bilateral symmetry
Have a shell made of calcium carbonate
External recognition features - a fold in the body wall called the mantle secretes the shell.
A hard rasping radula is used for feeding
Outline the properties of annelida
Mouth and anus
Bilateral symmetry
Internal cavity with fluid under pressure
External recognition features - bodies made up of many ring shaped segments, often with bristles
Blood vessels often visible
Outline the properties of arthropoda
Mouth and anus
Bilateral symmetry
External skeleton made of plates of chitin
External recognition features - segmented bodies and legs or other appendages with joints between the sections
Define analogous structure
Analogous structure are features of different species that are similar in function but are not necessarily in structure and which do no derive from a common ancestors.
Define homologous structure
Homologous structure are similar physical features in organisms that share a common ancestor, but the features serve completely different functions.
Define adaptive radiation
Adaptive radiation is the relatively fast evolution of many species from a single common ancestor.
