KA 1: field techniques for biologists: identification and taxonomy Flashcards
how can the identification of an organism in sample be made?
-classification guides
-biological keys
-analysis of DNA or protein
how can organisms be classified?
-taxonomy
-phylogenetics
what is taxonomy?
the indentification and naming of organisms and their classification into groups on shared charateristics
what is classic taxonomy classification based on?
morphology
what is phylogenetics?
the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or group organisms
what does phylogenetics use to make inferences about an organism’s evolutionary and create a phylogeny?
heritable traits such as:
-morphology
-DNA sequences
-protein structures
what is a phylogeny?
a diagrammatic hypothesis of its relationships to other organisms
what can genetic evidence reveal?
relatedness obscured by divergent or convergent evolution
what is phylogenetics changing?
the traditional classification of many organisms
what does familiarity with taxonomic groupings allow?
predictions and inferences to be made about the biology of an organism from better- known (model) organisms
give examples of taxonomic groups
-nematodes
-arthropods
-chordates
what are model organisms?
those that are:
-easily studied
-have been studied well
give examples of model organisms and their latin name.
the bacterium (E.coli)
the flowering plant (Arabidopsis thaliana)
the nematode (C. elegans)
the arthropod (Drosophila melanogaster {fruit fly})
chordates (mice, rates and zebrafish)
why are model organisms useful?
info obtained from them can be applied to other species that are more difficult to study directly
