Kevin’s Cards about Adaptation and Change Flashcards
What species do dogs belong to
Dogs belong to the species, Canis familiaris
Trait Definition
A characteristic, such as hair color, plant height, or blood type
Throughout history, what have people done with dogs
Throughout history, people have breed different dogs with favorable traits. This breeding has gradually led to many different dog breeds with a wide range of traits
What were basset hounds bred for
Basset hounds were bred for hunting, in part because they have an excellent sense of smell
What were German Shepards bred for
German Shepards were bred to be all-purpose working dogs
What were Collies bred for
Collies were bred to tend flocks of sheep
What were Siberian huskies bred for
Siberian huskies were bred to pull dog sleds through the snow
What have people done with horses over hundreds of years
They have bred them for desired traits
What were Clydesdales horses bred for
They were bred to pull heavy loads
What were Thoroughbred horses bred for
They were bred to be fast
Where does corn originate
In the Americas
What happened as corn spread to new cultures
As corn spread to new cultures, people discovered new uses for it. Due to this, they selected types of corn with traits that fit their purposes and grew corn from kernels, or seeds, that had those traits
What have plants near mines adapted to
Near mines, plants have adapted to the contaminated soil caused by toxic metals like lead and zinc
Can bacteria respond to stimuli
Yes, bacteria can change in response to the environment, and they reproduce quickly and can go through many generations very rapidly
What did Alexander Fleming discover in 1928
In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, an antibiotic that could kill the bacterium staphylococcus aureus, and became the first modern antibiotic; was a treatment for s.aureus infection in 1941
What are the effects of s.aureus
It causes illness ranging from mild skin infection to life life threatening diseases
What happened in 1946, with the s.aureus virus
In 1946, some s.aureus bacteria inherited a new trait and were immune to penicillin
What happened in 1950, with the s.aureus virus
By 1950, 40% of s.aureus bacteria were immune
What happened in 1960, with the s.aureus virus
By 1960, 80% of s.aureus bacteria were immune
What is happening now with the s.aureus virus
Now, about 100% are immune and we need to find new antibiotics
True or false: climate and weather can cause change in an organism
True
How have House sparrows adapted to the NorthAmerican weather from Europe
House sparrows were brought to North America from Europe in the 1850s and have changed size due to weather
How does weather vary the size of house sparrows
Sparrows in the cold are larger than ones in warmth
Niche Definition
All the physical, chemical, and biological conditions a certain species needs in order to live and reproduce
How did Galapagos Finches adapt to droughts
Due to a drought, Galapagos Finches had to find new food and grew longer beaks to eat larger seeds
Who was Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin was a famous scientist in the 1800s. His studies led him to make contributions to the theories of evolution and natural section
Who were Peter and Rosemary Grant
Peter and Rosemary Grant are biologists at Princeton University who have conducted researched based on Darwin’s work. Their work has helped scientists understand how species change over time
Adaptations Definition
Something about an organism that allows it to live and reproduce effectively in its particular environment
Why do organisms adapt
To meet the 3 challenges of life
What are structural adaptations
Structural adaptations are an organism’s tools for survival
What are the structural adaptations of Humpback whales
They have enormous mouths that they use to swallow vast amounts of water, and use hairlike structures on their upper jaws, called baleen, to filter the water so when they spit, they trap crustaceans and small fish for food
What do structural adaptations help an organism do
Structural adaptations help animals escape, defend themselves, or hide from predators
What is a structural adaptation of a snowshoe hare
A snowshoe hare camouflages with the snow to hide from predators
What is a structural adaptation of a poison dart frogs
Poison dart frogs use bright coloration to warn predators of its poisonous skin
What is a structural adaptation of a leafy sea dragon
Leaf-like structures help the leafy sea dragon to blend in with kelp
How do male proboscis monkeys attract mates
Male proboscis monkeys use their large noses to attract mates
How do male elk attract mates
They show off their large racks of antlers to females
Behavior Definition
An action or set of reactions that an organism undergoes in response to a stimulus
What type of adaptation is hunting
Behavioral adaptation
Learned Behavior Definition
A behavior that an organism acquires through experience
What type of behavior is hunting
A learned behavior
Innate Behavior Definition
A behavior that is genetically fixed; it is built into the organism
Is an innate behavior learned or inherited
Inherited
What is an innate behavior also called
An instinct
What did Nikolas Tinbergen discover
He discovered that male three-spines stickleback fish act violently when they see red because during their mating season, male necks turn red and they need to fend off other males if they want to reproduce (instinct)
Hibernate Definition
To spend the winter inactive, or dormant, to survive
Dormant Definition
In a state of rest or inactivity
Phototropism Definition
Light’s influence on growth
True or False: the giant panda species in extinct
False, it is endangered
What is the main reason for the decrease in the panda population
Rapid change in the environment
How many pandas are living in their natural habitat
1,600
How did the dodo bird population go extinct
The did bird population went extinct in a span of 59 years due to Europeans hunting them down in the 1600s and rats, cats, pigs, and dogs eating their eggs
Why did the dodo bird population go extinct
Dodo birds were not adapted to live life with predators
True or False: Dodos could fly
False
True or False: the Komodo dragon is endangered
True
True or False: The thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian wolf or tiger, is extinct
True
True or False: the California condor is extinct
False, it is endangered
True or False: the Saguaro Cactus is endangered
True
True or False: Cheetahs are endangered
True
What is associated with quick environmental changes
Some environmental changes occur very quickly with many associated with sudden events or natural disasters
In the last 100 years, what has been happening to the temperature of surface of the Earth
In the last 100 years, the average surface temperature of the Earth has risen by about one degree Fahrenheit and could increase by another one to four degrees in the next 50 years due to global warming
What’s a common cause of many environmental changes
Weather
What influences the rate of decomposition
Temperature, amount and types of organisms, and humidity
When did Mount St. Helens erupt
In 1980
Succession Definition
A change in the makeup of an ecosystem as the organisms in the ecosystem respond to and change the environment
Population Definition
A group of individuals of the same species that exist together at a given place and time
Exponential Growth Definition
A growth pattern in which a population doubles at regular intervals
How much offspring can a European rabbit produce
24
What did Thomas Austin do in 1859
In 1859, a man named Thomas Austin wanted to hunt rabbits in Australia . Since there were no rabbits there he released 24 European rabbits. In 6 years, those rabbits had multiplied to 22 million and spread all over Australia eating all the plants they could find, leading to the endangerment and extinction of many plants and animals
Carrying Capacity Definition
The maximum size of a population that a particular environment can support
Overpopulation Definition
Population size that is beyond the carrying capacity, causing overcrowding, depletion of natural resources, or environmental deterioration
How often does a single bacterium divide
Every hour
What are deer hosts of
Deer are hosts of tiny parasites called deer ticks , that cause Lyme disease in humans
Lyme Disease effects
Fever, headaches, exhaustion, symptoms similar to arthritis, and heart problems
True or False: Framing is one example of a human activity that has changed the environment
True
How do extra fertilizers in farming affect the environment
Extra fertilizers from farming go into runoff and enter nearby waterways, such as rivers and lakes. These fertilizers are a treat for algae, which grows to cover the water’s surface, but as the algae decays, they use oxygen from the water, leaving less oxygen for fish and other aquatic animals
Eutrophication Definition
Enrichment of nutrients in an aquatic environment that causes excessive growth of aquatic plants, especially algae, which increases bacterial growth and consumption of oxygen, resulting in depletion of oxygen in the environment
What are the effects of farming
- It can destroy habitats of many species
- It uses large amounts of fresh water
- Causes soil erosion and desert formation
- Introduces pollutants into the environment
Wha is DDT
DDT is a farm-related pollutant and is a chemical that is very effective at killing insects
Why did farmers like DDT
Farmers liked DDT since it was cheap, easy to spray, and kept insects away
How does DDT negatively effect other wildlife
DDT is toxic to other wildlife and can block the absorption of calcium in many organisms
When was DDT banned in the US
1972
How does DDT affect birds
In the case of birds, DDT’s impaired calcium absorption can interfere with reproduction by preventing proper formation of egg shell, making the eggs very fragile
What is the negative impact of smog
Smog, created by burning fossil fuels, damages plants and causes people to have respiratory problems
What is the negative impact of acid rain
Acid rain - pollutants carried in precipitation - harms fish, trees, soil, microorganisms, and manmade objects
What are the 2 main components of smog
Carbon Monoxide and Sulfur Dioxide
What reacts with water to make acid rain
SO2 and NO react with water vapor in the air to create acid rain
What are the effects of acid rain on water
It lowers its pH
What is a wetland
A wetland is land that, at least some of the time, is covered by shallow waters or has waterlogged soils
Why are Wetlands important
- They are a rich habitat for many plant and animals species
- They help prevent flooding
- They filter excess nutrients, sediments, and even pollution from the water that flow through them
Why have humans drained wetlands
Humans have drained wetlands to build roads, parking lots, buildings, and landfills
What happens when rain is not soaked into the ground
When rain is not soaked into the ground of wetlands, it runs off directly into lakes and rivers carrying pollutants, organic materials, and excess nutrients
Why is the air temperature in cities warmer than the temperature in the country
The air temperature in cities can be warmer than in the surrounding country sides since asphalt and concrete absorb heat from the sun and release it slower than plants overnight
Why do people build dams
People build dams to control flooding, to improve water supply , and to produce electricity
What happens to the land upstream from a dam
Land upstream of the dam becomes flooded as artificial lakes or reservoirs form. Because the water is no longer flowing quickly, sediment builds up in lakes, and the temperature of the water increases
Why is there less sediment downstream from a dam
Since the sediment stays upstream
How is water down stream from a dam
The water down stream is clearer, so sunlight can penetrate the water more easily and weed growth increases dramatically
What does the lack of sediment downstream of a dam cause
Coastal erosion
True or False: Without periodic flooding sediment - rich water, the fertility of the land downstream from the dam is reduced
True
