Module 4- Biodiversity, evolution and disease Flashcards
What is classification?
The name given to the process by which living organisms are sorted into groups.
What are the groups used for classification referred to as?
Taxonomic groups
What are the seven groups of classification?
Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species.
What is the mnemonic used to remember the taxonomic groups?
King Phillip came over for great sex.
Which is the biggest and broadest taxonomic group?
Kingdoms
What is the smallest and most specific classification?
Species
Why do scientists classify organisms? (3 reasons)
- To identify species as using a clear defined system helps that.
- To predict characteristics- if several members in a group have a specific characteristic, it is likely that another species in the same group will have the same characteristic.
- To find evolutionary links- species in the same group probably share characteristics because they have evolved from a common ancestor.
How does the classification system begin?
The classification system begins with the three domains.
What are the three domains?
Archaea, bacteria, and eukarya.
Define species
A group of organisms that are able to reproduce to produce fertile offspring.
What is the binomial naming system?
The naming system used to identify the same organism.
The first word of the name is the genus, e.g Homo and the second word of the name is the species, e.g Sapiens, therefore the name of the organism is homo sapiens and can be recognised worldwide and easily compared to other organisms.
Give an example of the binomial naming system being used…
E.coli
Scientific name: Escherichia coli
Genus: Escherichia
Species: coli
State two reasons why classification important
- Enables scientists to share information / makes communication easy.
- Provides information about an organism, based on members of the same group.
- Allows accurate identification of an organism.
What are the five kingdoms?
Prokaryotae(bacteria) Protocista(the unicellular eukaryotes) Fungi(e.g mould) Plantae(the plants) Animalia(the animals)
Why were the five kingdoms initially categorised into ppfpa?
Because of their similarities in their observable features.
Give the general features of prokaryotae
- Unicellular
- No nucleus or other membrane-bound organelle- a ring of naked DNA- small ribosomes.
- No visible feeding mechanism- nutrients are absorbed through the cell wall or produced internally by photosynthesis.
Give the general features of protocista
- (mainly) unicellular
- A nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.
- Some have chloroplasts.
- Some are immobile but some move by flagella.
- Nutrients are acquired through photosynthesis(autotrophic feeder) and ingestion of other organisms(heterotrophic feeders).
Give the general features of fungi
- Unicelular or multicellular
- A nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles and a cell wall mainly composed of chitin.
- No chloroplasts or chlorophyll
- No mechanisms for locomotion
- Most have a body made of hyphae or threads.
- Nutrients are acquired by absorption- mainly from decaying material- they are saprophytic feeders- some are parasitic.
- Most store their food as glycogen.
Give the general features of plantae
- Multicellular
- A nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles including chloroplasts, and a cell wall mainly composed of cellulose.
- All contain chlorophyll
- Most do not move
- Nutrients are acquired by photosynthesis- they are autotrophic feeders(organisms that make their own food).
- Store food as starch.
Give the general features for animalia
- Multicellular
- A nucleus ansd other membrane bound organelles (no cell walls).
- No chloroplasts
- Move with the aid of cilia, flagella or contractile proteins, someties in the form of muscular organs.
- Nutrients are acquired by ingestion- they are heterophobic feeders.
- Food stored as glycogen.
Give the general features for Animalia
- Multicellular
- A nucleus ansd other membrane bound organelles (no cell walls).
- No chloroplasts
- Move with the aid of cilia, flagella or contractile proteins, someties in the form of muscular organs.
- Nutrients are acquired by ingestion- they are heterophobic feeders.
- Food stored as glycogen.
Why do scientists compare the DNA and proteins of different species?
Scientists compare similarities of DNA and proteins of different species to siscover the evolutionary relationships between the species- when an organism evolves their DNA changes which determines the proteins that are made which determines the characteristics.
Who proposed the “Three Domain System”? and when?
Carl Woese in 1977.
How did Woese group his organisms?
Woese system groups organisms using differences in the sequences of nucleuotides in the cells’ ribosomal RNA(rRNA), as well as the cells’ membrane lipid structure and their sensitivity to antibiotics. Observation of these was made possible by scientific advancement.
What are the three domains proposed by Carl Woese? And what are their features?
Eukarya: 80s ribosomes, RNA polymerase contains 12 proteins.
Archaea: 70s ribosomes, RNA polymerase contains between 8 and 10 proteins and is very similar to eukaryotic ribosome.
Bacteria: 70s ribosomes, RNA polymerase contain 5 proteins.
What are the six kingdoms proposed by Carl Woese?
Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Proticista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.
Why are Archaebacteria and Eubacteria not in the same kingdom despite them both being single-celled prokaryotes?
The are classified inot their own kingdom because their chemical makeup is different from eachother. For example, Eubacteria contain peptidoglycan in their cell wall whereas Archaebacteria do not.
What type of environments do archaebacteria live in?
Extreme environments, e.g hot thermal vents, anaerobic conditions and highly acidic environments- sewage treatment plants.
Define phylogeny
The evolutionary relationships between organisms. The study of evolutionary history of group of organisms is known as phylogenetics. It reveals which group a particular organism is related to, and how closley related these organisms are.
What are the advantages of phylogeny trees?
Phylogeny produces a continious tree whereas classfification requires discrete taxonomicall groups. Scientists are not forced to put organisms into a specific group that they do not quite fit.
The Linnean classification system can be misleading as it implies different groups within the same rank are equivalent.
Why was the book “ On the origin of species” very controversial when released in 1859?
The theory evolution by natural selection confilcted with the religious view that God had created all of the animals and plants on Earth in their current form, and only about six thousand years ago.
What are the three main sources of evidence for evolution?… and describe them?
Palaeontology- The study of fossils and fossil record.
Comparative anatomy- Studying the similarities and differences between organisms anatomy.
Comparitive biochemsitry- Studying the similarities and differences between the chemical makeup of organisms.
When does divergent evolution occur?
When closely related species diversify to adapt to new habitats(which means that they have adaptive features) as a result of migration or loss of habitat.
What is a homologous structure?
A structure that appears superficially different(and may perform different functions) in different organisms but has the same underlying structure, e.g pentadactyl limb of vertebrates.
What did Charles Darwin do for the development of the theory of evolution?
Darwin came up with the theory of evolution by natural selection through observations in the galapagos islands.
How are fossils formed?
Fossils are formed when animal and plant remains are preserved in rocks. Over long periods of time, sediment is deposited on the Earth to from layers(strata) of rock. Different layers correspond to different geological eras, the most recent layer being found on the top. within different rock strata, the fossils found are quite different, forming a sequence from oldest to youngest, which shows that organisms have gradually changed over time. This is known as the fossil record.
How does the fossil record provide evidence for evolution?
Fossils of the simplest organisms such as bacteria and simple algae are found in the oldest rocks, whilst fossils of more complex organisms such as vertebrates are found in more recent rocks. This supports the evolutionary theory that simple life forms gradually evolved over an extremely long time period into more complex ones.
By studying similarities in the anatomy of fossil organisms, scientists can show how closely related organisms have evolved from the same ancestor. For example zebras and horses, members of the genus Equus, are closely relayed to the rhinoceros of the family Rhinocerotidae. An extensive fossil record of these organisms exists, which spans over 60 million years and links them to the common ancestor Hyracotherium. This lineage has been based on structural similarities between their skull(including teeth and skeleton, in particular the feet.
Fossils allow relationships between extinct and living(extant) organisms to be investigated.
How do fossils provide evidence that humans require plants to survive?
The sequence in which the organisms are found matches their ecological links to each other. For example, plant fossils appear before animal fossils. This is consistent with the fact that animals require plants to survive.