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AS Biology > Module 4.3 - Classification and Evolution > Flashcards

Module 4.3 - Classification and Evolution Flashcards

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1
Q

What is taxonomy?

A

The study of classification.

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2
Q

What is the taxonomic hierarchy?

A

(Domain) Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

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3
Q

What are the five kingdoms of organisms?

A

Prokaryotae, protoctista, fungi, plantae and animalia.

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4
Q

What are the general characteristics of the organisms in the Prokaryotae kingdom?

A

> Prokaryotic
Unicellular
No nucleus
Less than 5mm.

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5
Q

What are the general characteristics of the organisms in the Protoctista kingdom?

A

> Eukaryotic cells
Usually live in water
Single-celled or simple multicellular organisms.

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6
Q

What are the general characteristics of the organisms in the Fungi kingdom?

A

> Eukaryotic
Chitin cell wall
Saprotrophic (absorb substances from dead or decaying organisms).
Single-celled or multicellular organisms.

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7
Q

What are the general characteristics of the organisms in the Plantae kingdom?

A 
>Eukaryotic 
>Multicellular
>Cell walls made of cellulose.
>Can photosynthesise
>Contain chlorophyll
>Autotrophic - produce their own food
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8
Q

What are the general characteristics of the organisms in the Animalia kingdom?

A

> Eukaryotic
Multicellular
No cell walls
Heterotrophic (consumes plants and animals).

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9
Q

What is the nomenclature (naming system) used for classification called?

A

The binomial system.

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10
Q

What is phylogeny?

A

The study of the evolutionary history of groups of organisms and tells us who’s related to whom and how closely related they are.

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11
Q

What is some of the evidence used to see how related some organisms are?

A

> Molecular evidence - the similarities in proteins and DNA. More closely related organisms will have more similar molecules.
Embryological - the similarities in the early stage of an organism’s development.
Anatomical - similarities in structure and function of different body parts.
Behavioural - similarities in behaviour and social organisation of organisms.

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12
Q

What problematic evidence was solely used in original classification?

A

Observable features

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13
Q

What lead to new discoveries in the classification of organisms?

A

> New Technologies - Provided new DNA techniques (better microscopes).
Scientists can share their new discoveries in meetings and scientific journals.

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14
Q

How does the three domain system differ from the old system of the five kingdoms?

A

The new system has three domains - large super kingdoms that are above the kingdoms in the taxonomic hierarchy.

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15
Q

What are the 3 domains?

A

Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya.

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16
Q

What evidence was proposed to support the 3 domain system?

A

> Molecular evidence - The enzyme RNA polymerase is different in bacteria and archaea. Archaea have similar histones to Eukarya.
Cell membrane evidence - The bonds of the lipids in the cell membranes of bacteria and archaea are different. The development of flagellae are also different.

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17
Q

What do scientists now believe about the evolution of archaea and bacteria?

A

They evolved separately and that the archaea are more closely related to eukarya than bacteria.

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18
Q

What is variation within a species known as?

A

Intraspecific variation.

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19
Q

What is variation between species known as?

A

Interspecific variation.

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20
Q

What is continuous variation?

A

When the individuals in a population vary within a range - there are no distinct categories.

21
Q

Give some examples of continuous variation?

A 
>Mass
>Number of leaves,
>Width
>Length
>Height
>Milk Yield.
22
Q

What is discontinuous variation?

A

When there are two or more distinct categories - each individual falls into only one of these categories, there are no intermediates.

23
Q

Give some examples of discontinuous variation?

A

> Blood group
Colour
Antibiotic resistance
Seed shape (e.g. some plants have smooth seeds and some have wrinkled)
Pigment production (some types of bacteria can produce a coloured pigment, others can’t).

24
Q

What are the genetic factors that affect variation?

A

> Different species have different genes.
1)Individuals of the same species have the same genes but different alleles which makes up their genotype.
2)The differences in genotype result in variation of the phenotype (physical characteristics).
You inherit genes from your parents so genetic variation is inherited.

25
Q

Give two examples of a variation caused only by genetic factors?

A

> Blood group in humans

>Antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

26
Q

How do environmental factors differ from genetic factors?

A

They are caused by differences in environment and can change over an organism’s life.

27
Q

Give two examples of when both genetic and environmental factors cause variation?

A

> Height
Flagellum - Genes determine if a microorganism can grow a flagellum but some will only start to grow in certain environments.

28
Q

What does standard deviation tell you?

A

How much the values in a simple sample vary. It’s a measure of the spread of values about the mean.

29
Q

What does a large standard deviation mean?

A

Means the values in the sample vary a lot.

30
Q

What is the formula for standard deviation?

A

sd =√Σ(x-mean)/n-1

31
Q

What benefits does an organism have if it is well adapted to its environment?

A

Increases its chance of survival and reproduction and also the chances of its offspring reproducing successfully.

32
Q

What is a behavioural adaptation?

A

Ways an organism acts that increase its chance of survival.

33
Q

What is a physiological adaptation?

A

Processes inside an organism’s body that increase its chance of survival.

34
Q

What is a anatomical(structural) adaptation?

A

Structural features of an organism’s body that increases its chance of survival.

35
Q

Give examples of a behavioural adaptation?

A

> Possums sometimes ‘play dead’ if they’re being threatened by a predator to escape attack.
Scorpions dance before mating making sure they attract a mate of the same species.

36
Q

Give examples of a physiological adaptation?

A

> Brown bears hibernate - lower their rate of metabolism over winter which conserves energy so don’t need to look for food when it’s scarce.
Some bacteria produce antibiotics - kill other species of bacteria in the area meaning less competition.

37
Q

Why can organisms from different taxonomic groups have similar features even if they’re not closely related?

A

The organisms have evolved in similar environments and to fill similar ecological niches.

38
Q

What are the difference between placental mammals and the marsupial mammal that diverged from them?

A

Placental mammals -
>Have a longer gestation period.
>Develop a placenta during pregnancy.
>Born fully developed.

Marsupial mammals -
>Short gestation period.
>Don’t develop a full placenta.
>Born early in their development and climb into their mother’s pouch and attach to a teat receiving milk as they continue to develop.

39
Q

Even though marsupial and placental moles aren’t closely related due to evolving on different continents, what is similar and why?

A

Share similar anatomical features because they both evolved in similar environments.

40
Q

What are the adaptations that both marsupial and placental moles have?

A

> Live in tunnels in the ground
Burrow to reach their food supply
Small, nonexistent eyes for they live underground.
No external ears, streamlined head
Claws specialised for digging
Tube shaped body and cone shaped head to push through soil/sand.

41
Q

What were Darwin’s 4 key observations that contributed to his theory of evolution?

A

> Organisms produce more offspring than survive.
There’s variation in the characteristics of members of the same species.
Some characteristics can be passed on from one generation to the next.
Individuals that are best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive .

42
Q

What were Wallace’s contributions?

A

> Independently came up with the idea of natural selection.
Published their papers on evolution together.
Provided observations to support the theory.

43
Q

How can you use fossil record evidence to support evolution?

A

By arranging fossils in chronological order, gradual changes in organisms can be observed that provide evidence of evolution.

44
Q

How can you use DNA evidence to support evolution?

A

> Organisms that diverged away from each other more recently have more similar DNA as less time has passed for changes in the DNA sequence to occur.
Looking at differences in mitochondrial DNA to see how closely related organisms are.

45
Q

How can you use molecular evidence to support evolution?

A

> Similarities in other molecules such as comparing the sequences of amino acids in proteins and comparing antibodies. Organisms that have diverged away from each other more recently have more similar molecules - less time for changes in proteins and other molecules to occur.

46
Q

Describe how the evolution of pesticide resistance can be explained by natural selection?

A

1) There is variation in a population of insects. Genetic mutations create alleles that make some insects naturally resistant to a pesticide.
2) If the population of insects is exposed to that pesticide only then the individuals with resistance will survive to reproduce.
3) The alleles which cause the pesticide resistance will be passed on to the next generation, and so the population will evolve - more individuals will carry the allele than in the previous generation.

47
Q

What could be the implications for humans of the evolution of pesticide resistance?

A

> Crop infestations with pesticide-resistant insects are harder to control - some insects may be resistant to multiple pesticides, by the time the farmer has figured out which pesticide kills the insect the crop may already be destroyed, farmers may have to use broader pesticides that could kill beneficial insects.
If disease-carrying insects (e.g. mosquitos) become pesticide resistant, the spread of disease could increase.
A population of insects could evolve resistance to all pesticides in use. To prevent this new pesticides need to be produced, this takes time and costs money.

48
Q

How does the evolution of drug resistance have implications for humans too?

A

> Infections caused by drug-resistant microorganisms are harder to treat - especially if it’s resistant to lots of different drugs, it can take doctors a while to figure out which drugs will get rid of the infection and in that time the patient could become very ill or die.
A pathogen could become resistant to all the drugs we currently use against. To prevent this new drugs need to be developed and this takes time and money.

AS Biology (12 decks)

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