Part 1 - The Diversity Of Life Flashcards
How many life forms are officially registered?
1.5 million officially registered life forms or types of organisms
What does et al mean in terms of referencing?
That more than 2 authors were involved
What is mathematical modelling?
It is a process in which mathematical calculations are used to predict answers to problems
This is done by knowing mown numbers of species and rates of discovery of new species
Prediction is an important method of scientific research
Define the term kingdom?
A group of species that have fundamental characteristics in common
Define the term species?
A life form (or type of organism) group whose members have similar general features and are able to reproduce
Define the term organism?
An individual living thing
Define the term morphology ?
The study of the form and structure of living things
What event took place that lead to the development of the earliest living cells around 3000 million years ago?
Complex chemicals started to clump together to form cells
How did the earliest cells reproduce?
The split and replicated
Divided themselves in to two
Do living things still reproduce by dividing themselves into two, in a similar way today?
Bacteria reproduce by diving in two
What common feature did the first ‘multicelled’ organisms develop?
The first multicelled organisms had a body with an internal cavity
The multicelled organisms living in the sea started to ‘diversify’ this means producing different types of life forms. Name some life forms described?
Some organisms developed a mouth that opened into a gut, others developed a stiff internal rod and sense organs, and some became segmented.
What type of organism was among the first to live on land?
Insects
Over 350 million years ago amphibians first ventures into land. How did they evolve to be able to do this?
Amphibians evolved from a fish that had developed a backbone and weight supporting legs from their fins and which were able to breathe air from the waters surface.
How do reptiles differ from amphibians?
Reptiles evolved to have dry scaly skins and the ability to lay eggs with watertight shells on land. In contrast, their amphibian ancestors had wet skins and needed to return to water to lay eggs
What is a taxonomists?
A biologist who specialises in the classification of organisms into groups on the basis of their structure and origin and behaviour
Define the term taxonomy?
It is the process of organising similar things especially living things in to groups or types
The study of the theory practice and rules of classification of living and extinct organisms. The naming description and classification of a given organism draws evidence from a number of fields
Define the term taxa/taxon?
Taxon (singular)
Taxa (pleural)
Classified groups which are ranked in the taxonomic scheme
A name taxonomic group of any rank in the hierarchical classification of organisms.
What is classical taxonomy?
It is the classification of taxa based on their morphology and anatomy
What is cytotaxonomy?
It is the classification of taxa which compares the size, shape and number of chromosomes of different organisms
What is numerical taxonomy?
It is the classification of taxa using mathematical procedures to assess similarities and differences to establish groups
What is the 3 domain system based on?
The genetic differences between life forms found in each domain and the domains are called archaea, bacteria and eukarya
What is the basic biological unit of all living organisms?
Cells
What are the two types of cells that are present in each domain?
Prokaryotic cells
Eukaryotic cells
What type of cell is the bacteria domain composed of?
Prokaryotic cells
What type of cells is the eukarya composed of?
Eukaryotic cells
How are prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells different?
The prokaryotic cells do not have internal compartments
Prokaryotic cells do not have a defined nucleus
Eukaryotic cells have internal compartments
Eukaryotic cells have genetic material with a defined nucleus
Why is archaea a confusing domain?
Because the structure of it is similar to a prokaryotic cell (they do not have internal compartments)
But they also have similarities to the eukaryotic cells on a genetic level.
Because they display both characteristics they can be classified in to their own domain.
Some taxonomists still classify them as prokaryotic
Are viruses living organisms?
Why so?
No they are not classified as living organisms as they are not made of cells
They are small infectious agents that can only reproduce in other cells
What is the top taxon in the taxonomic ranking system?
Domain taxon
What does the domain taxon consist of and why?
The domain taxon is made up of bacteria, archaea and eurakya
All life is considered to be made of these three domains
What domain are humans a part of?
Eukarya domain
List in the order the taxonomic ranking system starting from the highest.
How many tanks are there?
8 ranks Domain (domains) Kingdom (kingdoms) Phylum (phyla) Class (classes) Order (orders) Family (families) Genus (genera) Species (species)
What is the second highest taxonomic rank?
Kingdom (kingdoms)
How many kingdoms are there ?
It is generally accepted that there are 6
How are organisms in the kingdoms placed?
Organisms are placed into kingdoms according to their ability to make food and their cellular structure
How many kingdoms does the Achaea domain consist of?
1
What can archaea also be known as?
Archaebacteria
How many kingdoms does the bacteria domain consist of?
1
How many kingdoms does the eukarya domain consist of?
4
Name the kingdoms of the eukarya domain?
Animalia
Plantae
Fungi
Protista
What kingdom are humans a part of?
A part of the Animalia kingdom
What is the third highest taxonomic rank for living organisms?
Phylum
How many phyla does the animal kingdom consist of?
35
How many phyla does the plantae kingdom consist of?
12
What group of phyla are humans classified in?
Chordata phylum
What is a similar characteristic of all Chordates?
They all have a backbone at some point in their life
What is the 4th taxonomic rank for living organisms?
Class (classes)
What example can you give of a class in which humans fit in to?
Mammalia is a good example of an animal class Humans are mammals
What is the fifth taxonomic rank?
Order (orders)
What example can you give of which order (orders) humans fit in to?
Primate which means ape like animals
What is the 6th taxonomic rank?
Family (families)
What family are humans classified as in the taxonomic ranking system?
Hominids or human like animals
What is the 7th and penultimate taxonomic rank for living organisms?
Genus (genera)
What is the final taxonomic rank and the basic unit of all biological classification?
Species (species)
What is binomial nomenclature?
It is the system of naming organisms using a two part latinised or scientific name. First part is the generic (genus) name and the second part is specific epithet (species)
The name should always be written in italics with a capital letter in the beginning. Second part lower case
What is the binomial name for humans?
Homo sapiens
What is the plural for domain?
Domains
What is the plural for kingdom?
Kingdoms
What is the plural for phylum?
Phyla
What is the plural for class?
Classes
What is the pleural for family?
Families
What is the pleural for genus?
Genera
What is the plural for order?
Orders
What is the plural for species?
Species
What do all mammals have in common?
Warm blooded Lungs Body hair Produce milk Give birth to live young
What is a primate?
An ape like animal
What do all chordate have in common?
Animals with a supporting rod running through the length of the body
What does sapiens mean?
Capable of discerning or wise
Modern humans
What rank does the classification animalia fall in to?
Kingdom
What rank does the classification Chordata fall in to?
Phylum
What rank does the classification mammalia fall in to?
Class
What rank does the classification primate fall in to?
Order
What rank does the classification hominids fall in to?
Family
What rank does the classification homo fall in to?
Genus
What rank does the classification sapiens fall in to?
Species
Define the term hominids?
Human like animals
How should a binomial name be written ?
Genus and species name combined
In italics
First word capital letter
Second lower case
Define the term autotrophic ?
Organisms that can make their own food/energy source from simple inorganic sources by photosynthesis
Define the term heterotrophic?
An organism that requires organic food (made of carbon/nitrogen) from the environment i.e. All animals/fungi/yeasts/most bacteria
What was believed to be among the first life forms to inhabit earth?
Bacteria
How many kingdoms does the Achaea domain consist of?
One
The archaea kingdom
How many kingdoms does the bacteria domain consist of?
One the bacteria kingdom
How many kingdoms does the eukarya domain consist of?
4 kingdoms
Animalia, plantae, Protista, fungi
What cell type does the bacteria kingdom consist of?
Prokaryotic cells
What cell type does the Achaea kingdom consist of?
Prokaryotic and eukaryotic
What cell type does the Protista kingdom consist of?
Eukaryotic
What cell type does the plantae kingdom consist of?
Eukaryotic cells
What cell type does the fungi kingdom consist of?
Eukaryotic
What cell type does the animalia kingdom consist of?
Eukaryotic
Does the bacteria kingdom consist of single cells organisms or multicellular organisms?
Single cells
Does the archaea kingdom consist of single cells organisms or multicellular organisms?
Single celled
Does the protista kingdom consist of single cells organisms or multicellular organisms?
Both
Single celled and multicellular
Does the fungi kingdom consist of single cells organisms or multicellular organisms?
Multicellular
Does the plantae kingdom consist of single cells organisms or multicellular organisms?
Multicellular
Does the animalia kingdom consist of single cells organisms or multicellular organisms?
Multicellular
What is the nutrition type of bacteria, autotrophic or heterotrophic?
Both
Autotrophic and heterotrophic
What is the nutrition type of archaea, autotrophic or heterotrophic?
Both
Autotrophic and heterotrophic
What is the nutrition type of protista, autotrophic or heterotrophic?
Autotrophic
What is the nutrition type of fungi, autotrophic or heterotrophic?
Heterotrophic
What is the nutrition type of plantae, autotrophic or heterotrophic?
Autotrophic
What is the nutrition type of animalia, autotrophic or heterotrophic?
Heterotrophic
How are bacteria classified and grouped?
According to their shape and gram staining technique
Where would you usually find archaea organisms living?
In extreme environments
Deep sea thrift vents where temperatures exceed 100 degrees
Hot springs
Environments that lack oxygen - mud in marshes, ocean floors
Very salty water
Petroleum deposits underground
What is the most diverse kingdom?
Animalia with over 1 million classified species
How many species of bacteria have been classified?
Fewer than 10000 but it is estimated there are 10(power 7) to 10 (power of 10)
Where is bacteria found?
Everywhere
What are the 5 different shapes of bacteria?
Spherical, rod, spiral, comma, corkscrew
What colour does gram positive bacteria show up?
Dark blue/ purple
What colour does gram negative bacteria show up?
Red
How many Protista species have been classified?
200000 species
Give two examples of Protista?
Mould
Euglena
How many species of plants have been classified?
300000 species
Why are green plants essential for the survival of animals on earth?
Green plants are essential for the survival of aniamls because animals cannot get energy directly from the sun. Herbivore animals get there energy from eating plants, whilst carnivore Les eat other animals, which have eaten plants. Animals also need oxygen, produced by plants, in the atmosphere to survive
Why are plants green?
Due to the pigment chlorophyll
Define the term Chordata?
An organism that has a spinal cord / backbone
Vertebrae
Define the term inchordata phylum?
Invertebrates
Animals without a spinal cord
What is archaea?
It is a single celled organism that can be considered as a domain of prokaryotic or eukaryotic based on their physical structure
They like to live in extreme climates
What is bacteria?
Single celled organisms they have a prokaryotic structure.
What is Protista?
A kingdom with eukaryotic cell structure. It is mostly a singular celled organism but can be multicellular. It is a very diverse group.
