Phanerozoic Life

Question 1

nonliving

Answer 1

Abiotic

Question 2

evolution of numerous species from a common ancestor.

Answer 2

Adaptive radiation

Question 3

diversity of living organisms.

Answer 3

Biodiversity

Question 4

assemblages of organisms.

Answer 4

Biotas

Question 5

from living organisms

Answer 5

Biotic

Question 6

selection of organisms based on the relative contribution of an organism to the gene pool of next generation.

Answer 6

Darwinian selection

Question 7

area available for organisms to occupy. This is partly a physical space, and partly a series of interactions between organisms.

Answer 7

Ecospace

Question 7

processes of change in living organisms over time

Answer 7

Evolution

Question 8

also called ecological niche. The sum of an organism’s use of all available environmental resources.

Answer 8

Niche

Question 9

organisms with similar anatomical characteristics that can, potentially, interbreed.

Answer 9

Species

Question 10

organisms with similar anatomical characteristics that can, potentially, interbreed.

Answer 10

Species diversity

Question 11

science of naming and classifyin organisms

Answer 11

Taxonomy

Question 12

characterized by a mud-grubbing lifestyle

Answer 12

CAMBRIAN FAUNA

Question 13

with a much larger filter-feeding cohort and more predators.

Answer 13

PALAEOZOIC FAUNA

Question 14

characterized by an abundance of predators and an increasing tendency to burrow for protection.

Answer 14

MODERN FAUNA

Question 15

The most important innovation of the Phanerozoic was the migration of organisms on to land during the Palaeozoic

Question 16

Biological events have also been extremely important in controlling diversity. Three different faunas can be identified through the Phanerozoic

Answer 16

a. Cambrian fauna
b. Palaeozoic fauna
c. Modern fauna

Question 17

Dominated by trilobites, arthropods, inarticulate brachiopods and hyolithids.

Fauna is predominantly based on mud eating and most animals live on the sediment surface.

Answer 17

Cambrian Fauna

Question 18

Dominated by corals, crinoids, brachiopods, predatory cephalopods, and by graptolites in deeper water.

This fauna is more tiered than that of Cambrian with organisms living on, and growing above, the sea bed. Reefs and other biotherms become common.

Answer 18

Palaeozoic Fauna

Question 19

Dominated by bivalves, echinoids, gastropods, and vertebrates.

Burrowing and predation become very common, increasing faunal tiering yet again and keeping diversity high by regulating the abundance of prey species

Answer 19

Modern Fauna

Question 20

________________occurs when ecospace is empty, and _____________________ occurs when the environment is already stocked with organisms.

Answer 20

Rapid Diversification

slower diversification

Question 21

is a measure of variety, and it can be assessed at taxonomic level. It could also be applied to individual variation, or even to various in DNA, but variation at this level is not generally used.

Answer 21

Diversity

Question 22

most significant event in the evolution of life during the Phanerozoic has been the colonization of land

Question 23

Mass Extinctions

Answer 23

END ORDOVICIAN
END DEVONIAN
END PERMIAN
END TRIASSIC
END CRETACEOUS