The Variety Of Life Flashcards
What 2 groups do all living organisms fall under?
Plants (flowering and non-flowering)
Animals (vertrebrates and non-vertrebrates)
What reasons are there for classifying living organisms into scientific names? (3)
- It makes it easier to identify organisms
- It makes communication between scientists easier
- Avoids confusion that local names bring
What latin names are living organisms given?
Genus + species eg. homo (g) + sapiens (s)
What is the final result of natural selection?
Species become better adapted to their environment and have a higher likelihood of survival.
2 types of adaptation?
Morphological adaptation
Behavioural adaptation
What is morphological adaption?
Structural or physical changes (eg. fur/leg length)
What is behavioural adaption?
Mental/primal changes (eg. type of diet/sleeping patterns)
3 common adaptations for animals?
Camouflage - match their environment
Climate - thin/thick fur for optimal homeostasis
Catching/running away from prey - better physique for running/hiding
Case study - Tiger
Name some adaptations tigers have.
Powerful leg muscles - catching prey Eyes at the front - good eye sight Sharp teeth - killing prey large claws - killing prey Active at night - good advantage over prey Long tail - balance when running
6 factors/conditions needed to support life?
Light - plants to make food for energy
Food - animals for energy
Water - all organisms, chemical reactions in cells
Oxygen - all organisms respire aerobically, break down food and release energy
Carbon dioxide - plants for photosynthesis
Minerals - all organisms, needed for chemical reactions in cells
What is the acronym for conditions needed to support life?
Farm (factors) Lions Forget What Other Cats Munch
Who can compete for resources?
Can be between species (interspecies) or within species (intraspecies), only when there is a limited supply of a certain resource.
What does competition do for species?
Puts a limit on the potential size of the population (survival of the fittest)
What is biodiversity?
Number of species in a certain area.
Good reasons for biodiversity?
- Stable environments resist harmful situations
- Habitats with greater variety are more interesting (scientific/leisure)
- Greater biodiversity = more discoveries = more new medicines.
- Domesticated products loss of resistance. Greater biodiversity strengthens genetics for resistance through cross breeding.
How can biodiversity be maintained?
- Breeding and release programs
- Active conservation of habitats
- Recreation of habitats that have declined
- Control of invasive species
- Legislation to protect habitats or endangered species
- Controlling pollution or other dangerous factors
Why can legislation be difficult to enforce?
It creates conflict because all parties need to benefit and most the time it is only beneficial for either human or species and not both.
What is the definition of sampling?
A small area is surveyed and used to estimate the numbers of a species in the whole environment.
3 key principles in sampling?
- Samples must be big enough
- Sample must be random
- Sample must not effect the results
What are quadrats?
Wooden or metal frames of a standard length, used for sampling.
How do you sample an area using a quadrat? (method)
1) Sampled area is divided up into a grid
2) Random number generator used to choose sample area
3) Place quadrats on desired places
4) Species are identified, counted and recorded
5) Work out the area sampled
6) Work out total number of species (number of species = number of species counted x total area)
Brief method of the capture/recapture technique?
1) Number of individuals in a particular species is captured
2) They are marked and then released
3) Another sample is captured, and then total population is estimated.
Equation to work out total population from the capture/recapture technique?
number of population = total number of animals captured and marked on the first visit x total number of animals captured on second visit / number of animals captured on the first visit and then recaptured on the second visit.
N = MC/R
4 set conditions of the capture/recapture technique?
- Sufficient time between both samples
- No large scale movement between samples
- Marking technique must not effect the survival chances of the animals
- Marking technique must not effect chances of recapture
What are alien species?
Species not from or native to a certain area.
Problems with alien species?
- Alien species may have no predators so population may grow out of control
- May compete with existing species, causing them to die out
- Prey on existing species, causing reduced numbers
- May carry disease to which has existing immunity, but other species do not
What is biological control?
Species deliberately brought in to control pest species. Using living organisms instead of chemical pesticides.
