The Variety Of Life

Question 1

What 2 groups do all living organisms fall under?

Answer 1

Plants (flowering and non-flowering)

Animals (vertrebrates and non-vertrebrates)

Question 2

What reasons are there for classifying living organisms into scientific names? (3)

Answer 2

• It makes it easier to identify organisms
• It makes communication between scientists easier
• Avoids confusion that local names bring

Question 3

What latin names are living organisms given?

Answer 3

Genus + species eg. homo (g) + sapiens (s)

Question 4

What is the final result of natural selection?

Answer 4

Species become better adapted to their environment and have a higher likelihood of survival.

Question 5

2 types of adaptation?

Answer 5

Morphological adaptation

Behavioural adaptation

Question 6

What is morphological adaption?

Answer 6

Structural or physical changes (eg. fur/leg length)

Question 7

What is behavioural adaption?

Answer 7

Mental/primal changes (eg. type of diet/sleeping patterns)

Question 8

3 common adaptations for animals?

Answer 8

Camouflage - match their environment
Climate - thin/thick fur for optimal homeostasis
Catching/running away from prey - better physique for running/hiding

Question 9

Case study - Tiger

Name some adaptations tigers have.

Answer 9

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

Question 10

6 factors/conditions needed to support life?

Answer 10

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

Question 11

What is the acronym for conditions needed to support life?

Answer 11

Farm (factors) Lions Forget What Other Cats Munch

Question 12

Who can compete for resources?

Answer 12

Can be between species (interspecies) or within species (intraspecies), only when there is a limited supply of a certain resource.

Question 13

What does competition do for species?

Answer 13

Puts a limit on the potential size of the population (survival of the fittest)

Question 14

What is biodiversity?

Answer 14

Number of species in a certain area.

Question 15

Good reasons for biodiversity?

Answer 15

• 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.

Question 16

How can biodiversity be maintained?

Answer 16

• 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

Question 17

Why can legislation be difficult to enforce?

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

What is the definition of sampling?

Answer 18

A small area is surveyed and used to estimate the numbers of a species in the whole environment.

Question 19

3 key principles in sampling?

Answer 19

• Samples must be big enough
• Sample must be random
• Sample must not effect the results

Question 20

What are quadrats?

Answer 20

Wooden or metal frames of a standard length, used for sampling.

Question 21

How do you sample an area using a quadrat? (method)

Answer 21

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)

Question 22

Brief method of the capture/recapture technique?

Answer 22

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.

Question 23

Equation to work out total population from the capture/recapture technique?

Answer 23

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

Question 24

4 set conditions of the capture/recapture technique?

Answer 24

• 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

Question 25

What are alien species?

Answer 25

Species not from or native to a certain area.

Question 26

Problems with alien species?

Answer 26

• 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

Question 27

What is biological control?

Answer 27

Species deliberately brought in to control pest species. Using living organisms instead of chemical pesticides.