TOPIC 4 Flashcards
Define species
A group of organisms with similar morphology, physiology and behaviour, which can interbreed to produce fertile offspring, and which are reproductively isolated from other organisms
Define habitat
A place where an organism lives
Define population
A group of interbreeding individuals of the same species found in an area. The various populations in a habitat make up a community.
Define endemic
An endemic species is those species that are found only in a limited, restricted, and defined area or habitat, with no traces of its populations in any other part of the world.
Define ecological niche
This is the way an organism exploits its environment- so species have a niche when they live in the same habitat and have the same role within the habitat.
What is a behavioral adaptation and give an example of it.
A behavioral adaptation is any actions by organisms that help them to survive or reproduce. e.g. when sunflowers turn towards the sun in order to maximise the amount of light received for photosynthesis.
What is a physiological adaptation and give an example of it.
Physiological adaptations are features of the inner workings of an organism which help them to survive or reproduce. An example is Danish scurvy grass which allows toleration of high salt concentrations so that it can occupy a new niche.
Anatomical adaptations are…
the structures we can see when we observe or dissect an organism
An example of anatomical adaptations is…
bumblebees having long tongues which aid them in extracting nectar from flowers
Define co-adaptation.
When two organisms become dependent on each other and, so, become more closely and closely adapting to each other.
Define evolution.
A change in allele frequency in a population over time
The process of evolution is….
1) A population has some naturally occuring genetic variation with new alleles created through mutation
2) A change in the environment causes a change in the selection pressures acting on the population
3) An allele that was previously of no advantage is now favourable
4) Organisms with this allele are more likely to survive and reproduce, and so pass on the allele
5) These offspring are more likely to have the allele so it becomes more common in the population
What are the five fingers of evolution?
small population, non-random mating, mutations, gene flow, adaptation
Define gene pool
A gene pool consists of all the alleles of all the genes present in a population
The Hardy- Weinberg Equation is…
p^2 + 2pq + q^2 = 1
What does p and q represent in the H-W Equation?
p^2 is the frequency of homozygous dominant individuals and q^2 is the frequency of homozygous recessive individuals
What does the ability of a population to adapt to new conditions depend upon?
The strength of the selection pressure, size of the gene pool and the reproductive rate of the organism
What is speciation?
The formation of a new species
The process of speciation is…
Geographic isolation: A population of organisms becomes physically separated from other populations, either by a physical barrier (e.g., a mountain range, a body of water) or by other means (e.g., migration to a new habitat). This isolation prevents or restricts gene flow between the populations.
Genetic divergence: Once isolated, the populations experience different environmental conditions and selective pressures, which can lead to genetic differences accumulating over time. Mutations, genetic drift, and natural selection act on the populations’ gene pools, causing genetic divergence.
Reproductive isolation: As genetic differences accumulate, individuals from the two populations may become unable to successfully mate and produce fertile offspring when they come into contact again. This can be due to differences in behavior, mating rituals, anatomy, or genetics. Reproductive barriers prevent gene flow between the populations.
Reinforcement: If reproductive isolation occurs and hybrids between the populations have reduced fitness or reproductive success, natural selection may favor individuals that mate within their own population. This process reinforces the reproductive barriers and further promotes speciation.
Speciation completion: Over time, with continued genetic divergence and reproductive isolation, the populations become distinct enough that they can be classified as separate species. They may have distinct traits, genetic characteristics, and occupy different ecological niches.
What is the binomial system of identification?
A unique two-part Latin name where the first part is the genus and second is the species
What is taxonomy?
Placing organisms into groups based on shared features
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Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genera Species
What does the kingdom of Animalia contain? What about Plantae? Fungi?
Animalia- multicellular eukaryotes that are heterotrophs
Plantae- Multicellular eukaryotes that are autotrophs
Fungi- Multicellular eukaryotes that are heterotrophs that absorb nutrients from decaying matter
What does the kingdom of Protoctista include? What about Prokaryotae?
Protoctista- eukaryotes that photosynthesise or feed on organic matter from other sources
Prokaryotae- organisms without membrane bound organelles
What differs Bacteria from Archea according to Woese?
Cell wall composition: The cell walls of bacteria and archaea also differ in composition. Bacterial cell walls often contain peptidoglycan, a unique polymer made up of sugars and amino acids. In contrast, archaeal cell walls lack peptidoglycan and have diverse cell wall compositions that can include polysaccharides, proteins, or other substances.
Cell membrane composition: The cell membranes of bacteria and archaea differ in their composition. Bacterial cell membranes typically contain ester-linked phospholipids, while archaeal cell membranes contain ether-linked phospholipids. Additionally, the structure and organization of the lipids in the cell membranes of archaea are different from those in bacteria.
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences: One of the fundamental differences that Carl Woese used to classify bacteria and archaea into separate domains was the analysis of their rRNA sequences. Bacterial and archaeal rRNA sequences differ significantly, indicating their genetic divergence.
Name the three domains.
Bacteria, Eukarya, Archea
The sources of genetic variation during the production of gametes are…
Independent assortment, crossing over
The sources of genetic variation during mutation are…
Gene point mutations- alterations of the DNA base sequence which may arise during DNA replication
Chromosome mutations- small sections of chromosome may be rearranged during meiosis; they may be inverted, moved during one chromosome to another or even lost altogether.
The sources of genetic variation during fertilization are…
Mate selection- Different combination of alleles will come together depending on the two parents
Random fertilisation- Different combinations of alleles will come together in the offspring depending on the sperm and egg involved
What are microfibrils?
Bundles of neighbouring cellulose chains
How are microfibrils formed?
Microfibrils are formed via hydrogen bonds between -OH groups in neighbouring cellulose chains. They are wound in a helical arrangement around the cell and stuck together with a polysaccharide glue- hemicelluloses and pectins.
Is cellulose a part of the cell wall of plant cells?
Yes
Is cellulose made up of 1.4 beta glucose units or 1.6 and 1.4 alpha glucose units?
1.4 b-glucose units
Is cellulose a long branched molecule?
No, it is unbranched
What is the function of the xylem?
- The function of the xylem is to transport water and aqueous minerals from the roots to the leaves and other areas.
What is the function of the phloem?
- The function of the phloem is to transport sugars and amino acids from the leaves and other photosynthetic parts of the plant to the sinks