U2T5 - Biodiversity

Question 1

What are the 3 main components of biodiversity?

Answer 1

Species diversity, ecosystem/habitat diversity + genetic diversity.

Question 2

What is biodiversity often used for?

Answer 2

To measure the health of biological systems.

Question 3

What is the simpson’s diversity index equation?

Answer 3

D = Σn1(n1-1)/N(N-1)

Question 4

What do the components of simpson’s diversity index equation mean?

Answer 4

Σ = sum of
n1 = num individuals in first species
N = total num individuals (all species)

Question 5

What is the range of simpson’s diversity index? What does this mean?

Answer 5

0 to 1. Closer to 0 means more diverse, closer to 1 means less diverse.

Question 6

What might low species diversity suggest?

Answer 6

Few successful species in habitat, stressful environment with few ecological niches, simple food webs, change in environment would have series effects.

Question 7

What might high species diversity suggest?

Answer 7

Many successful species w/ stable ecosystem, more ecological niches, complex food webs, environmental change less damaging to entire ecosystem.

Question 8

Why might lack of genetic diversity be an issue?

Answer 8

Species may not have sufficient adaptability + not able to survive environmental hazard. e.g. Potato Famine

Question 9

Why might simpsons index be lower under a hedge than in a wheat field?

Answer 9

Num insects under hedge more evenly spread, more niches for insects in vegetation under hedge + chemicals are more likely to be used in the wheat/

Question 10

State the role of an EIA as part of a local planning decision.

Answer 10

Endangered species need protection, planning stipulation (species translocation) + biodiversity values may show need for conservation.

Question 11

Why might conservationists object to an EIA?

Answer 11

Damage to environment, disturbance to animals in area + habitats best left alone.

Question 12

Who developed the binomial system of classification?

Answer 12

Carl Linnaeus

Question 13

What are the 2 names in the binomial system of classification?

Answer 13

Generic name which indicates species genus + specific name which indicates species organism belongs to.

Question 14

What is the binomial name of humans?

Answer 14

Homo sapiens

Question 15

What are the 2 things that taxonomy uses?

Answer 15

Nomenclature + systematics.

Question 16

How are species organised in taxonomy?

Answer 16

Groups of increasing size.

Question 17

What are the 7 taxons in order of decreasing size?

Answer 17

Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus + species. (King Prawn Curry Or Fat Greasy Sausages)

Question 18

How can you shorten the binomial name of species.

Answer 18

Homo sapiens -> H. sapiens

Question 19

Before defining a species in the present day, what will taxonomists look at? (Techniques to establish phylogeny)

Answer 19

Morphology, anatomy, cell structure + biochemistry.

Question 20

Organisms with a high degree of similarity in DNA, RNA + protein sequences are ______ closely related than those with dissimilar sequences.

Answer 20

More.

Question 21

Why has phylogenic classification advanced?

Answer 21

Due to greater understanding of evolutionary development + advance in technology.

Question 22

Describe a phylogenic tree? (Root/branch)

Answer 22

Root = ancestral lineage + branch tips + descendents of ancestor. As you move from root to tip, you move forward in time.

Question 23

Phylogenic trees:

What does it mean when a lineage splits?

Answer 23

Speciation, Represented as branching on a phylogeny. When a speciation event occurs, a single ancestral lineage gives rise to 2+ daughter lineages.

Question 24

What do phylogenies do?

Answer 24

Trace patterns of shared ancestry between lineages. Each has a part of its history + ancestors which are unique to it + parts/ancestors that are shared with other lineages.

Question 25

What are the 5 kingdoms?

Answer 25

Prokaryotes, protoctista, fungi, plantae + animalia.

Question 26

What are the 3 levels of cellular organisation?

Answer 26

Prokaryotic, eukaryotic unicellular (protoctistians) + eukaryotic multicellular. (some protoctistans, fungi, animalia + plantae)

Question 27

What are some of the defining features of prokaryotes? (e.g. bacteria, cyanobacteria, blue green algae)

Answer 27

No membrane bound organelles, no nucleus, naked circular DNA, 70S ribosomes, plasmids, most peptidoglycan cell wall (archaea have non-p wall), possible slime layer, no microtubules, unicellular (may form chains/clusters), heterotrophic/autotrophic + reproduce by binary fission. Most have flagella for movement. No nervous coordination.

Question 28

What are some of the defining features of protoctista?

Answer 28

Eukaryotic unicellular/multicellular, have nucleus, if multicellular show limited differentiation, asexual/sexual reproduction, cellulose cell wall, diverse group including unicellular, filamentous or multicellular. Some some autotrophic + photosynthetic (phylum chlorophyta - green algae), some heterotrophic (phylum protozoa, ingest + digest food) Not multicellular so can’t be classified as animals (paramecium). Have flagella/cilia/pseudopods to move.

Question 29

Why are protoctistans not in the kingdom plantae?

Answer 29

Have cell walls + chlorophyll but because they’re unicellular/filamentous/cell aggregates + not true multicellular organisms.

Question 30

What are some of the defining features of fungi?

Answer 30

Eukaryotic, have nucleus, unicellular/multicellular, most possess hyphae in mycelium, no chlorophyll, store carbs as glycogen, heterotrophic/lysostrophic (decomposers breakdown organic matter + recycle organic nutrients), reproduce using spores, chitin cell walls, multinucleate + feed by extracellular digestion (saprophytic).

Question 31

What are some of the defining features of plantae?

Answer 31

Multicellular eukaryotes, have nucleus, store carbs as starch/lipids as oils, contain chlorophyll in chloroplasts, differentiated tissues, have cellulose cell wall, autotrophs. e.g. ferns, mosses + flowering plants.

Question 32

What are some of the defining features of animalia?

Answer 32

Multicellular eukaryotes, have nucleus, no cell wall, differentiated tissues, carbs stored as glycogen/lipids as fats, most capable of locomotion, heterotrophs. e.g. flatworms, insects, fish + amphibians. Have nervous coordination.

Question 33

Who created the 3 domain model?

Answer 33

Carl Woese.

Question 34

What are 2 ways to determine phylogenic trees using DNA?

Answer 34

Look at DNA base sequences + count num the same (more same, closer relation). Hybridise DNA + record 50% base separation temp compared to non-hybridised separation temp. (higher temp, more similar).

Question 35

When calculating how closely related species are, say a rabbit is injected with human blood, then this is mixed with other organisms and the degree of precipitation measured, how does this work?

Answer 35

The rabbit creates anti human antibodies and these clump (glutination) leading to a precipitate. The organisms are more closely related the more precipitate is produced.