Unit 1: Biological Diversity

Question 1

Variation

Answer 1

visible difference in behaviour or physical traits observed between organisms
Example: eye colour, hair colour, beak shape

Question 2

Structural adaptation

Answer 2

Physical features of an organism
Example: rabbit’s fur in the summer vs winter

Question 3

Behavioural adaptations

Answer 3

How the organism acts
Example: birds migrating in the winter

Question 4

Diversity index

Answer 4

Measurement of the diversity of an ecosystem
Example: species divided by the total # of organisms

Question 5

Speciation

Answer 5

One species becomes another over time
Example: Galapago finches

Question 6

Generalists

Answer 6

Able to spread over large areas
Example: Wolf

Question 7

Specialists

Answer 7

Adaptations that make the organism efficient in only one environment
Example: Kooala

Question 8

Commensalism

Answer 8

A symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other neither gains nor losses
Example: Sharks and remora fish

Question 9

Mutualism

Answer 9

A symbiotic relationship that benefits both organisms
Example: Aphids and ants

Question 10

Parasitism

Answer 10

A symbiotic relationship where one benefits at the others loss
Example: tapeworm and rodents

Question 11

Niche

Answer 11

Role or characteristic played by an organism
Example: Narrow (Specialist) or Broad (Generalist)

Question 12

Natural selection

Answer 12

A natural process where the best traits in an organism survive to reproduce.
Example: Camouflage of grasshoppers

Question 13

Symbiotic

Answer 13

Close interaction between 2 species that lasts over time
Example: Tapeworm and rodents

Question 14

Budding

Answer 14

Asexual reproduction process where a bud forms on the parent organism the bud grows then breaks off to become a new organism
Example: flowers

Question 15

Spores

Answer 15

Single-cell reproductive structure from wich individual offspring develops
Example: Plants, algae, fungi

Question 16

Vegetative reproduction

Answer 16

Plants reproductive process
Example: Strawberries, tree,

Question 17

Bacterial Conjugation

Answer 17

The direct transfer of genes (DNA) from one bacterial cell to another
Example: bacteria attach and exchange their genes

Question 18

Zygospore

Answer 18

Single-celled reproductive structure formed in sexual reproduction by some fungi; zygospore contain genetic info from 2 different mating types + and -
Example: fungi

Question 19

Zoospore

Answer 19

a spore of certain algae that can swim because of their flagellated tails
Example: Sperm

Question 20

Sexual reproduction

Answer 20

reproductive process involving 2 sexes or mating types and resulting in offspring with a combination of genes from both parents
Example: Humans

Question 21

Asexual reproduction

Answer 21

Formation of a new individual from a single organism
Example: fungi

Question 22

Binary fission

Answer 22

Splitting of single-cell organism into 2 new ones
Example: Starfish, cuttings from plants

Question 23

Gamete

Answer 23

Reproductive cell containing half the # of chromosomes of a somatic cell
Example: Egg

Question 24

Zygote

Answer 24

Formation of a new cell by fertilization
Example: sperm and egg combine to make zygote

Question 25

Recessive allele

Answer 25

A trait that only expresses itself if the is no dominant allele
Example: ee

Question 26

Dominant allele

Answer 26

Traits that express themselves always
Example: Ee, or EE

Question 27

Discrete variation

Answer 27

inhabited traits that only have a few variations
Example: rolling tongue, hitchers thumb

Question 28

Continuous variation

Answer 28

traits with a range of variation
Example: skin colour, height

Question 29

External fertilization

Answer 29

Organisms fertilized outside the body
Example: frog eggs

Question 30

Internal fertilization

Answer 30

Union of sperm and egg inside the body (doesn’t have to be fertilized inside the body)
Example: humans, birds

Question 31

Mutagen

Answer 31

An agent that causes changes in the genetic information of an organism
Example: UV or gamma radiation

Question 32

Mutation

Answer 32

Change in the DNA or genes of an organism
Example: Cell overgrowth

Question 33

Genotype

Answer 33

The genetic constitution of an individual organism
Example: Heterozygous or Homozygous

Question 34

Phenotype

Answer 34

Set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment
Example: Eye colour

Question 35

DNA

Answer 35

a molecule that stores genes for heritable traits and directs the structure and functions of the cell
Example: Enzymes in the stomach

Question 36

Chromosomes

Answer 36

tightly packed strands of DNA visible under a light microscope during cell division
Example: Prokaryote Replication

Question 37

Gene

Answer 37

a section of DNA on a chromosome that codes for a specific protein and function
Example: RNA virus genes

Question 38

Somatic cell

Answer 38

Body cells, not reproductive cells
Example: blood cells

Question 39

Sex cell

Answer 39

Reproductive cell containing half the # of chromosomes of a somatic cell
Example: sperm

Question 40

Mitosis

Answer 40

The process by which genetic material is duplicated and divided into 2 identical sets of chromosomes
Example: rebuilding muscle tissue

Question 41

Meiosis

Answer 41

Genetic material is doubled then divided then divided again so there is half the # of chromosomes in four cells
Example: gametes

Question 42

Genetic engineering

Answer 42

Artificial implantation of genes into the genes of another organism
Example: Bananas

Question 43

Transgenic

Answer 43

an organism created by moving DNA from one organism into another.
Example: Dolly the sheep

Question 44

Artificial selection

Answer 44

plants or animals breed by humans to get a specific trait
Example: Chiwawa

Question 45

Bioindicator species

Answer 45

Species that help indicate environmental change
Example: Grizzly bear

Question 46

Extinct

Answer 46

Species that no longer exist
Example: dinosaurs

Question 47

Extirpated

Answer 47

Extinction of a species from a certain geographical area
Example: spined dwarf mantis

Question 48

Extant

Answer 48

Things that still exist
Example: humans

Question 49

Seed banks

Answer 49

collection of genetically diverse seeds
Example: barly, wheat