Unit 4 Diversity and Evolution Flashcards
Evolution is the process of biological change over time based on the relationships between species and their environments. The theory of evolution is a scientific explanation based on a large accumulation of evidence. Technology that enables humans to manipulate the development of species has economic and environmental implications.
Biodiversity is the indicator of _____.
A. Ecosystems
B. Animals
C. Species
D. Health
D Health
‘Living organisms must maintain this for life?
A. Metabolism
B. Homeostasis
C. Intrinsic Values
D. Utilitarian Values
B Homeostasis
What does it mean when diversity is poor? What does it mean when there is vast diversity?
Poor diversity indicates poor ecosystem health. Lots of diversity indicates strong ecosystem health.
Who developed the theory of evolution ?
a) James Hutton
b) Charles Darwin
c) Georges Cuvier
B Charles Darwin
This is found in extreme environment ?
a) Eubacteria
b) Archaebacteria
c) Protists
B Archaebacteria
Explain what biodiversity is and why it’s important to humans?
Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth from genes to ecosystems that can encompass the processes that sustain life. Biodiversity is important to humans because of its values. Many basic needs are from biodiversity like food, fuel, shelter, and medicine. Some values from the inherent worth of something, religious and spiritual values. This is why biodiversity is important to humans.
How is evolution connected to biodiversity ?
Evolution is connected to biodiversity through the number of species found on earth with the different genetic variations found within species. Adaptation to habitat so that only the strongest will live because they have the best genetic variation to live and get food and shelter. This is how evolution is connected to biodiversity.
Which of the following is NOT a structure you would see when looking at fungi?
A) Mycelium
B) Chlorophyll
C) Hypha
D) Chitin
B Chlorophyll
Which of the options below include all of the parts that form viruses?
A) Capsid, Nucleic acid, Rod, Feet and Arms.
B) Capsid, Feet, Nucleic liquid, Rod and Sheath.
C) Sheath, Nucleic acid, Tails, Capsid and Rod.
D) Rod, Nucleic liquid, Tails, Capsid and Sheath.
C
Which of the following statements below CANNOT be considered as a correct characteristic for animals?
A) Animals develop from an embryo that passes through a gastrula stage.
B) Animals are known to be multicellular organisms.
C) Animals possess multiple specialized sensory organs, such as the nose.
D) Animals have a very distinctive cell division, when cleavage furrows form to separate daughter cells.
A
When looking around biological classifications, what are the SIX kingdoms? and what THREE domains do each belong to?
The first of the six kingdoms is archaebacteria, which goes under the archaea domain. The second kingdom is eubacteria, which goes under the bacteria domain. And the last four kingdoms are plantae, fungi, animalia and protista, all of which belong under the eukaryota domain.
When thinking about viruses, are viruses living organisms or not? explain why or why not?
NO, viruses are not living organisms.
The reasoning for me saying viruses are not living organisms is due to the fact that living organisms are described as and have a vital role of being able to self-sustainably replicate. When looking at viruses we can see that they are described and seen to be unable to self-sustainably replicate without the metabolic machinery of cells.
Which domain does the amoeba belong to?
a) Eubacteria
b) Protista
c) Eukaryote
d) Archaea
C - The amoeba has a membrane-bound nucleus, landing it in the domain of eukaryotes. It belongs to the Kingdom Protista.
What is the term for organisms that cannot move?
a) Plants
b) Autotroph
c) Sessile
d) Stationary
C The Kingdom Plantae is only a part of the sessile organisms, meaning they lack mobility.-
Which characteristics of life do viruses have?
a) Composed of cells
b) Have DNA
c) Able to evolve
d) Both b and c
D - Viruses have the ability to evolve, as we all saw firsthand during COVID, but they’re also composed of RNA/DNA that they use to hijack the cells of a host
Explain why giraffes have developed longer necks over time.
- Their primary food source is suspended higher in the air, giving longer necked giraffes the advantage over shorter necked ones
- Animals want to mate with the strongest option, which would be the long necked giraffes in this scenario. This would give shorter necked ones less opportunity to reproduce
- The lack of food for them makes the shorter necked giraffes die off quicker than others
Over time, this trait will disappear and there will only be long necked giraffes
Which one of the following is true about fungi
a) Autotrophic
b) Categorized as a plant
c) Grow next to their food
d) Prefer cold environments
C - Fungi grows next to their food (organic matter) to produce enzymes that break down surrounding material into smaller molecules that they can absorb nutrients from.
Which of the following describes the life cycle of plants
a) Alternation between Haploid phase and diploid phase
b) Absorb nutrients
c) Adapt to nature conditions around them
d) Enter a host cell where they can reproduce
A - Haploid plants, gametophytes, produce gametes. The sperm fertilizes the egg creating a diploid zygote, sporophyte. Sporophytes produce spores, which are haploid. The haploid spores then grow into gametophytes, and the cycle repeats.
What were mitochondria and chloroplast believed to be originally before endosymbiosis?
a) Parasites
b) Prokaryotic bacteria
c) Fungi
d) None of the above
B - Endosymbiosis is the process by which eukaryotic cells engulf prokaryotic cells. There is much evidence on why chloroplast and mitochondria might have evolved from a prokaryotic cell. Both organelles have two membranes, the inner one is close to a prokaryotic membrane and the outer one is closer to a eukaryote membrane. Their genetic material is similar to prokaryotes. Lastly, they reproduce on their own. Therefore, this evidence and some more supported the idea that mitochondria and chloroplast originated from endosymbiosis.
How do species change over time? What is that process called and what causes it?
Species change over time due to a process called evolution. It’s a process in which species change over time to adapt to their environment and develop populations acquiring survival traits. Evolution occurs due to natural selection and changes in genetic material. Natural selection is where some organisms have traits that give them a higher chance of survival than other organisms in their environment. This causes more of the organisms with these traits to survive more, allowing them to reproduce and pass on these traits to their offsprings. Eventually, those traits become more common with time as they get passed on from one generation to the next. Now, these traits are developed from an issue in the genetic material like mutations which causes some organisms to have traits that other organisms from the same species don’t usually have. Nevertheless, these factors allow species to evolve to adapt best to their environment and increase their chance of survival.
What makes viruses and bacteria different?
Bactria
- Living organism
- Unicellular organism/single-celled
- Possess cell structure like cell wall, cell membrane, and cytoplasm
- Could be Heterotrophs or autotrophs
- Part of the Eubacteria domain and kingdom
- Reproduces asexually through binary fission
Viruses
- Non-living organism
- Does not have any cells or organelles
- Made up of a protein-covered genetic material
- Dormant outside of a host cell
- Do not belong to any kingdom or domain
- Invades cells to carry out life processes
- Reproduces only through a host cell
Which of the following is NOT one of the three domains of life?
A) Archaea
B) Bacteria
C) Eukarya
D) Protista
D Protista
Which of the following, refers to the variety and quantity of species present within a population, ecosystem, or environment?
A) Biodiversity
B) Species Diversity
C) Genetic diversity
D) Structural Diversity
B - Species diversity is a key component of biodiversity, it measures the amount of each species in a given ecosystem. It focuses on the total number of species and how many of each species there are.
Which of the following Father’s confirmed the theory of species extinction by comparing fossils.
A) James Hutton
B) Charles Darwin
C) Georges Cuvier
D) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
C - All of these Father’s worked together to help Charles Darwin finish the theory of evolution. Georges Cuvier discovered extinction by comparing fossils. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck proposed that species adapt and change over time. And James Hutton theorized that that Earth took millions of years to form its landscape.
Which of the following kingdoms, explains how the species within it are eukaryotic and multicellular. This kingdom includes insects and rodents.
A) Archaebacteria
B) Plantae
C) protista
D) Animalia
D - Some of the other kingdoms are eukaryotic and multicellular, but the difference is what species are part of each kingdom. The Animalia kingdom includes a ton of animals, no matter what category they fall under. It could be an insect, rodent, etc.
What are the three different levels of biodiversity? And how do they differentiate from each other?
The three different levels of biodiversity are genetic diversity, species diversity, and structural diversity. These three levels of diversity all together form biodiversity. The difference between these three levels are the concepts that they are about. Genetic diversity is looking at the variability of the genetics of each species. They may be the same species but differ due to their genetics. Species diversity is the measure of the species present within an ecosystem, and how many species there are of some species. Structural diversity focuses on the different shapes and sizes of the species within a habitat or ecosystem, whether it may be how big or tall a species is. With all these different types of diversity working together, they are able to form biodiversity.
How did Charles Darwin use natural selection to discover the theory of evolution?
Charles Darwin’s idea of the theory of evolution was that all species are an offspring of ancient species that once existed, that were different from modern species. His goal was to explain the diversity of life on earth by using relations and adaptations. As he made his discoveries on how species adapted, like globally, locally, and vary over time, he came to the conclusion that natural selection was the cause of this. He knew that natural selection would vary for every species, whether they would struggle for survival, the variety of species, and how they reproduce. With these kept in mind, he was able to prove his discovery using crickets and Giraffes. Crickets don’t have a great survival rate, they have a little variety within their species, and they can reproduce very quickly. With Giraffes, the long neck giraffes had a better survival rate as they could reach the food better, which would give them more food, and allow for better reproduction. These giraffes with the long necks were able to pass it down as the alleles they pass down to their offspring would result in a long neck. Charles Darwin was able to discover evolution using natural selection in a very good way.
What are the two ways fungi reproduce?
a) Through hypha and the stolon
b) Through spores and budding
c) Through sexual reproduction only
d) Through budding only
b. Fungi can reproduce asexually and sexually. The asexual method is budding, when a new organism develops from the segment of another fungi. The sexual method is through spores, when a seed contained in a sporangium lands and grows into a new hyphae.
Why is seaweed not a plant?
a) It doesn’t have roots, specialized tissues or leaves
b) It can’t photosynthesize
c) It is a unicellular organism
d) It grows flowers for reproduction
a. Seaweed does not have complex root systems, specialized tissues or leaves. It can photosynthesize in all of its tissue, and is a multicellular algae. Seaweed reproduces using spores rather than flowers, unlike many other plants.
Which of the following is not a characteristic of bacteria?
a) Unicellular
b) Prokaryotic
c) Has plasma membrane
d) Contains a nucleus
The correct answer is “contains a nucleus” since all bacteria are prokaryotic, meaning that there is no nucleus present. All bacteria are unicellular and contain a plasma membrane as well.
How does natural selection lead to evolutionary changes in certain species? Define natural selection and give an example to support your answer.
- Natural selection is the process when organisms that are more fit for the environment can reproduce and survive more effectively compared to other species.
- Based on the environment and climate, the species evolve to gain new characteristics to survive in that environment
- The weaker traits, not suited for survival, die off
- Species can vary in appearance based on geographical location
- For example : Darwin’s finches. Each look different since their beaks are designed specifically to survive in their unique environments
- Species that thrive in the environment can reproduce better, and as a result, their species continues
Explain how vaccines are effective when defending the body against viruses. Include the definition of a vaccine and detailed descriptions of how they work.
- A vaccine is a small injection of a virus into the body to help defend it against larger quantities of that virus, or similar ones.
- This dose is not enough to cause illness, but enough for the body to learn how the virus works
- By injecting a small amount, your body’s immune systems learns how to fight it off by building antibodies
- The next time the body is exposed to the virus, the antibodies will already be able to fight off the virus
What is homeostasis?
A) The process of when organisms grow
B) The ability of an organism to maintain a stable environment within themselves
C) The breakdown of food
D) The ability to adapt to conditions
B
Which statement best describes a phylogenetic tree?
a) They show the exact time frames of evolution
b) They show relationships and common ancestors of descendants in evolution
c) They show the genetic makeup of these organisms
d) They classify the taxoms based on physical traits
B
What is the correct order of taxonomic levels?
a) Kingdom, class, order, phylum, family, genus, domain, life
b) Species, genus, order, life, kingdom, phylum, domain, family
c) Genus, species, family, order, phylum, class, kingdom, life, domain
d) Species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, domain, life
D
What is the main purpose of a dichotomous key?
a) To display the evolutionary relationships between organisms
b) To identify organisms by leading the user through a series of paired statements
c) To classify organisms based on their habitats and traits
d) To create a list of all organisms found in a specific habitat
B
Why is biodiversity important for maintaining stable ecosystems, what happens to biodiversity during evolution and would happen if humans interfered with biodiversity?
Biodiversity is important for maintaining stable ecosystems because a diverse range of species increases an ecosystems adaptability to threats and changes in the environment, like climate change and natural disasters. It also gives the ecosystem more resources available that can fulfil all organisms in the ecosystem such as food, water, and shelter, which helps all organisms survive off of one another. It also helps with the food web. The more biodiversity there is, the more complex the food web can be, and a more complex food web can handle the loss of a certain species easier. All organisms are dependent on one another for survival which is why biodiversity is important. During evolution, species have to learn to adapt to these changes, which can add more species to this environment, increasing the variety of organisms and the amount of life formed. When humans interfere with biodiversity, that habitat can lose their food supply or have much less of it, which can lose species, and it can cause disruptions in biodiversity due to the destruction of the habitat.
What roles do viruses and bacterias play in ecosystems and how they affect biodiversity in positive and negative ways.
Viruses and bacterias can help to maintain population, causing it to not overpopulate or reproduce at a rapid rate or they can cause the population to drop at a rapid rate, so it can be seen in positive and negative ways. If an ecosystem is super full and overpopulated, viruses and bacterias can lower the amount of repdorucing happening and cause species to die or lose a lot of their population, which is good if it is super populated or if there are invasive species. But, if a population is very limited or wants to reproduce more, it can cause that ecosystem to die and that ecosystem cannot sustain life if there is not enough biodiversity present.
A lion cub becoming larger is an example of which characteristic of life?
a. Reproduction
b. Development
c. Growth
d. Evolution
C
An organism is unicellular, eukaryotic, autotrophic and thrives best in a water rich environment. What kingdom does this organism belong to?
a. Kingdom Animalia
b. Kingdom Protista
c. Kingdom Archaebacteria
d. Kingdom Eubacteria
B This organism is a part of Kingdom Protista. Kingdom Protista includes all eukaryotic organisms that are not a part of another kingdom. They are most oftenly unicellular organisms and can be autotrophic. Also, protists thrive in water rich environments, therefore these organisms fall under the Protista Kingdom.
What are the key characteristics of Kingdom Plantae?
a. Multicellular, eukaryotic, autotrophic and sessile
b. Multicellular, prokaryotic, heterotrophic and motile
c. Unicellular, prokaryotic, heterotrophic and sessile
d. Unicellular, eukaryotic, autotrophic and motile
A - Plants are always multicellular and eukaryotic as they are much too complex to be created from one prokaryotic cell. They are also autotrophic as they produce their own energy and food through their photosynthetic processes. Finally, they’re sessile as they cannot move and are rooted in one area.
Are viruses living organisms? Using evidence from lessons, explain why or why not.
- Viruses are non-living organisms
- They lack their own cells or organelles
- They must invade other cells to fulfill their sole purpose, which is to reproduce
- Viruses also cannot grow in size or become more complex
- They are dependent upon hosts and are dormant when outside of a living cells
What is natural selection and how does it contribute to a species’ survival? Use examples from the course to support your explanation.
- Natural selection is the process by which species are able to change and evolve
- As more offspring are produced than are able to survive, natural selection involves the “survival of the fit enough”.
- This causes the organisms not suited enough to survive in the environment to die off, along with the traits not suited for survival.
- Once less suited traits disappear within the population, the gene pool becomes more limited and filled with traits that will allow organisms to be better equipped for their survival in the particular environment.
- Therefore, natural selection strengthens the population of a species in a particular environment as it only allows for the “fit enough” to survive and forces adaptation to occur.
Which type of Micro Bacteria Thrives in High-temparature envoirments
A: Methagens
B: Thermophiles
C: Phsycrophiles
B
A tree finch evolves to have probing bills. Which of the following would cause a tree finch to evolve this way?
A - To eat insects
B - To fly faster
C - To eat seeds
D - To gain more aerodynamics
A
In which kingdom would a sea cucumber be included in?
A - Plantae
B - Fungi
C - Protista
D - Animalia
D
Create a dichotmous key for a Hippo, Yeast, E. Coli, a Salmon, a kangaroo and Diatoms.
Multi Cellular……………. go to II
SIngle cellular……………go to III
Is a Mammal…………….go to IV
Is a fish…………………(Salmon)
Bacteria Domain……….(E. Coli)
Eukarya Domain………go to V
Bipedal..……………..(Kangaroo)
Quadrapedal…………..…(Hippo)
Protista Kingdom……..(Diatoms)
Fungi Kingdom….……….(Yeast)
What is it called when there is a range of different shapes and sizes in a habitat or ecosystem?
A- Structural diversity
B- Species diversity
C- Species
D- Genetic diversity
A
What is an animal without a notochord or skeleton called?
A - Ecoderm
B - Endoderm
C - Invertebrate
D - Vertebrate
C
How does natural selection work?
- Populations controlled by limited resources
- Animals with better characteristics (like claws) can survive against environment and predators
- Those fit enough to survive because of their desirable characteristics reproduce
- The characteristics of those who were fit enough to survive pass down onto their offspring
- The less successful characteristics are lost over time due to the lack of survival and reproduction of those who aren’t fit enough to survive
What biological classification describes barcode of life project?
A - the study of the evolutionary relatedness between and among species
B - the systematic grouping of organisms into biological categories based on physical andevolutionary relationships
C - uses modern genetics to identify species and relationships between species
D - the science of identifying and classifying all
organisms; both living and fossil species
C
Which body classification is said to classify mirror-image right and left sides?
A - Radial symmetry
B - phylum porifera
C - Bilateral symmetry
D - Asymmetrical
C
What type of biodiversity measures the diversity by considering the quantity of each species?
A - Genetic diversity
B - Species diversity
C - Structurally diversity
B
What domain are fungi in?
A - Fungus
B - Fungi
C - Eukaryota
D - Discicristata
C
What is a clade?
A - A family tree
B - A group of organisms with a common ancestor
C - A specific period of time
D - the highest taxonomic rank for organisms
B
Name the 5 characteristics of Bacteria
Unicellular
Prokaryotic
Microscopic
Lacking a nucleus
Having a plasma membrane
Name 5 animal characteristics
Animals are multicellular organisms
Animals are eukaryotes
Animals are heterotrophic
Animals are generally motile
Animals possess specialized sensory organs (eyes, ears, nose, skin, tongue)
Animals reproduce sexually
Animals develop from an embryo that passes through a blastula stage
Animals have a distinctive cell division when a cleavage furrow forms to separate daughter cells
Animals respire aerobically and have many biological systems
Which pair of characteristics could be used to describe all species in the animalia kingdom?
a) multicellular, heterotrophic
b) invertebrate, marine
c) eukaryotic, microscopic
d) segmented bodies, photosynthetic
A
What is the highest taxonomic level out of the following?
a) phylum
b) specices
c) class
d) kingdom
D
Fungi and animals have which of the following in common
a) Both have eukaryotic cells
b) Both only reproduce sexually
c) Both have cells with chloroplast
d) Neither are heterotrophic
A
Give one similarity and one difference between plantae and fungi
-Plantae are heterotrophs, fungi are autotrophs
-Both can sexually and asexually reproduce.
What do Vaccines do to help defend against viruses?
By injecting a small amount of damaged virus into our bodies, our immune system learns how to fight it off by building antibodies against it. In the future, exposure to that same virus won’t wreak havoc on our bodies because antibodies will already be available to fight it off
Some rabbits are born with a mutation that gives them a slight resistance to common parasites and overtime the number of rabbits with this mutation increases. This is a process referred to as…
a) Gene flow
b) Natural selection
c) Behavioural isolation
d) Sympatric speciation
B (Correct - overtime the rabbits with this mutation became more prevalent as they lived longer and healthier lives which allowed them to produce more offspring with the same mutation)
How does medicine affect Homo sapiens ability to undergo natural selection?
a) Medicine allows people to have identical genes so natural selection can no longer act
b) By helping less genetically fit individuals to procreate and pass on unfavourable genetics
c) Medicine ensures that only the strongest survive which speeds up natural selection
d) Medicine makes Homo Sapiens all the same which makes genetic variation impossible
B (Correct - In the wild the animals who are disadvantaged are not capable of surviving and therefore do not reproduce as much and their genes do not get passed on however medicine has the ability to heal people and provides them with the ability to live long and healthy lives and pass on their genes to another generation)
Why is it that we need to get a flu shot every single year?
a) The flu does not mutate so one vaccine lasts a lifetime
b) The flu vaccine degrades in our bodies and becomes ineffective after a while
c) The flu virus mutates and changes drastically each year so a new vaccine is needed to help your body recognize the newest strand
d) The flu vaccine never works so we have to continuously take it in small doses
C - (Correct - the flu is a rapidly changing virus and without getting a vaccine each year your body would not know how to fight the newest flu strand because of how different it looks)
Horses and Donkeys do not mate naturally however they can produce offspring known as Mules which are sterile animals. Would mules be considered a species? Explain why or why not.
- Mules would not be considered a species as horses and donkeys do not breed amongst themselves under natural conditions and because Mules can’t produce offspring they would not be considered a species but rather a hybrid
Out of bacteria and chordata which phylum can evolve faster and why?
- Because bacteria are capable of producing very rapidly and have huge populations they can adapt incredibly fast and also allows for more chances of developing beneficial mutations
- it takes chordata much longer to reproduce therefore they will evolve slower and receive fewer beneficial mutations
What definition best describes the term “Phylogeny”?
a) The science of identifying and classifying all organisms; both living and fossil species
b) The study of the evolutionary relatedness between and among species
c) A group of organisms that includes an ancestor and all descendants of
that ancestor
d) A series of branching two-part statements used to identify organisms
B
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of fungi?
a) They can reproduce both asexually and sexually
b) They acquire their nutrients by absorption
c) They are autotrophic organisms
d) They are eukaryotes
C
Which group of plants is NON-vascular?
a) Bryophytes
b) Gymnosperms
c) Lycophytes and pteridophytes
d) Angiosperms
A
Which of the following doesn’t fall under the domain of Eukaryota?
A - Kingdom Protista or Protoctista
B - Kingdom Eubacteria
C - Kingdom Fungi
D - Kingdom Animalia
B
Which of the following isn’t a plant classification?
A - Green algae
B - Mosses
C - Ferns
D - Seed plants
E - Flowering plants
F - Fungi
F
What is taxonomy?
A - The systematic grouping of organisms into biological categories based on physical and evolutionary relationships
B - The study of the evolutionary relatedness between and among species
C - The science of identifying and classifying all organisms; both living and fossil species
D - The use of modern genetics to identify species and relationships between species
C
Humans are the biggest threat to biodiversity, how does the loss of biodiversity effect humans?
- Threatens our food supply when entire species and plant varieties are lost
- Eliminates sources of natural medicines and potential new medicines
- Significant economic impact on tourism and forestry when accompanied by habitat destruction
- Has the potential to cause serious disruptions in biogeochemical cycles (cabon uptake by natural ecosystems)
What is the primary difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
A: Prokaryotic cells have a nucleus while the eukaryotic cells do not
B: Prokaryotic cells don’t have membrane bound organelles, while eukaryotic ones do
C: Eukaryotic cells are always within single celled organisms, while prokaryotic ones are within multicellular organisms
D: Prokaryotic cells are found within plants only, eukaryotic cells are only found in animals
B
Which of the following characteristics is unique to Kingdom Animalia?
A: Autotrophic nutrition
B: Multicellular and Heterotrophs
C: Decomposers
D: Presence of a cell wall
B
What is the primary difference between Kingdom Plantae and Kingdom Fungi?
A: Fungi are heterotrophs while plants are autotrophs
B: Fungi have prokaryotic cells while animals have eukaryotic cells
C: Fungi reproduce sexually while plants reproduce asexually
D: None of the above
A
Describe the main difference between the 3 domains: Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya. Focus on their cell structure, their environments that they inhabit and give a brief example of each.
Bacteria have prokaryotic cells which lack a nucleus or membrane bound organelles, they are found in all environments including within other organisms. An example of a bacteria is E. Coli
Archaea are similar to bacteria in that they are prokaryotic. However they have unique cell membranes. They often live in extreme environments such as geothermal vents at the bottom of the ocean or in freezing temperatures. An example of an archaea is a thermophile.
Eukaria have eukaryotic cells that do have a nucleus and membrane bound organelles. Some have cell walls and these organisms are found almost everywhere on earth including in the ocean. An example of a eukarya is a human or a tree.
Describe the role that phylogenetic trees play when scientists need to classify and group organisms together. How exactly do scientists use these trees to classify groups of organisms?
Phylogenetic trees help to illustrate an evolutionary relationship by displaying common ancestry and the specific branches that span off of that common ancestor to get to the current form of organism. Scientists use the trees to classify organisms based on shared traits and genetic data. Organisms that are more recently associated are placed closer together while animals that are not are further away. By understanding a tree,we can fully grasp the steps each thing took to get to where it is, and we can give a more accurate classification based on evolutionary evidence rather than just physical traits.
Which of the following is not a part of cell theory?
A) All living things are composed of cells
B) All cells contain a nucleus
C) The cell is the basic unit of life
D) Cells arise from pre-existing cells
B
What does phylum mean?
A) A group of organisms with a certain degree of similarity
B) An animal kingdom
C) Organisms of the same species
D) A group of aquatic organisms
A
What 2 kingdoms are prokaryotic?
a) Eubacteria + fungi
b) Fungi + protista
c) Eubacteria + archaebacteria
d) Archaebacteria + protista
D
Which of the following is an example of of Darwin’s theory: natural selection
a) Giraffes necks got longer because the genes sensed it was needed
b) Giraffes necks got longer because the ones that could reach for food survived and reproduced
c) Giraffes necks got longer because they were constantly being stretched
d) Giraffes necks got longer because the long neck allele is dominant
B
Why does the domain eukarya have 4 kingdoms when bacteria and archaea only have 1?
a) Bigger size
b) More evolved
c) Better at sharing
d) Cells are eukaryotic
D
What is the difference between evolution and diversity?
Evolution talks about what species survived and evolved (natural selection) and which ones died, based on how they were able to survive in an environment. Diversity focuses on the multiple characteristics that were bright through evolution, how certain species share similar characteristics, but one could be more evolved by having a different trait (4 legs, hair etc.)
What is the primary purpose of genetic diversity within a species?
A) To reduce competition between species.
B) To increase survival by adapting to environmental changes.
C) To ensure all individuals have the same traits.
D) To limit evolutionary change.
B
Which of the following statements about viruses is true?
A) Viruses are considered living organisms because they reproduce independently.
B) Viruses can only reproduce by hijacking a host cell’s machinery.
C) Viruses are classified into the seven kingdoms of life.
D) Viruses have cells with a nucleus and organelles.
B
Explain how Carl Linnaeus contributed to biological classification.
- Carl Linnaeus is known as the “Father of Taxonomy.”
- He developed the binomial nomenclature system, a formal method for naming species.
- Each species is given a two-part name: Genus (capitalized) and species (lowercase).
- Example: Homo sapiens for humans.
- His system standardized classification and allowed scientists to universally identify and study organisms.
- Linnaeus also grouped organisms into hierarchical categories (e.g., Kingdom, Phylum, Class) based on physical and evolutionary traits.
Which kingdoms are a part of the Kingdom Eukarya?
a) Protista, fungi, archaebacteria & eubacteria
b) Fungi, plantae & protista
c) Archaebacteria & eubacteria
d) Animalia, plantae, protista & fungi
D
How do viruses reproduce? Explain the process of both cycles that viruses use to make copies of themselves.
- Lytic cycle: Attachment: Virus attaches to the host, and either the whole virus or the DNA of the virus enters the host cell
- Synthesis: Virus DNA hijacks host cells and programs it to make copies of its own DNA + the viruses DNA
- Assembly: Components of the copied virus within the host assemble to create new virus particles
- Release: The new virus copies release from the host cell, killing the host cell in the process
- Only takes 20-40 minutes, and can create up to 300 new virus particles
- Lysogenic cycle: Attachment: Virus attaches to the host, and either the whole virus or the - DNA of the virus enters the host cell
- Reproduction: DNA makes copies of itself during mitosis in the cell
- Cytokinesis: Daughter cells have the virus DNA as part of their own DNA
- The host is not killed, and many more generations of the virus can be made without ever harming the hosts
How can you tell the difference between the Plantae kingdom and the Animalia kingdom?
a. The Plantae kingdom has plants while the Animalia kingdom has animals
b. The Plantae kingdom organisms contain cell walls while the Animalia kingdom organisms don’t
c. Nothing; The Animalia and Plantae kingdoms are the same
d. The Plantae kingdom depends on other organisms for food while the Animalia kingdom can produce their own food
B
What is the difference between a genus and a species?
a. A genus is a group of organisms that are similar while a species is just one type of organism
b. A species is a group of organisms that are similar while a genus is just one type of organism
c. Nothing; genus and species are the same thing
d. Genus ranks higher on the taxonomic level than species
A
How does natural selection lead to evolution?
- Natural selection is considered a mechanism of evolution. Organisms that aren’t adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on the genes that aided their success
- Natural selection suggests that people with traits that are more beneficial in their environment reproduce more quickly, and this leads to traits becoming more common in the population in the next generation. This increases the frequency of a trait that’s evolutionary change
Which characteristic is common to all living things?
A. Ability to move
B. Use of oxygen
C. Growth and development
D. Multicellularity
C
What role does genetic variation play in natural selection?
A. It allows individuals to intentionally develop new traits.
B. It provides a pool of traits that natural selection can act upon.
C. It predicts environmental changes and prepares species for them.
D. It eliminates less fit individuals from the population.
B
Which of the following statements aligns with Darwin’s explanation of the giraffe’s long neck?
A. All giraffes stretched their necks to reach food, making their necks grow longer.
B. Giraffes with longer necks had better access to food and reproduced more successfully, passing on the trait.
C. Giraffes intentionally adapted by growing longer necks to survive in their environment.
D. The environment gave giraffes long necks because they needed it for survival.
B
What led Carl Linnaeus to be referred to as the “Father of Taxonomy,” and how did his binomial nomenclature system change the course of biology?
This biologist is referred to as the Father of Taxonomy due to his efforts in the production of binomial nomenclature to name the organisms.
His binomial system of classification employs two names, genus and species which is providing an easier time when naming the organism.
This system gave a clear structure by which organisms could be classified according to their similarities.
Because of the fixation of Linnaeus’s system, scientists were able to classify the newly discovered species in a rational way.
In organizing this diversity, or as a means of sorting through it, Linnaeus made it possible to study the relationships between life forms more effectively.
Which of the following is the best option that could force an adaptation on a species?
a) An increase in population
b) A fight between two groups of animals
c) Change in climate
d) New location of lakes and rivers
C
What statement below most closely relates to the term natural selection?
a) The process where organisms already adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce than organisms which have not adapted
b) Species randomly adapting to their environment
c) Organisms who evolve and change to become better at sourcing their food
d) Animals who purposely kill the weak so only the strong may thrive and reproduce
A
Which of the following is not a mechanism of evolution?
a) Gene Flow
b) Genetic Drift
c) Oscillating Adaptation
d) Natural Selection
C
The loss of biodiversity affects human lives by which of the following answers?
A) Biodiversity loss has no impact on the humans, due to humans being able to survive without a variety of species.
B) By decreasing biodiversity, the availability of food increases by reducing competition among the species.
C) Threatens human food supply when entire species and plant varieties are lost.
D) Loss of biodiversity make the climate more stable, reducing the chance of natural disasters.
C
“The formal system of naming species whereby each species is assigned a genus name followed by a specific name”
A) Dichotomous Key
B) Binomial Nomenclature
C) Domain
D) Clade
B
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of mitochondria and chloroplasts?
A) Both have 2 membranes, inner is similar to prokaryotes and outer matches of cell membranes of eukaryotes.
B) Reproduce independently within eukaryotic cells by binary fission
C) Both have their own internal chromosomes similar to prokaryotes and contain genetic information used by organelles.
D) Both organelles contain tiny hair like structures, that allow them to move within the cell to obtain chemical signals.
D
Summarize and explain fundamental structures of fungi, and the functions that different fungi have within an ecosystem.
(Structures)
- 3 learned components being mycelium, hypha, and the chitin of fungi
- Mycelium being the branched mass of hyphae
- Hypha being the thing Filament that makes up the body of the fungus, while having tubes of the cytoplasm with many nuclei.
- Lastly the chitin, being the complex chemical found in the cell walls.
(Functions)
- 4 learned functional fungi within different ecosystems are saprobes, mycorrhizae, lichens, and parasites.
- Saprobes decomposing of dead organisms, leaves, feces… main job is to recycle vital nutrients back to their environment surroundings.
- Mycorrhizae have a certain relationship with roots of plants, providing increased water absorption allows receiving of nutrients from specific plant.
- Lichens usually host algae, being held within the fungus of the plant.
- Lastly parasites, specifically of animals and plants… which can impact a tree’s roots to die and infect insects that are essential for diverse life.
Which of the following is NOT a principle in Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection?
a. Organisms produce more offspring than can survive and compete for ressources
b. Species acquired new characteristics through use and disuse
c. Organisms within a species may vary due to their genes
d. Individuals better suited to environmental conditions survive to produce more offspring
B
The binomial nomenclature system uses a two-name format. What does the first of the two names refer to?
a. the specific name
b. the species name
c. the evolutionary name
d. the genus name
D
How would a loss of biodiversity in our ecosystem affect humans?
a. Could threaten our food supply when entire species and plant varieties are lost
b. Sources of natural medicines and potential new medicines will be lost
c. Could have a significant economic impacts on tourism and forestry when accompanied by habitat destruction
d. Could seriously disrupt the balance of carbon uptake from natural ecosystems
e. All of the above
E
Two of the three domains contain only one kingdom, the third domain contains four kingdoms. What is that domain and list the four kingdoms that belong to it, along with a characteristic of each kingdom.
The domain is Eukarya. The four kingdoms in Eukarya include:
- Fungi: non-vascular, non-motile and heterotrophic organisms. Includes mushrooms, molds mildew and yeast.
- Protista: motile, aquatic and most reproduce asexually and are unicellular. Includes any eukaryotic organism that is not a part of kingdoms fungi, plantae or animalia.
- Plantae: non-motile, autotrophs (hence photosynthesis), contains chlorophyll, multicellular.
- Animalia: multicellular, heterotrophic, able to move, have neurological systems, sensory organs and reproduce sexually (generally)
The classification of plants commonly found in shallow, fresh bodies of water:
a) Bryophytes
b) Gymnosperms
c) Charophyta
d) Pteridophytes
C
The action of a bacteriophage carrying DNA from one bacterium to another is called:
a) bacterial conjugation
b) bacterial transduction
c) bacterial movement
d) bacterial transformation
B
Which of the following is not a common characteristic of protists?
a) all eukaryotes
b) only unicellular
c) thrive in water-rich environments
d) reproduce asexually
B
Describe the role of biological nomenclature in biological classification and how it makes understanding different organisms easier for scientists.
- Biological nomenclature classifies organisms by using their genus name and their species name.
- The role of biological nomenclature is to give each living organism its own unique scientific name.
- The genus is capitalized and indicates the group of organisms closely related to it, while the species name is in lowercase and identifies the specific organism within that genus.
Biological nomenclature makes understanding different organisms easier for scientists due to how it specifically identifies each organism, which leads to less confusion when talking about a specific organism. - The fact that the names of these animals are derived from the Greek or Latin language also helps clear up the confusion due to how scientists can use the same names internationally without changing the language of the organisms’ binomial nomenclature.
What is the primary mechanism of evolution suggested by Charles Darwin?
a) Genetic drift
b) Mutation
c) Natural selection
d) Artificial selection
C
What is the role of mutations in the process of evolution?
a) They decrease genetic variation in a population
b) They’re always harmful to the population
c) They result in the extinction of species
d) They introduce new genetic variations, some may be beneficial
D
The majority of invertebrates belong to which group of animals
a) Mollusks
b) Mammals
c) Arthropods
d) Reptiles
e) Chordata
f) Amphibians
C
How do bacteria reproduce?
a) Asexually by binary fission
b) Asexually by fragmentation
c) Asexually by budding
d) Asexually by spore formation
A
Which kingdom is the largest and has the most diverse complex organisms
a)Plantae
b)Fungi
c)Animalia
d)Eubacteria
C
Which best describes utilitarian values…
a) internal values that do not rely on external outcomes or consequences
b) the belief that something is valuable determined by its usefulness and its practical benefits
c) the belief that diversity is valuable but only when it benefits society positively and has the ability to strengthen an ecosystem
d) the belief that species need to work together to evolve and become more complex beings
B
the science of identifying and classifying all organisms; both living and fossil species
(A) Taxonomy
(B) Phylogeny
(C) Barcode of Life Project
(A) Taxonomy
Which of the following is NOT one of the three domains of life?
A) Archaea
B) Bacteria
C) Eukarya
D) Protista
D) Protista
Which of the following is not one of the 6 kingdoms?
(A) Animalia
(B) Epeirogeny
(C) Fungi
(D)Protista
(E) Archaea/Archaebacteria
(F) Bacteria
(G) Eubacteria
(B) epeirogeny
What is natural selection and how does it contribute to evolution?
Answer:
Natural selection is the process where organisms with traits that are better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. Over time, these advantageous traits become more common in the population, leading to evolutionary change. Natural selection drives adaptation, shaping species to become more specialized for their environments.
Explain the concept of biodiversity and why it is important for ecosystems.
Answer:
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms in an ecosystem, including different species, genetic variation within species, and the variety of ecosystems. It is important because high biodiversity enhances ecosystem stability, resilience, and productivity. It ensures natural sustainability, contributes to ecosystem services.
Question: The majority of invertebrates belong to which group of animals
a) Mollusks
b) Mammals
c) Arthropods
d) Reptiles
e) Chordata
f) Amphibians
c) Arthropods.
Most insects are arthropods and are invertebrates.
Question: which of these are not a characteristic of Bacteria
a) prokaryotic
b) microscopic
c) no plasma membrane
d) no nucleus
e) unicellular organisms
c) no plasma membrane.
bacteria do contain plasma membranes
Question: Which of the following statements are true about viruses
a) viruses are living organisms
b) all viruses kill heir host cell
c) the lysogenic cycle kills the host cell
d) viruses don’t contain organelle
e) viruses are part of the six kingdoms
d)
Viruses are not living so they do not have organelle to produce energy
Questions: Among the three domains, why is Archaea smallest of the three?
Answers:
- single celled and are less complex therefore do not create complex organisms
- microorganisms
- live in environments with low oxygen levels
- lives in extreme climates
- Prokaryotic - no nuclei or complex organelles
Question: In what ways are biological diversity connected to study of evolution?
Answers:
- both follow the number of species found on earth
- both look at genetic diversity in species
- biodiversity provides raw information about natural selection in evolution
- explores the similarities and differences in genetic variation in the large and small scale
