Biology QUEST 1 - Biodiversity, taxonomy

biodiversity

variety of all living things

three levels of biodiversity

genetic species ecosystems

genetic diversity

variety of genes within a species

in breading side effects

1. decrease genetic diversity 2. more infertile males

species diversity

variety of species within a habitat

endemic species

only occur in one area ie chinchillas in australia

ecosystem diversity

variety of ecosystems in a given place - organisms and physical environments interacting together

estimating species

fossils, although not all species are traceable by species because records are imperfect

biodiversity hotspot

area rich in biodiversity

molecular phylogeny

measure similarities of cells through DNA RNA etc

locations of biodiversity hotspots

costal and tropical regions

challenges to identify a new species

- looks like another - small population - isolated areas without humans - live in small locations

core values of biodiversity

1. economic 2. ecological 3. recreational 4. cultural 5. scientific

economic

materials for consumption/production, many livelihoods depend on it

ecological

clean air, water, plants, pest control etc

recreational

tourism, hiking

cultural

connected spiritually to natural things

scientific

ecological data to understand natural world

threats to biodiversity

overhunting, habitat loss, invasive species, climate change

over hunting

whales, large mammals bc they have lots of usable materials

habitat loss

cutting down forests - more specific food needs are of organisms, the more likely they are to run low or have little food ie. pandas only eat bamboo

invasive species

they eat everything ie. the zebra muscle

climate change

quickly changing ecosystems threatens species adaptation

mass extinction

extinction very quickly (1000 years)

probable causes of mass extinction

climate change, volcanic eruption, over consumption

extinction rate

0.1-1 species per year

percentage of earth history that has gone extinct

99%

taxonomy

classifying and identifying organisms

morphological

physical form

the Linnaean system

give everything 2 names binomial nomenclature 1. larger group 2. specific group ie. castor canadensis = beaver

species

group of organisms that can reproduce and produce viable offsprings

similar genera get grouped into a

family

largest category of classification

kingdom

eukaryotic

linear chromosome mitosis, meiosis sexual tissue development aerobic (breathing) complex flagella

prokaryotic

circular chromosome diary fission asexual no tissue development anaerobic (non breathing) simple flagella

heterotrophic

eat living or dead things

autotrophic

produce their own food

sexual

specialized sperm and egg cells reproduction - one male one female genetically different offspring

asexual

no specialized cells does not require another mate for reproduction genetically identical (half a worm)

habitat

where you live land, water or arboreal (trees)

unicellular

one cell makeup - bacteria

multicellular

made up of many specialized cells

6 major kingdoms

animals, plants, fungi, Protista --> eukaryotic bacteria, archaea --> prokaryotic

bacteria kingdom

cell wall made of PDG

fungi kingdom

cell wall made of chitin

plant kingdom

cell wall made of cellulose

eubacteria

prokaryotic, asexual habitat: hot springs, dry deserts

archaebacteria

prokaryotic, asexual habitat: digestive tracts of large mammals, aquatic environments

protista

eukaryotic, sexual and asexual habitat: aquatic and moist

fungi

eukaryotic, sexual and asexual habitat: terrestrial mostly always multicellular

plantae

eukaryotic, sexual and asexual habitat: terrestrial multicellular

Animalia

eukaryotic, sexual habitat: terrestrial and aquatic multicellular

phylogeny

study of evolutionary relatedness between species

clade

taxonomic group that includes a single ancestor species and all of its descendants

node

organism that creates or shows genetic similarities

convergent trait

trait that evolves independently in different linages