p.1
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What role does taxonomy play in biodiversity?
It helps in identifying, naming, and classifying organisms, which is essential for studying biodiversity.
p.2
Textbooks for Biodiversity
Who are the authors of 'Biological Science 1 and 2'?
Green, N. P. O., Soper, R., Stout, G. W., Taylor, D. J.
p.2
Textbooks for Biodiversity
What is the focus of Charles J. Krebs' book 'Ecology'?
The Experimental Analysis of Distribution and Abundance.
p.2
Textbooks for Biodiversity
Which textbook discusses principles and applications of ecology?
'Ecology: Principles and Applications' by Reiss and Chapman.
p.2
Textbooks for Biodiversity
What is the title of the book by R. B. Primack?
'A Primer of Conservation Biology'.
What is biodiversity?
The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
p.1
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is taxonomy?
The science of classification of organisms.
p.1
Definition and Importance of Science
Why is biodiversity important?
It contributes to ecosystem services, genetic diversity, and resilience against environmental changes.
What are the two processes through which allopatric speciation may occur?
Vicariance and peripatric speciation (Founder Effect speciation).
p.39
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What does phenetics focus on?
Observed similarities in phenotypes.
p.39
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is numerical taxonomy?
A method where groups with the greatest number of common characters are put together.
p.29
Geological Time Scale and Evolution
When is the first direct evidence of life on Earth?
At 3.5 billion years ago (BYA).
p.17
Species Definition and Classification
What is a limitation of the biological species concept regarding taxonomically assigned species?
Many may not be reproductively isolated in reality.
p.22
Species Definition and Classification
What type of DNA do bacteria have?
Circular DNA that lies free in the cytoplasm and is naked.
p.7
Ecology and Its Levels
What is a community in ecology?
A group of organisms belonging to different species that coexist in the same habitat and interact through trophic and spatial relationships.
p.35
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is convergence in the context of classification?
Similarity emerging from different evolutionary pathways to adaptation under similar environmental conditions.
What are the two types of reproductive isolation classified by Dobzhansky?
Pre-zygotic and post-zygotic isolation.
p.8
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What is a key focus of evolutionary biology?
The interaction between environment and phenotype.
p.16
Species Definition and Classification
Why is the biological species concept considered theoretical for widely distributed populations?
Because it may not apply to populations that do not share a common gene pool among individuals in distant geographical locations (e.g., Indus river dolphin populations of India and Pakistan).
p.6
Species Definition and Classification
What is one purpose of defining species?
Helps us classify them in a systematic manner.
p.25
Levels of Organization in Biology
What are the extra organelles found in plant cells compared to animal cells?
Cell wall, chloroplast, and a large central vacuole.
What is a barrier to gene flow?
A factor that prevents interbreeding between populations, leading to speciation.
p.6
Species Definition and Classification
To what does the definition of species apply?
The largest possible number of organisms.
p.38
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
How should binomial names be written?
In italics or underlined when handwritten.
p.29
Geological Time Scale and Evolution
When did the first life appear on Earth?
Within 700 million years (MY) from zero biodiversity.
p.8
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What do overlapping fields in evolutionary biology create?
Patterns that affect processes.
p.35
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is homology in biological classification?
Similarity due to a common evolutionary origin.
What is adaptive radiation?
A process by which different life forms evolve from a single ancestral form to fill many different ecological niches.
What does phylogeography study?
The intersection of patterns in time and space.
p.13
Species Definition and Classification
What are the key characteristics of a species according to the biological species concept?
They share a common gene pool, reproduce among themselves creating viable offspring, are isolated from other similar groups, occupy a geographical area, and exist at a given time.
p.41
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the second step in taxonomic research?
Making a hierarchic classification tree that explains evolutionary relationships.
p.35
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What does systematics focus on in classification?
It uses similarities as well as dissimilarities among organisms.
p.23
Classification of Biodiversity
Are algae differentiated into roots and stems?
No, they are undifferentiated.
p.38
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
In what language should binomial names be written?
In Latin or Latinized for consistency.
p.4
Definition and Importance of Science
What do the terms 'bios' and 'logos' mean in biology?
'Bios' means life and 'logos' means knowledge.
p.35
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the most important aspect of biological classification?
Determining the source of similarity among groups under study.
p.4
Levels of Organization in Biology
What is the significance of breaking down complex subjects in biology?
It allows for a more detailed understanding and specialization in various branches.
p.25
Levels of Organization in Biology
How do plant and animal cells differ?
They are similar except for a few organelles unique to plant cells.
p.36
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the primary purpose of binomial nomenclature?
To name and organize the diversity of life on Earth.
p.29
Geological Time Scale and Evolution
What is the estimated age of Planet Earth?
Around 4.5 billion years ago (BYA).
p.36
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What problem does binomial nomenclature solve regarding common names?
Different regions may have various common names for the same species.
p.21
Definition and Importance of Science
Do viruses have a cellular structure?
No, they have no cellular structure.
p.28
Geological Time Scale and Evolution
When may life have first arisen on Earth?
Between 4.4 billion and 3.8 billion years ago.
p.34
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What does natural classification incorporate as a reference?
Time for evolutionary history.
p.11
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What is natural selection?
The differential reproductive and survival ability of an individual or an allele over others.
What is speciation?
The process of formation of new species from a pre-existing one.
p.41
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is Morphospecies?
Species identified based on their morphology.
p.27
Ecology and Its Levels
What does dominance refer to in ecological terms?
A taxonomic group with the greatest ecological contribution, measured in numbers, biomass, or physical size.
p.35
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What are the two branches of taxonomy?
Systematics and nomenclature.
p.13
Species Definition and Classification
What does it mean for species to be reproductively isolated?
It means they do not interbreed with other groups, maintaining distinct genetic identities.
p.41
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the third step in taxonomic research?
Application of information about species and their classification to broader contexts of geography, time, and evolutionary interactions.
p.36
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
How does binomial nomenclature transcend language barriers?
It is accepted worldwide.
p.40
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What do nodes in a cladogram represent?
Branching points that define differences in shared derived characters from primitive forms.
p.34
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What do recent classifications of organisms aim to create?
Natural classification to understand evolutionary relationships.
p.5
Ecology and Its Levels
What is ecology?
The scientific study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms.
p.41
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the first step in taxonomic research?
Identification of the basic unit of biological diversity, i.e. species.
p.6
Species Definition and Classification
How does defining species correspond to nature?
It corresponds to the discrete entities that we see in nature.
p.22
Species Definition and Classification
What is the composition of the bacterial cell wall?
Made of murein, which consists of parallel polysaccharide chains cross-linked with short chain amino acids.
p.39
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the basis of traditional methods of classification?
Characters with resemblance are picked out, studied in depth, and compared.
What is the significance of adaptive radiation in evolution?
It allows different life forms to evolve and adapt to various ecological niches.
What characterizes parapatric speciation?
Evolution of reproductive isolation between neighboring populations with modest gene flow, diverging due to local adaptation to different environmental conditions.
p.38
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the capitalization rule for binomial nomenclature?
Genus name is capitalized, species name is lowercase.
p.28
Geological Time Scale and Evolution
What method was used to determine the age of the Earth?
Radioactive dating using Uranium-238.
p.20
Classification of Biodiversity
What are the main taxonomic ranks used in the classification of biodiversity?
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
p.16
Species Definition and Classification
What is a shortcoming of the biological species concept regarding interbreeding populations?
It does not apply to populations that produce fertile or partially fertile offspring under artificial conditions but not in their natural habitat (e.g., Lions and Tigers).
p.15
Species Definition and Classification
How does the biological species concept fail in terms of geological time?
It does not apply to temporally separated populations, such as ancestors and extant populations.
p.9
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What is the relationship between processes and patterns in evolutionary biology?
Processes create patterns and patterns affect processes.
p.13
Species Definition and Classification
What is the biological species concept?
Species are groups of actually or potentially interbreeding natural populations which are reproductively isolated from other such groups.
p.38
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the format for binomial nomenclature?
Genus species (italicized).
p.36
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
Why is binomial nomenclature considered a universal language?
It facilitates clear communication and understanding among scientists worldwide.
What characterizes peripatric speciation?
A localized colony diverges from a widespread 'parent' species which remains little changed.
p.34
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the concept of classification?
Grouping things together based on similarities.
p.36
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What historical significance does binomial nomenclature hold?
It was developed by Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century, revolutionizing biology.
p.10
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What is the second observation regarding population numbers?
The numbers of individuals in a population remain approximately constant.
p.20
Classification of Biodiversity
What role do phylogenetic trees play in the classification of biodiversity?
They illustrate the evolutionary relationships among different species.
p.28
Geological Time Scale and Evolution
What do stromatolites suggest about early life?
They suggest the existence of already diverse bacterial biota.
p.5
Ecology and Its Levels
What defines a population in ecological terms?
A group of organisms of one species occupying a defined geographical area, usually isolated from other similar groups.
p.8
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What does the study of causes in evolutionary biology focus on?
Interactions between environment and phenotype.
p.25
Levels of Organization in Biology
Do animal cells have vacuoles?
Yes, but they are small compared to the large central vacuole in plant cells.
p.6
Species Definition and Classification
What does the definition of species represent?
The evolutionary history of organisms.
What results from speciation?
The emergence of two distinct species from a common ancestor.
p.7
Ecology and Its Levels
What does species represent in ecology?
The different life forms.
What is the main difference between sympatric and parapatric speciation?
Sympatric speciation occurs within a single population, while parapatric speciation occurs between neighboring populations with some gene flow.
p.33
Geological Time Scale and Evolution
What is the Geological Time Scale used for?
To organize Earth's history into different time intervals.
p.23
Classification of Biodiversity
What is notable about the size and form of algae?
They have a great range in size and form.
p.39
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What assumption does numerical taxonomy make about convergence?
That convergence is less frequent than homology.
p.20
Classification of Biodiversity
Why is classification important in biodiversity?
It helps scientists communicate about species and understand their relationships.
p.10
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What is the third observation about living things?
Living things vary, and the progeny are not all identical.
p.17
Species Definition and Classification
In addition to being a unit of evolution, what other role do species serve?
A unit of classification.
p.4
Levels of Organization in Biology
How has science progressed in understanding biology?
By breaking down complex subjects into numerous branches.
p.15
Species Definition and Classification
What issue arises with non-interbreeding individuals in the biological species concept?
It does not account for non-interbreeding individuals within a population, such as same-sex individuals.
p.8
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What does the study of consequences in evolutionary biology examine?
Differences in gene flow due to varying fitness among phenotypes.
p.11
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What are two pieces of evidence for evolution?
Fossil records and anti-bacterial resistance in pathogenic bacteria.
p.9
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What is the focus of molecular ecology?
The intersection of patterns in causes and consequences of natural selection.
p.21
Definition and Importance of Science
Where do viruses fall in the classification of living and non-living organisms?
They fall at the boundary of 'living' and 'non-living'.
p.29
Geological Time Scale and Evolution
What is the first indirect evidence of life on Earth?
At 3.8 billion years ago (BYA).
p.10
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What is the first observation of Darwin's theory of natural selection?
Living things tend to multiply, resulting in more offspring than parents.
p.38
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is a challenge of using binomial nomenclature related to language?
It requires knowledge of Latin or Latinized names.
p.10
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What is Deduction 2 in Darwin's theory?
In the 'struggle for existence', some individuals are better equipped for survival and produce more offspring.
p.25
Levels of Organization in Biology
What is an organelle?
A distinct part of a cell which has a particular structure and function.
p.27
Geological Time Scale and Evolution
What does the Geological Time Scale represent?
The origin, adaptive radiation, dominance, and extinction of taxonomic groups since the formation of Earth.
p.6
Species Definition and Classification
What does defining species help us understand?
How discrete entities arise in nature.
What are divergent populations?
Populations that evolve in different directions, potentially leading to the formation of new species.
p.37
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the purpose of the Linnaean hierarchical classification?
To organize and categorize living organisms.
What is sympatric speciation?
Speciation caused by a break in the flow of genes between subsets of a single, initially randomly mating population, despite coexistence in the same geographical area.
p.40
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is cladistics also known as?
Phylogenetic classification.
p.40
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
On what basis is classification in cladistics made?
Shared derived characters (synapomorphies) indicating recent common ancestry.
p.20
Classification of Biodiversity
What is the primary focus of the classification of biodiversity?
To organize and categorize the vast variety of life forms on Earth.
p.40
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What does a parsimony cladogram represent?
A classification tree representing the smallest number of evolutionary steps.
p.38
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What challenge does evolving taxonomy present?
Species reclassification can lead to name changes.
p.20
Classification of Biodiversity
What is the difference between taxonomy and systematics?
Taxonomy is the naming and classification of organisms, while systematics focuses on their evolutionary relationships.
p.20
Classification of Biodiversity
How does the classification of biodiversity aid in ecological studies?
It helps in understanding species interactions and ecosystem dynamics.
p.15
Species Definition and Classification
What is a major limitation of the biological species concept regarding reproduction?
It is restricted to sexually reproducing organisms and does not apply to asexual organisms.
p.11
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What results from natural selection?
The inheritance of favourable variation from one generation to another.
p.14
Species Definition and Classification
What is the central determinant of biological species according to the biological species concept?
Reproductive isolation or isolating mechanisms that act as barriers to gene flow.
p.7
Ecology and Its Levels
What defines an ecosystem?
A community of organisms and their physical environment interacting as an ecological unit.
What is allopatric speciation?
Speciation caused by restriction of gene flow and reproductive isolation due to a physical/geographic barrier.
What is the relationship between species 1 and species 2 in speciation?
Species 1 is a pre-existing species from which species 2 diverges.
What happens in the vicariance process?
A physical barrier divides a widespread species into two almost equal-sized populations.
p.36
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What are the key benefits of binomial nomenclature?
Clarity and precision in identifying and categorizing species.
p.21
Definition and Importance of Science
What type of parasite are viruses classified as?
Obligate endoparasites highly specific to host cells.
p.34
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
Is any classification 100% perfect?
No, classifications are primarily done for our convenience and purpose.
p.28
Geological Time Scale and Evolution
What evidence suggests life arose around 3.8 billion years ago?
Indirect evidence from graphite grains in Isua Greenstone Belt deposits.
p.24
Classification of Biodiversity
Can fungi be unicellular or multicellular?
Yes, fungi can be both unicellular and multicellular.
p.20
Classification of Biodiversity
What is binomial nomenclature?
A two-part naming system for species, consisting of the genus and species name.
p.39
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
How does numerical taxonomy differ from traditional methods?
It is more mechanical and does not study characters in depth.
p.39
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What hidden issues exist in the numerical taxonomy process?
Arbitrary character selection and assumptions about character independence.
What is the current state of biodiversity on Planet Earth?
Populated by a multitude of species.
p.40
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the main aim of phylogenetic classification?
To form a monophyletic group.
p.10
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
What does the competition for survival lead to according to Darwin?
A 'struggle for existence' between individuals of the same species.
p.40
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is the issue with the choice of out-group in cladistics?
It is subjective and difficult.
p.34
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
Why is the process of classification considered instinctive?
Because ordering complexity may have a selection advantage.
p.29
Definition and Importance of Science
Is there evidence of life on other celestial bodies in the universe?
No evidence has been found.
p.40
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What is a challenge in rooting a cladogram?
Defining primitive characters is difficult, leading to the use of an out-group.
p.20
Classification of Biodiversity
How does genetic analysis contribute to the classification of biodiversity?
It provides insights into the evolutionary history and relationships of organisms.
p.21
Definition and Importance of Science
What is the basic structure of a virus?
A simple structure with single or double stranded DNA or RNA at the core surrounded by protein or lipoprotein.
p.38
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
Give an example of binomial nomenclature.
Homo sapiens (human beings).
p.28
Geological Time Scale and Evolution
What do stromatolites represent and how old are they?
Remains of microbial mats dating back to 3.5 billion years ago.
p.20
Classification of Biodiversity
What is the significance of species identification in biodiversity?
It is crucial for conservation efforts and understanding ecosystems.
p.24
Classification of Biodiversity
What is chitin?
A nitrogen-containing polysaccharide similar in structure to cellulose.
p.24
Classification of Biodiversity
How do fungi store carbohydrates?
Usually as glycogen, not starch.
p.40
Taxonomy and Methods of Classification
What assumption is made regarding convergence in cladistics?
Convergence is assumed to be less common.
p.20
Classification of Biodiversity
What challenges are faced in the classification of biodiversity?
Issues like cryptic species, hybridization, and incomplete data can complicate classification.
