Life: Notes

Species Richness

The total number of distinct species present in a defined geographic area or biological community.

Species Evenness

A measure of how equally balanced the relative individual abundances of each species are within an ecological community.

Inductive reasoning

Specific examples to make generalizations

Deductive reasoning

Generalizations to make specific facts

Abductive reasoning

Looking at a clue and guessing most likely situation

Accuracy

How close a measured value is to the true/correct value

Precision

How close values are to each other, the spread of values.

Order/ organization

All lifeforms are ordered & structured into small unities.

Reproduction/ replication

All lifeforms can produce new organisms (heredity)

Growth/ development

All lifeforms increase in size in all their organizational units (develop/ mature)

Sensitivity

All lifeforms can perceive intrinsically (its own conditions) and extrinsically (the environment that surrounds it).

Energy process

All lifeforms can acquire and use energy to fuel their multiple processes. 

Regulation

All lifeforms can regulate their internal environment to a constant state (homeostasis) Metabolism, anabolism, catabolism

Adaptation/ evolution

All lifeforms are capable of change over time to better survive in its environment. 

Gene drift

A random change in how common certain genes are in a population over time

Gene flow/ migration

The transfer of genetic material between different populations when individuals migrate or interbreed.

Natural selection

The process where organisms with the best traits for their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce and pass their traits to next generation.

Mutation

A permanent and random change in an individual’s DNA code that can create entirely new traits.

Biological species concept

Defines a species as a group of organisms that can breed with each other to produce fertile offspring but CANNOT breed with other groups/species.

Morphological species concept

Defines a species as a group of organisms that have same structures or physical traits.

Ecological species concept

Defines a species as a group of organisms that share the same resources and environment in the same way (ecological niche)

Genetic species concept

Defines a species as a group of organisms with very similar DNA and genetic similarity (98% or more)

Phylogenetic species concept

Defines a species as the smallest single branch on the evolutionary family tree.

LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor)

The single-celled ancestor from which all modern life on Earth evolved.

Abiogenesis

The scientific process where living organisms first arose from non-living matter.

Prokaryotic cells

Simple single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Eukaryotic cells

Complex cells that contain a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Convergent evolution

The independent evolution of similar traits or structures in unrelated or distantly related species.

Allopatric speciation

When a physical geographic barrier splits up a population, which causes them to evolve into separate species.

Autopolyploid

Extra chromosome sets from single parents species. Comes from internal cell division error.

Allopolyploid

Extra chromosome sets from two different species, resulting from hybridization.

Monophyletic group

A group of taxa that encompasses all the derivatives from the same node.

Paraphyletic taxa

A group of taxa that encompasses only some of the derivatives of the same node. 

Polyphyletic taxa

A group of taxa that encompasses derivatives from multiple nodes.