General Biology I - Review Sheet Answers - Life, Phylogeny & The Scientific Process

Biology:

scientific study of life

Biotic factor

living components found in an ecosystem

Abiotic factor:

non-living components found in an ecosystem.

Species:

interbreeding organisms that produce fertile offspring

Unicellular organism:

organism made of one cell

Multicellular organism:

organism made of more than one cell.

Metabolism:

all the chemical reactions that occur within a cell or organism.

Autotrophs (producers):

organisms that make their own food through
photosynthesis.

Heterotrophs (consumers):

organisms that consume autotrophs or other
heterotrophs.

Saprophytes (decomposers):

organisms that break down dead and decaying matter.

Homeostasis:

maintenance of internal conditions within a specific range.

Evolution:

process of biological change due to the environment.

Taxonomy:

science of naming and classifying organisms according to their
similarities.

Prokaryotic cells:

cells that lack membrane bound DNA and organelles inside the cell

Eukaryotic cells:

cells that have membrane bound DNA and organelles located inside
the cell.

Binomial nomenclature:

universal and unique two-part name given to a species that
is composed of the genus and the species.

Phylogeny:

describes the evolutionary history of a species or a group of related
species.

Phylogenetic tree:

branching diagram that displays the evolutionary history or
pattern of descent within a group of organisms

Taxa:

group within a phylogenetic tree.

Systematics:

classifies organisms and determines their evolutionary relationships
and they propose that groups should only include the common ancestor and its
descendants.

life is highly ordered

.e., biological hierarchy)

life
reproduces

division of cells to form new cells

grows, and develops

changes that
occur from birth to death

life requires
the transfer and transformation of energy and matter into a useable form to carry out
cellular activities

metabolism

life responds to the environmen

movement
toward or away from a stimulus, resulting in behavior

life is regulated

homeostasis

life evolutionary adapts

eading to evolution or a change in the composition of a
population.

Molecules

are chemical structures consisting of two or more atoms chemically bounded
to each other

Organelles

are made of biological molecules, and they are the functional units of cells.

Cells

are life’s fundamental unit of structure and function

Tissues

groups of cells that work together to perform a specialized function

Organs

made of multiple tissues, and they are body parts that carry out a particular
function.

Organisms

individual living things that are made of organ systems (i.e., groups of
organs that cooperate to produce a larger function).

Populations

all the individuals of the same species living together within the bounds
of a specific area

Communities

are different species living together within the bounds of a specific area.

Ecosystem

the biotic and abiotic factors within a specific area

Biosphere

is all life and places on Planet Earth

Explain how energy flows and how chemicals are recycled in an ecosystem.

Energy enters an ecosystem as light and exists as heat, so it flows in one direction.
Chemicals are recycled from autotrophs to heterotrophs to decomposers.

List the taxonomic order from the most to least inclusive group.

The largest classification group is a Domain and Domains contain lots of different organisms
(i.e., most inclusive). Domains are further divided into Kingdoms and Kingdoms are further
divided into Phylums and Phylums are further divided into Classes. Classes are further
divided into Orders, Orders are further divided into Families, and Families are further
divided into Genuses. Genuses are further divided into Species (i.e., least inclusive).

Domain Bacteria

ontains prokaryotic organisms that live in “normal” environments.

Domain Archea

contains unicellular, prokaryotic organisms that live in
“extreme” environments.

Domain Eukarya

All eukaryotes

Kingdom Animalia

contains heterotrophs that are multicellular and that can move.

Kingdom Plantae

terrestrial (i.e., live on land) autotrophs that are multicellular

Kingdom Fungi

contains decomposers that are multicellular.

Kingdom Protista

very diverse and contains organisms that vary in their nutritional modes, and they can be
unicellular or multicellular organisms.

Phylogenetic trees display

hypotheses of evolutionary relationships and show patterns of
descent.

horizontal branch

an evolutionary lineage.

Branch points

represent a common ancestor

hatch marks

represent the character (i.e., no limbs, hair
presence)that is shared by the groups to the right of mark.

Sister taxa

are groups of
organisms that share immediate common ancestor that is not shared by any other group.

Discuss why Linnaean classification system does not always reflect correct evolutionary
relationships.

The Linnaean classification system does not always reflect correct evolutionary relationships
because species may lose a key feature that is shared by its close relatives or DNA, and
other new evidence causes reclassification.