Biology Exam Preparation Flashcards

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to biology and evolutionary theory, focusing specifically on topics likely to appear on the exam.

Chloramphenicol

An antibiotic that targets bacterial (70S) ribosomes but not eukaryotic (80S) ribosomes.

Endosymbiotic Origin

The theory that eukaryotic cells originated through the engulfing of prokaryotic cells.

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms.

Adaptive Radiation

An evolutionary process where organisms rapidly diversify into new forms to adapt to different environments.

Monophyletic

A group of organisms that consists of a single ancestor and all its descendants.

Paraphyletic

A group of organisms that includes an ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants.

Polyphyletic

A group of organisms that does not include the most recent common ancestor of its members.

Gametophyte

The haploid stage in the life cycle of plants, producing gametes.

Sporophyte

The diploid stage in the life cycle of plants that produces spores.

Mitosis

Cell division that results in two identical daughter cells.

Meiosis

Cell division that results in four genetically different gametes.

Ecological Opportunity

The availability of resources that allows for resource use and potentially leads to speciation.

Segmentation

The division of an organism's body into repeated sections, providing redundancy and complex movement.

Echinoderm

A group of marine animals including starfish and sea urchins, characterized by a hard, spiny covering.

Annelid

A segmented worm; includes earthworms and leeches, known for their segmented body structure.