Biology 11 (SBI3U) - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - Biodiversity

Species

Organisms capable of breeding with each other under natural conditions.

Hybridization

Crossbreeding of 2 different species.

Morphology

The study of physical characteristics of an organism.

Evolutionary Change

Change that happens to an entire population, usually over a long period of time.

Heterotroph

Cannot make their own food; eat other organisms (dead/alive) for food.

Autotroph

Able to make their own food (water, gas, minerals).

Genetic Diversity

The variety of genes and inherited traits within a single species.

Species Diversity

The variety of species in an ecosystem + the number of individuals within each of those species.

Structural Diversity

The variety of physical shapes and sizes within a habitat or ecosystem.

Biological Classification

The systematic grouping of organisms into biological categories based on physical and evolutionary relationships.

Taxonomy

The science of classifying all organisms.

Taxonomists classify both living and fossil species.

Botanist

Plant biologist.

Genus (plural → Genera)

The taxonomic level consisting of a group of similar species.

Binomial Nomenclature

The system of giving every species a two-part scientific name.

Taxon (plural → Taxa)

A category used to classify organisms.

Kingdom

The highest taxonomic level of the traditional Linnaean system of classification.

6 kingdoms:

• Animalia

• Plantae

• Fungi

• Protista

• Eubacteria

• Archaea

Dichotomous Keys

A series of branching, two-part statements used to identify organisms.

Evolution

The scientific theory that describes changes in species over time and their shared ancestry.

Phylogeny

Study of how species are related through evolution.

Phylogenetic Tree

A diagram that shows how species are related through evolution.

Clade

A taxonomic group that includes a single common ancestor and all its descendants.

Prokaryote

A unicellular organism with no membrane-bound organelles and no nucleus (ex/ bacteria).

Eukaryote

Unicellular & multicellular organisms with organelles (ex/ plants, animals, fungi).

Domain

The highest taxonomic level.

3 domains in life:

• Eukarya

• Bacteria

• Archaea