Biodiversity, GMOs, Nanotechnology & Climate Change – Review Flashcards

A comprehensive set of question-and-answer flashcards covering biodiversity, food chains, abiotic factors, GMOs, CRISPR, gene therapy, nanotechnology, and climate change—with emphasis on Philippine context and global agreements.

What is biodiversity?

The variety of all living species on Earth—plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and other organisms—across genetic, species, and ecosystem levels.

Name the three levels of biodiversity.

Genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

Why is genetic diversity important?

It allows individuals of the same species to adapt to changing environments, improving their survival chances.

Give an example of genetic diversity.

Different rice varieties with varying drought resistance.

What does species diversity measure?

The number (richness) and relative abundance (evenness) of species in a given area.

Provide an example of high species diversity.

A rainforest hosting birds, insects, mammals, and countless plant species.

Define ecosystem diversity.

The variety of habitats, biological communities, and ecological processes within a region or on Earth.

List three Philippine ecosystems that illustrate ecosystem diversity.

Tropical rainforests, mangroves, and marine (coral reef) ecosystems.

State two ecosystem benefits provided by biodiversity.

Clean air and pollination (others: soil fertility, food production, climate regulation).

State two human benefits provided by biodiversity.

Medicines and disaster resilience (others: food, raw materials, climate adaptation).

How did rosy periwinkle demonstrate biodiversity’s medical value?

Compounds from the plant led to cancer-treating drugs after scientists studied its traditional use.

What is a major human-driven cause of biodiversity loss?

Habitat destruction through deforestation, agriculture, and urban development.

How much faster are species currently going extinct compared to natural rates (estimate)?

Hundreds of times faster than the natural background rate.

Explain how reduced habitat size can lower genetic diversity.

Fewer individuals remain, limiting breeding partners and reducing genetic variation.

What is a food chain?

A linear sequence showing how energy and nutrients pass from producers to various consumer levels and decomposers.

Identify the five trophic levels commonly shown in a food chain.

Producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, decomposers.

Give an example of a producer in a terrestrial food chain.

Grass (or any photosynthetic plant).

What role do decomposers play in ecosystems?

They break down dead organisms, recycling nutrients back into the soil.

Define abiotic factors.

Non-living components of an ecosystem that influence where and how organisms live.

List four abiotic factors with ecological importance.

Sunlight, temperature, water availability, soil composition (others: air/oxygen, salinity, pH, wind).

What is a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)?

An organism whose genetic material has been altered in ways that do not occur naturally via mating or recombination.

Name two common methods scientists use to create GMOs.

Inserting new genes (transgenics) or editing/deleting genes with CRISPR-Cas9.

What agricultural benefit can GMOs provide?

Increased resistance to pests, diseases, or environmental stresses, reducing pesticide use.

Give three examples of GMO products.

Bt corn, Golden Rice enriched with vitamin A, fast-growing GM salmon.

State one societal concern about GMOs.

Potential environmental impacts through cross-pollination with non-GMO species.

What does CRISPR stand for?

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats.

How does CRISPR-Cas9 edit DNA?

Guide RNA directs the Cas9 enzyme to a specific DNA sequence, where Cas9 cuts the DNA; scientists then delete, insert, or repair genes.

What was the first FDA-approved CRISPR therapy and what does it treat?

Casgevy, which treats sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia by reactivating fetal hemoglobin.

Define gene therapy.

A medical technique that treats or prevents disease by adding, removing, or altering genes inside a patient’s cells.

Differentiate somatic vs. germline gene therapy.

Somatic alters non-reproductive cells (non-heritable); germline edits sperm, eggs, or embryos (heritable and controversial).

Name two gene-therapy delivery methods.

Viral vectors and lipid-based liposomes (others: stem-cell implantation, direct tissue injection).

List one benefit and one risk of gene therapy.

Benefit: One-time cure targeting disease root cause. Risk: Off-target genetic edits or immune reactions.

What is nanotechnology?

The manipulation and application of matter at the nanoscale (1–100 nanometers).

Who coined the term “nanotechnology,” and when?

Professor Norio Taniguchi in 1974.

Why do materials often behave differently at the nanoscale?

Quantum effects and large surface-area-to-volume ratios change properties such as strength, reactivity, and color.

Give two medical applications of nanotechnology.

Targeted drug delivery and cancer diagnostics (others: nanosensors, regenerative scaffolds).

What tool allows scientists to ‘see’ individual atoms?

Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM), invented in 1981 by Binnig & Rohrer.

What are carbon nanotubes?

Ultra-strong, conductive carbon cylinders discovered by Sumio Iijima in 1991.

State one environmental application of nanotech.

Water purification via nanoparticle filtration.

Mention a key safety concern related to nanomaterials.

Health risks from inhaling or accumulating nanoparticles in the body.

Define climate change in simple terms.

Long-term shifts in Earth’s temperature and weather patterns, accelerated by human activities like burning fossil fuels.

Name three main greenhouse gases.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O).

Give two major effects of climate change.

Rising global temperatures and more extreme weather events (others: sea-level rise, ecosystem disruption).

What is the Paris Agreement’s primary goal?

Limit global temperature rise to well below 2 °C, preferably 1.5 °C, above pre-industrial levels.

By how much has Earth’s average temperature increased since the 1880s?

Approximately 1 °C.

What emission-reduction pledge did the Philippines make under the Paris Agreement?

Reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 75% by 2030 (72.29% conditional on international support, 2.71% unconditional).

List two climate-related threats specific to the Philippines.

Sea-level rise up to 60 cm and intensified typhoons (others: coral reef loss, agricultural disruption).

Explain coral bleaching.

When warmer water causes corals to expel symbiotic algae, turning white and weakening the reef ecosystem.

How does biodiversity loss increase zoonotic disease risk?

Reduced species diversity can disturb natural disease regulation, allowing pathogens to jump more easily to humans.

Give one local Philippine initiative helping communities adapt to climate change.

Project LAWA at BINHI, which provides sustainable farming training and water access to farmers and fisherfolk in Bicol.

Identify three individual actions to combat climate change.

Reduce meat consumption, use public transport, and minimize food waste (others: energy-saving at home, support environmental policies).

State one invasive species example and its impact.

Brown tree snake in Guam, which caused extinction of several native bird species due to lack of natural predators.

What is ethnobotany?

The study of how indigenous peoples use plants for medicinal or cultural purposes, often guiding modern drug discovery.

How do protected areas help biodiversity?

They restrict extractive activities, preserve habitats, and allow species populations to recover.

What is the role of the National Geographic Photo Ark?

To photograph every captive species, raise awareness, and support conservation efforts worldwide.

Which abiotic factor primarily determines plant photosynthesis rates?

Sunlight.

What does ‘Bt’ stand for in Bt corn, and why is it significant?

Bacillus thuringiensis; the corn expresses a bacterial toxin that kills certain insect pests.