Holder Lecture Flashcards Exam 1

Taxonomy

Science of describing, naming, and classifying living and extinct organisms and viruses.

Systematics

Study of biological diversity and the evolutionary relationships among organisms, both extinct and modern.

Taxon

A group at any level of the taxonomic hierarchy.

Taxonomic hierarchy

A hierarchical system involving successive taxonomic levels.

Highest taxonomic level

Domain.

Three domains of life

Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

4-Kingdom concept

The concept in which Domain Eukarya is divided into Kingdom Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia, while Bacteria and Archaea remain prokaryotic domains.

Domain Bacteria

A domain containing prokaryotic organisms.

Domain Archaea

A domain containing prokaryotic organisms with specialized membranes; the lecture notes describe them as having an “almost” nucleus.

Domain Eukarya

The domain containing eukaryotic organisms.

Kingdom Protista

Eukaryotic kingdom containing many separate groups; most are microscopic and found in moist environments.

Kingdom Fungi

Eukaryotic kingdom containing mushrooms, yeasts, molds, etc.

Kingdom Plantae

Eukaryotic, multicellular kingdom consisting primarily of autotrophic land plants.

Kingdom Animalia

Eukaryotic, multicellular kingdom of animals.

Prokaryotic cell

A cell that lacks a nucleus and membrane-bounded organelles.

Eukaryotic cell

A cell with a well-defined nucleus and membrane-bounded organelles.

Prokaryotic meaning

“Before nucleus.”

Eukaryotic meaning

“True nucleus.”

Binomial nomenclature

A two-word scientific naming system consisting of a genus name and specific epithet.

Genus name in binomial nomenclature

The first word of a scientific name; always capitalized.

Specific epithet in binomial nomenclature

The second word of a scientific name; never capitalized.

Formatting of scientific names

Both words are italicized or underlined.

Example of binomial nomenclature

Homo sapiens.

Meaning of Homo sapiens

“Wise human.”

Carolus Linnaeus

Scientist who proposed binomial nomenclature in 1753.

1753

The year Carolus Linnaeus proposed binomial nomenclature.

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history of a species or group of species.

Phylogenetic tree

A diagram that describes phylogeny and represents a hypothesis of evolutionary relationships among species.

Basis of phylogenetic trees

Morphological data, genetic data, or both.

Morphological analysis

Analysis based on physical/morphological features of organisms.

Early systematic studies

Focused on morphological features of extinct and modern species and often used animal embryonic development.

Molecular systematics

Analysis of genetic data such as DNA, RNA, and amino acid sequences to identify genetic similarities and propose phylogenetic trees.

Molecular systematics data

DNA, RNA, and amino acid sequences.

Closely related species and genetic sequences

Closely related species generally have more similar DNA and amino acid sequences than distantly related species.

Monophyletic group

A group consisting of the most recent common ancestor and all of its descendants.

Clade

A monophyletic group consisting of a common ancestor and all of its descendants.

Paraphyletic group

A group containing a common ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants.

Why reptiles were described as paraphyletic in the lecture

Because birds were excluded from the reptile group.

Prokaryotic fossils

About 3.5 billion years old.

Modern prokaryotes

Among the most abundant organisms; the lecture notes state they lack sexual reproduction.

Proteobacteria

“True bacteria” listed under Domain Bacteria.

Cyanobacteria

“Blue green bacteria” listed under Domain Bacteria.

Kingdom Protista fossil significance

Contains the earliest eukaryotes in the fossil record.

Protists and environment

Most protists are microscopic and found in moist environments.

Algae

Mostly plant-like protists.

Number of algae groups in the lecture

10 groups.

Algae nutrition

Mostly autotrophic and photosynthetic, although a few ingest food.

Algae body size

Can range from unicellular to large multicellular organisms.

Protozoans

Animal-like protists.

Protozoan nutrition

Mostly heterotrophic, described as “ingest feeding.”

Examples of protozoans

Amoeba and Paramecium.

Fungal-like protists

Mostly saprotrophic, mostly multicellular protists such as slime molds.

Saprotrophic

Obtaining nutrients by absorbing material rather than ingesting it.

Slime molds

Example of fungal-like protists.

Kingdom Fungi organisms

Mushrooms, yeasts, molds, etc.

Fungi nutrition

Saprotrophic; the lecture also notes some are heterotrophic.

Fungi ecological role

Nature’s “recyclers.”

Mycelium

The body of a fungus; a compacted mass of tubular filaments called hyphae.

Hyphae

Tubular filaments that make up the fungal body.

Fruiting body

The structure where spores are produced.

Kingdom Plantae species

More than 330,000 species.

General characteristics of Plantae

Eukaryotic, multicellular, and mostly autotrophic.

Plant autotrophy

Capturing sunlight energy through photosynthesis.

Plant food storage compound

Starch.

Plant cell wall material

Cellulose.

Plant photosynthetic pigments

Chlorophylls a and b and beta-carotene.

Land plant fossils

About 400 million years old according to the lecture.

Probable ancestral stock of land plants

A group of algae.

Major problem plants faced on land

Obtaining water.

Important plant innovation for life on land

Roots.

Number of plant phyla/divisions

10 phyla/divisions.

Broad plant categories

The 10 plant phyla are commonly combined into four broad categories because of similar characteristics.

Four broad plant categories

Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms.

Bryophytes

“Mosss and their allies”: liverworts, hornworts, and mosses.

Hepatophyta

Liverworts; about 6,500 species.

Anthocerophyta

Hornworts; about 100 species.

Bryophyta

Mosses; about 12,000 species.

Bryophyte reproduction

Reproduce by spores and do not produce seeds.

Bryophyte vascular status

Nonvascular.

Bryophyte vascular tissues

Bryophytes lack conducting tissues such as xylem and phloem.

Bryophyte size

Generally small plants due to lack of vascular tissue.

Bryophyte water requirement

Require external water for reproduction.

Pteridophytes

“Ferns and relatives”: lycophytes, ferns, and their allies.

Lycopodiophyta

Lycophytes; about 1,000 species.

Pteridophyta

Ferns and allies; about 12,000 species.

Pteridophyte reproduction

Reproduce by spores and do not produce seeds.

Pteridophyte vascular status

Vascular.

Xylem

Vascular tissue that conducts water and minerals.

Phloem

Vascular tissue that conducts food/solutes.

Pteridophyte roots/stems/leaves

Have true roots, stems, and leaves because they are vascularized.

Advantage of pteridophyte vascular tissue

Allows them to reach larger sizes.

Pteridophyte water requirement

Require external water for reproduction.

Gymnosperms

“Seed plants” characterized by naked seeds.

Four gymnosperm groups

Cycadophyta, Ginkgophyta, Gnetophyta, and Coniferophyta.

Cycadophyta

Cycads; about 300 species.

Ginkgophyta

Ginkgo; 1 species.

Gnetophyta

Gnetophytes; about 300 species.

Coniferophyta

Conifers; about 500 species.

Gymnosperm meaning

“Naked seeds.”

Largest gymnosperm group

Conifers.