Unit 1 & Unit 2: Biological Organization, Classification, Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Evolution

A comprehensive set of practice questions covering biological organization, classification, ecosystems, energy flow, biodiversity, and evolution based on the provided lecture notes.

What is the basic building block of all matter?

Atom

What is the smallest unit of a pure substance?

Molecule

What is a large molecule called?

Macromolecule

What is the smallest, basic unit of life that carries out life processes?

Cell

What is a collection of similar cells called?

Tissue

What is composed of two or more different tissues organized to perform a specific function?

Organ

What is a group of organs that work together to perform a function called?

Organ system

What is any individual living thing called?

Organism

What is a group of individuals of the same species living in the same geographic area?

Population

What is a collection of different species that inhabit the same area and interact called?

Community

What describes a community of living organisms interacting with their non-living environment to form a functional unit?

Ecosystem

What is a large geographic area characterized by climate, dominant life forms, and animal communities?

Biome

What is the sum of all ecosystems on Earth and the part of the planet where life exists?

Biosphere

What are the three domains of life listed in the notes?

Archaebacteria, Bacteria, Eurkarya (Eukarya)

Name the six kingdoms of life as listed in the notes.

Animalia, Protozoa, Fungi, Archaebacteria, Plantae, Eubacteria

Which kingdom is multicellular, has a nucleus, no cell wall but with a cell membrane, and can be warm- or cold-blooded with an exoskeleton or endoskeleton?

Animalia

Which kingdom is described as unicellular, eukaryotic, with some members able to move?

Protozoa

Which kingdom absorbs nutrients and is usually multicellular and eukaryotic?

Fungi

Which group is described as ancient bacteria found in extreme temperatures and is prokaryotic with no nucleus?

Archaebacteria

Which kingdom is multicellular, eukaryotic, has a nucleus, a cell wall, and is photosynthetic?

Plantae

Which kingdom consists of unicellular prokaryotes with no nucleus?

Eubacteria

What is Taxonomy?

A discipline of biology concerned with identifying, naming, and classifying species based on natural relationships.

Who classified organisms as animals or plants in the early system?

Aristotle

Who formalized binomial nomenclature and its naming system that remains valid today?

Carolus Linnaeus

What is Binomial nomenclature?

A two-part naming system for organisms (genus and species).

List the eight main taxonomic ranks from broadest to narrowest.

Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

What is the Domain in taxonomy?

The broadest taxon that contains one or more kingdoms.

What is the Kingdom in taxonomy?

A major grouping of related phyla or divisions.

What is Phylum in taxonomy?

A group that contains related classes.

What is Class in taxonomy?

A group that contains related orders.

What is Order in taxonomy?

A group that contains related families.

What is Family in taxonomy?

A group consisting of related genera.

What is Genus in taxonomy?

A group of closely related species sharing a common ancestor.

What is Species in taxonomy?

The lowest taxonomic rank and basic unit of classification.

What is an abiotic factor?

The non-living physical and chemical factors in an ecosystem (e.g., sunlight, temperature, pH).

What originates from the biosphere and includes flora and fauna?

Biotic factor

Name an example of a tropical rainforest ecosystem feature.

Warm, wet climate with layered vegetation, fast nutrient cycling, and thin soil.

Name an example of a swamp ecosystem.

Freshwater wetland with standing/slow-moving water and waterlogged soil.

Name an estuary and a key characteristic.

Estuary is where a river meets the sea; brackish water; highly productive; nursery grounds for many species.

What are mangrove forests characterized by?

Coastal ecosystems with mangrove trees and special roots; tide-influenced; protect coastlines.

What are coral reefs often called due to high biodiversity?

Rainforests of the sea.

Define trophic level.

The position an organism occupies in a food chain.

What are the main trophic levels in order?

Producer (autotroph) → Primary consumer → Secondary consumer → Tertiary consumer.

What is a food chain?

A linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another.

What is a food web?

A network of many interconnected food chains showing who eats whom.

What does a Pyramid of Energy show?

The amount of energy available at each trophic level.

What does a Pyramid of Biomass represent?

Total mass of living organisms at each trophic level (usually dry weight per area).

What does a Pyramid of Numbers illustrate?

The number of individual organisms at each trophic level.

What is the Water Cycle?

Movement of water between Earth's surface, atmosphere, and underground, including phase changes.

What are the main processes in the Carbon-Oxygen cycle described?

Photosynthesis and respiration exchange carbon and oxygen between the atmosphere and living organisms.

What gas do plants consume during photosynthesis, and what do they release?

Consume carbon dioxide (CO2) and release oxygen (O2).

What is Nitrogen Cycle?

Biogeochemical cycle converting atmospheric N to usable forms and back to N2.

Name the steps of the Nitrogen Cycle mentioned.

Nitrogen fixation, Nitrification, Assimilation, Ammonification, Denitrification.

How is nitrogen fixation defined?

Conversion of atmospheric N2 into usable forms like ammonia.

What is nitrification?

Conversion of ammonia into nitrates.

What is assimilation in the nitrogen cycle?

Plants absorb nitrates for growth.

What is ammonification?

Organic matter decomposes to ammonia (NH3).

What is denitrification?

Nitrates are converted back to atmospheric nitrogen (N2).

What is population in ecological terms?

All individuals of a species within a defined area.

What are the main characteristics used to describe a population?

Density, spatial distribution (dispersion), and growth rate.

What is population density?

Number of organisms per unit area.

What are the types of dispersion patterns?

Uniform, Clumped, Random.

What is emigration?

Movement of individuals out of a population.

What is immigration?

Movement of individuals into a population.

What is exponential population growth?

Rapid growth with a J-shaped curve as the population increases.

What is logistic population growth?

Growth that slows as the population approaches carrying capacity (S-shaped).

What is carrying capacity?

The maximum number of individuals the environment can sustain long-term.

What is a limiting factor?

Any resource or factor that restricts population growth; more limited resources bring populations closer to carrying capacity.

What does biodiversity mean?

The variety of life on Earth in all its forms, from genes to ecosystems.

What is extinction?

The dying out or extermination of a species.

List four factors that affect biodiversity.

Overexploitation, Habitat loss, Fragmentation, Pollution, Introduction of new species.

What are renewable resources in biodiversity conservation?

Resources that can be replenished naturally over time.

What are nonrenewable resources in biodiversity conservation?

Resources that cannot be replenished at sustainable rates.

What does sustainable use mean in biodiversity conservation?

Using natural resources at a rate that does not deplete them for future generations.

What are some strategies for protecting biodiversity?

Protected areas in the Philippines, International protected areas, Biodiversity hotspots, Corridors between habitat fragments.

Who is considered the Father of Evolution?

Charles Darwin.

What is the concept of natural selection?

Heritable traits that enhance survival and reproduction become more common over generations.

What are the four main principles of the theory of evolution listed?

Variation, Inheritance, Selection, Time.

What does the fossil record indicate about evolution?

It shows that many extinct organisms differed from current ones and demonstrates succession over time.

What is the Law of Superposition?

In sedimentary rock layers, younger rocks lie above older rocks; fossils become more complex toward the top.

What are vestigial structures?

Organs that have lost their original function but were functional in ancestors.

What are homologous structures?

Similar bone structures in different vertebrates indicating common ancestry, though functions may differ.

What are analogous structures?

Structures with similar function but without a common evolutionary origin.

What is embryological evidence in evolution?

Embryos of different animals show similarities during early development, suggesting relatedness.

What is a mechanism of evolution that involves random changes in allele frequencies, especially in small populations?

Genetic drift.

What is the bottleneck effect?

A drastic population size reduction that leaves only a few survivors, reducing genetic variation.

What is the founder effect?

A small group colonizes a new area, starting a new population with limited genetic variation.

What is gene flow (migration) in evolution?

Movement of individuals between populations introducing new traits and changing allele frequencies.

What is non-random mating?

A form of selection where individuals with certain traits are more likely to mate, affecting allele frequencies.