Biol 51 Lab 6-11

Bioindicators

Biological organisms used to assess the condition of habitats.

Taxa

An order, family, genus, species, etc., consisting of a group of organisms that are phylogenetically related.

Biological Diversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Basic Metrics

Quantitative measures calculated to explore the meaning of data collected.

Morphological Evidence

Physical characteristics used to classify and recognize taxa.

Evenness (taxa)

The relative distribution of individuals among the taxa in a sample.

Higher Richness Values

Indicate greater habitat diversity and higher water quality conditions.

Aquatic Invertebrates

Organisms, mostly insects, used to measure aquatic ecosystem health.

Pollution Sensitivity

The degree to which certain taxonomic groups are affected by poor water quality.

Relative Abundance

The proportion of each taxon in relation to the total number of individuals in the sample.

Simpson's Index of Diversity

A metric that gives values ranging from 0 to 1, indicating sample diversity; the greater the index value, the greater the sample diversity.

Simpson's Index of Diversity Formula

SID = 1 - (ni / N)², where ni is the total number of organisms of each particular taxon i, and N is the total number of organisms of all taxa.

Total Organisms (N)

The sum of all organisms counted across taxa, which in the example equals 16.

Dichotomous Key

A tool used to identify organisms by answering a series of questions based on their characteristics.

Taxon Identification

The process of determining the taxonomic classification of organisms based on observed characteristics.

Metrics Calculation

At the end of the lab, calculate the metrics listed on the data sheets based on the group data.

Sensitivity to Pollution

Members of the EPT taxa are known to be sensitive to pollution and low water quality.

High-Quality Streams

Streams that support a diverse range of organisms, particularly those from the EPT orders.

Organism Count

The number of individuals of each taxon identified during the sample analysis.

Taxa richness

The number of different species represented in a given sample.

Simpson's Index of Diversity

A measure of diversity that takes into account both abundance and evenness of the species present.

% EPT

The percentage of the total number of individuals that belong to the EPT taxa (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera) in a sample.

Polluted stream

A stream that has been contaminated with harmful substances, affecting its water quality.

Pristine stream

A stream that is relatively undisturbed and free from pollution.

Biomonitoring program

A program that uses biological indicators to assess the health of an ecosystem.

Riffles

Shallow, turbulent areas in a stream where water flows over rocks.

Cumulative number of areas sampled

The total number of distinct areas that have been sampled in a study.

Species/area curve

A graphical representation showing the relationship between the number of species and the area sampled.

Invertebrate community

The collection of invertebrate species living in a specific habitat.

Stream habitat

The physical environment in which stream organisms live, including factors like water flow, temperature, and substrate.

Water quality conditions

The physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water that affect its suitability for living organisms.

Sampling

The process of selecting a subset of individuals from a population to estimate characteristics of the whole population.

Resource allocation

The distribution of available resources among various projects or areas.

Stream sampling

The collection of biological and physical data from a stream to assess its health.

Taxonomic system order

species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, domain

Homologous

Structures in different species that are similar because of common ancestry

phylogenetic tree

convergent evolution

convergence in appearance due to similar environments or lives NOT homologous (ex. wings in bats, birds, and insects)

Analogous

superficial resemblance that is not homologous

Monophyletic group

a single common ancestor and all its descendants

Paraphyletic group

common ancestor and then some but not all its descendants

Polyphyletic group

taxa with different ancestors

dichotomy

a division into two parts

polytomy

a branch point from which more than two descendant groups emerge

trichotomy

A division into three parts

vestigial structure

structure that is inherited from ancestors but has lost much or all of its original function

cell wall

complex layer that provides structure and protection to prokaryotes

peptidoglycan

complex protein-carbohydrate polymer which helps form part of cell wall in bacteria

Prokaryote characteristis

cell walls, no membrane-bound organelles, no linear chromosomes, circular DNA, divide by binary fission -> 2 daughter cells

Endospores

dormant cells that can withstand extreme heat, desiccation, or other extreme conditions

What genus of Bacteria can form endospores?

Bacillus & Clostridium

Hyphae

mass of filaments that make up the body of a fungus

Mycelium

network of hyphae in fungus

Morphology of bacterial colonies and their margins

Plaque

protein and carb materials which accumulate at the gum line where bacteria grows

what is the purpose of putting the slide over an alcohol lamp

To fully dry the slide and stick the bacteria to the slide

Crystal Violet

Primary stain in Gram staining procedure that stains gram + bacteria

Bacilli

basic rod shape of bacteria

cocci

basic sphere shape of bacteria

spirilla

basic spiral shape of bacteria

Gram - bacteria

thin peptido layer w/ complex membrane of lipopolysaccharides, retains pink/red pink safranin

Gram + bacteria

simple wall w/ thick peptidoglycan and no lps layer, reatins purple crystal violet

pink safranin

Primary stain in Gram staining procedure that stains gram - bacteria

Lugols stain

sets the stain in gram staining

Erythromycin (E)

antibiotic which prevents protein assembly for ribosomes

Nalidixic Acid (NA)

antibiotic which inhibits DNA replication

Penicillin (P)

Antibiotic which inhibits cell wall synthesis

Polymyxins (PB)

antibiotic which disrupts of cytoplasmic membrane

Antibiotics that work on gram + bacteria

Any that attacks cell wall synthesis or outer layer of bacteria

Antibiotics that work on gram - bacteria

Ones that attack DNA replication and protein assembly

Bacterial lawns

The appearance of bacterial colonies which have merged together

Streak plate

a technique for isolating pure cultures by spreading organisms on an agar plate

Zone of inhibition

the shortest distance from the edge of the antibiotic to the bacterial growth

Sum of Squares equation

Variance (s^2) equation

s = SS/DF

Standard deviation equation

Standard error of the mean equation

T-statistic calculation

Usual P-value

0.05

alteration of generations

The alteration of two or more different forms in the life cycle of a plant having a gametophyte and sporophyte stage

Gametophyte

Haploid, produces sperm from antheridia and eggs from archegonia

Sporophyte

Diploid, produces spores from the sporangia

Nonvascular/ bryophytes

hornworts, liverworts, mosses, do not contain a vascular system to grow upwards, gametophyte dominant

Vascular plants

ferns, gymnosperms, angiosperms, have tissues made of cells that transport water and nutrients throughout the plant, sporophyte dominant

Xylem

transports water and dissolved materials

phloem

transports carbs in solution

antheridia

male gametangia, produce and release sperm

archegonium

female structure that produces eggs, develops on the gametophyte

embryo

developing stage of a multicellular organism

calyptra

A protective cap of gametophyte tissue that wholly or partially covers an immature capsule in many mosses.

sterile jacket cells

A sterile layer of cells that surround the spermatogenous tissue

spermatogenous tissue

tissue that produces sperm cells

paraphyses

support structures

neck canal cells

central cells of the neck of archegonia. disintegrate when the egg is mature, resulting in a fluid-filled tube through which the sperm swim to the egg

operculum (plant vers)

A protective flap that covers peristome teeth

peristome teeth

teeth surrounding the opening of the bryophyte spore capsule

peristome

tissue that surrounds the opening of the capsule and allows periodic release of spores

gemma cups

structures that house gemmae, tiny lens-shaped pieces of thallus that are a form of asexual reproduction in liverworts

gemmae

haploid tissue that develops into gametophytes, housed in the gemma cups

sori

fern structures in which spores are produced