Foundations of Life & Classification Flashcards

Flashcards covering key biological concepts including organisms, cell types, the six kingdoms of life, taxonomy, evolution, VISTA, and fossil formation.

What is an organism?

An individual living being.

What is a unicellular organism?

A living thing made up of only one cell.

What is a multicellular organism?

An organism made up of more than one cell.

What is an autotrophic organism?

An organism that can make its own food.

What is a heterotrophic organism?

An organism that cannot make its own food.

What is common descent?

The idea that all life on Earth is related and descended from a common ancestor.

What is a prokaryote?

A single-celled organism with no true nucleus and no membrane-bound organelles.

What is a eukaryote?

An organism whose cells have a membrane-bound nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

What are examples of prokaryotes?

Eubacteria and Archaebacteria.

What are examples of eukaryotes?

Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.

What are Eubacteria?

Prokaryotic, unicellular organisms with cell walls containing peptidoglycan; they can be autotrophic or heterotrophic.

What are Archaebacteria?

Prokaryotic, unicellular organisms whose cell walls lack peptidoglycan; often found in extreme environments and can be autotrophic or heterotrophic.

What is Kingdom Protista?

Eukaryotic organisms that are mostly unicellular, although some are colonial or multicellular; they may be autotrophic or heterotrophic.

What is Kingdom Fungi?

Eukaryotic organisms that are mostly multicellular, with cell walls made of chitin; they are heterotrophic by absorption.

What is Kingdom Plantae?

Eukaryotic, multicellular organisms with cellulose cell walls that are autotrophic through photosynthesis.

What is Kingdom Animalia?

Eukaryotic, multicellular organisms that lack cell walls and are heterotrophic through ingestion.

What are the six kingdoms of life?

Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.

Which kingdoms are prokaryotic?

Eubacteria and Archaebacteria.

Which kingdoms are eukaryotic?

Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.

Which kingdom has peptidoglycan in its cell wall?

Eubacteria.

Which kingdom lacks peptidoglycan in its cell wall?

Archaebacteria.

Which kingdom has chitin in its cell wall?

Fungi.

Which kingdom has cellulose in its cell wall?

Plantae.

Which kingdom has no cell wall?

Animalia.

Which kingdom is heterotrophic by absorption?

Fungi.

Which kingdom is heterotrophic by ingestion?

Animalia.

Which kingdoms can be autotrophic or heterotrophic?

Eubacteria, Archaebacteria and Protista.

What is a species?

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

What does VISTA stand for?

Variation, Inherited traits, Selection, Time and Adaptation.

What is variation?

Differences in traits between individuals of a species.

What are inherited traits?

Traits passed down from parents to offspring.

What is selection in the context of VISTA?

Natural selection, where organisms with traits suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.

What does time refer to in VISTA?

Evolution and descent with modification occur over many generations and require time.

What is an adaptation?

A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.

What is the order of hierarchical classification?

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

What mnemonic helps remember classification?

Dear King Philip Came Over For Good Spaghetti.

What is descent with modification?

The idea that parents have offspring that descend from them with modifications; it is the basis of evolution.

What is natural selection?

The process where organisms with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce over multiple generations.

What is the fossil record?

The history of life on Earth documented by fossils found in layers of rock.

What is a fossil?

Preserved remains or traces of an organism from the past.

What happens first in fossil formation?

An organism dies and its remains are buried by sediment.

What happens as sediment layers accumulate?

The layers compress the lower layers.

How do minerals form a fossil?

Minerals in groundwater seep into the remains, replacing organic material and turning it into rock.

How are fossils exposed?

Uplift and erosion expose fossil-bearing rocks.

What are the characteristics of Class Mammalia?

Mammals suckle their young and have a placenta.

What are the characteristics of Order Primates?

Primates have forward-facing eyes.

What are the characteristics of Phylum Chordata?

Chordates have a backbone.

What is a hybrid?

An organism resulting from the mating of two different species.