Key Concepts of Biology (Fall Final)

What are the fundamental properties of life?

Order, Reproduction, Growth and development, Energy processing, response to the environment, regulation, and environmental adaptation.

What is homeostasis?

The ability of organisms to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.

What is the ultimate source of energy for life processes?

The sun, which drives photosynthesis in plants.

What does 'structure dictates function' mean in biology?

The physical structure of biological components determines its role in the organism.

What does evolution explain in the context of life?

The unity and diversity of life, indicates that all organisms share a common ancestor but have diverged over time.

What is the basic unit of life?

The cell, the smallest structure that performs all life processes.

What is the basic unit of matter?

The atom, which combines to form molecules, the building blocks of cells.

What does cell theory state?

All living organisms are composed of cells, and all cells arise from pre-existing cells.

What is the correct order of biological organization?

Atom → Molecule → Cell → Tissue → Organ → Organ System → Organism → Population → Community → Ecosystem → Biosphere.

What is a population in ecological terms?

A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area.

What does the exponential growth model describe?

Unrestricted population growth, resulting in a J-shaped curve on a graph.

What does the logistic growth model account for?

Environmental limits, leading to an S-shaped curve as growth slows near carrying capacity (K).

What do life tables provide data on?

Survival and reproductive rates of individuals at different ages.

What are survivorship curves?

Illustrations of the number of individuals surviving at each age, with types I, II, and III describing different survival rates.

What is a community in ecological terms?

A group of multiple populations interacting in a shared environment.

What is natural selection?

The primary mechanism of adaptive evolution, favoring traits that enhance survival and reproduction.

What causes genetic variation?

Mutations and sexual reproduction.

What are the types of selection in natural selection?

Stabilizing selection, disruptive selection, and directional selection.

What is a Punnett square used for?

To predict the genotypes of offspring from parental genotypes.

What are homologous chromosomes?

Pairs of chromosomes containing the same genes but possibly different alleles.

Who established the laws of inheritance?

Mendel, through his experiments with pea plants.

What role does DNA play in living organisms?

It is the hereditary material that carries genetic information, directing development and functioning.

What are emergent properties?

Emergent properties are characteristics of a system that arise from the interactions and relationships between the components of that system, and cannot be found in any individual part.

What are independent and dependent variables?

Independent variables are the variables that are manipulated in an experiment, while dependent variables are the variables that are measured to assess the effect of the independent variable.

What is qualitative data?

Qualitative data is non-numerical information that describes characteristics or qualities, often collected through observations, interviews, or open-ended questions.

What is quantitative data?

Quantitative data is numerical information that can be measured and counted, often presented in the form of statistics, percentages, and ratios.

What is the purpose of control groups and experimental groups in scientific experiments?

Control groups are used as a baseline to compare against the experimental groups, which receive the treatment or intervention. This allows researchers to isolate the effects of the treatment and determine if any changes in the experimental group are due to the treatment.

What is the scientific method?

The scientific method is a systematic approach to investigation that involves observation, hypothesis formulation, experimentation, data collection, and analysis to draw conclusions.

What is a hypothesis in scientific research?

A hypothesis is a testable statement predicting the outcome of an experiment based on prior knowledge or observations.

What are independent variables (IV)?

Independent variables are those that are manipulated or changed by the researcher to observe their effects.

What are dependent variables (DV)?

Dependent variables are the outcomes measured in an experiment to assess the effect of the independent variable.

What are control variables?

Control variables are factors that are kept constant throughout an experiment to ensure that any changes in the dependent variable are due solely to the manipulation of the independent variable.

What is a control group?

A control group is a baseline group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment, allowing for comparison against the experimental group.

Why are control groups important in experiments?

Control groups help establish a cause-and-effect relationship by showing what happens in the absence of the experimental treatment.

What is the role of a scientific experiment?

The role of a scientific experiment is to test hypotheses and gather data to support or refute them.

What is an example of a hypothesis?

If plants are given fertilizer, then they will grow taller than plants that are not given fertilizer.

What could be a dependent variable in a plant growth experiment?

The height of the plants measured over a specified period.

Why is it essential to identify control variables?

Identifying control variables is essential to ensure that the experiment is fair and that the results are valid.

What is population ecology?

Population ecology is the study of how populations interact with their environment and the factors that influence population size and distribution.

What is population growth?

Population growth is the change in the number of individuals in a population over time, typically measured by the growth rate.

How is population growth measured?

Population growth is measured by comparing the number of individuals at different times, often expressed as a percentage of growth over a specific time period.

What are the different population dispersion patterns?

The three main population dispersion patterns are clumped, uniform, and random.

What are life tables?

Life tables are tables that provide data on the survival and reproductive rates of individuals at different ages.

How are life tables used?

Life tables are used to analyze population dynamics and understand the life expectancy and reproductive trends of a population.

What is a survivorship curve?

A survivorship curve is a graph that represents the number of individuals surviving at each age for a given species.

What do survivorship curves tell us?

Survivorship curves provide insights into the life history strategies of populations, indicating how mortality rates vary with age.

What is the difference between Type I, II, and III survivorship curves?

Type I curves show high survival rates in early and mid-life, Type II curves depict a constant mortality rate, and Type III curves show high mortality rates early in life.

What do Type I, II, and III survivorship curves model?

These curves model different reproductive strategies and survival patterns, reflecting the impact of environmental factors on different species.

What are boom and bust cycles?

Boom and bust cycles refer to periodic fluctuations in economic activity, characterized by rapid growth (boom) followed by sharp declines (bust). Factors contributing to these cycles include changes in consumer demand, investment trends, and external shocks such as natural disasters or economic policy changes.

What is a life history?

A life history describes the series of changes undergone by an organism during its lifetime, including its reproductive strategies and growth patterns.

What does r-selection mean?

r-selection refers to a reproductive strategy characterized by high reproductive rates, small body sizes, and early maturity, often seen in unstable environments.

What does K-selection mean?

K-selection is a reproductive strategy where organisms produce fewer offspring, invest more in parental care, and are often larger, typically found in stable environments.

How do r-selection and K-selection relate to life histories?

R-selection and K-selection reflect adaptive strategies in life histories, with r-selection favoring rapid population growth and K-selection favoring stability and longevity.

What is age structure?

Age structure refers to the distribution of various age groups within a population, providing insights into population dynamics and potential growth.

What can age structure tell us?

Age structure can indicate the reproductive potential of a population, predict future growth patterns, and inform conservation and management strategies.

Why do populations experience rapid growth in between periods of high birth rates and high death rates?

Populations may experience rapid growth due to high birth rates during periods when death rates drop significantly due to improved health, nutrition, and social conditions, leading to a larger proportion of the population surviving to reproductive age.

What is population momentum?

Population momentum is the tendency of a population to continue to grow even after birth rates have declined, due to a higher proportion of individuals in their reproductive years.

What is an ecological footprint?

An ecological footprint measures the environmental impact of a population, indicating the amount of natural resources and ecosystem services required to sustain their consumption patterns.

How does an ecological footprint relate to resources and populations?

An ecological footprint illustrates the demand placed on resources by a population, highlighting the balance (or imbalance) between resource consumption and the Earth's capacity to regenerate those resources.