Biodiversity and Evolution: Key Concepts and Ecosystem Roles Study Guide | Quizlet

What are the four main components of biodiversity?

The four main components are species diversity, genetic diversity, ecosystem diversity, and functional diversity.

What percentage of species are wiped out during mass extinction events?

Mass extinction events rapidly wipe out a significant percentage of species, historically estimated at 40\text{\null}\% to 90\text{\null}\% (or 50\text{\null}\% to 95\text{\null}\%), with $3\text{ to }5\text{ major events}$ identified in Earth's history.

What is Colony Collapse Disorder?

Colony Collapse Disorder is a phenomenon affecting bee populations, leading to significant declines in pollination services and agricultural yields.

Who articulated the mechanism of natural selection in evolutionary biology?

Natural selection as a mechanism of biological evolution was articulated by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.

How do allopatric speciation and parapatric speciation differ regarding geographic isolation?

Allopatric speciation occurs when new species evolve due to physical separation and a lack of gene flow between isolated populations, whereas parapatric speciation occurs when species evolve while living in adjacent environments with some ongoing gene flow.

Why did the Golden Toad of Costa Rica's Monteverde Cloud Forest become extinct?

The golden toad became extinct in $1989$ primarily due to habitat drying, serving as a case study for the vulnerability of endemic species to habitat loss, climate change, and disease.

What is the difference between species richness and species evenness?

Species richness refers to the number of different species present in an ecosystem, whereas species evenness refers to the relative abundance of individuals within each of those species.

How do generalist species differ from specialist species?

Generalist species have broad ecological niches and can thrive in various environments, while specialist species have narrow niches and specific habitat requirements.

What statistics demonstrate the current amphibian crisis according to the IUCN and Peter Crane's study?

The IUCN reports that approximately 33\text{\null}\% of known amphibian species are at risk of extinction, and a study by Peter Crane noted that $200\text{ frog species}$ have gone extinct since the $1970\text{s}$.

How much faster are current amphibian extinction rates compared to historical background rates?

Amphibians are facing extinction rates that are $10,000\text{ times}$ faster than historical rates.

What are the six kingdoms used in taxonomic classification?

Organisms are classified into six kingdoms: eubacteria, archaebacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals.

What is the hierarchical sequence of taxonomic classification?

The hierarchical sequence is: kingdoms > phyla > classes > orders > families > genera > species.

What is the full taxonomic classification chain for Homo sapiens within Kingdom Animalia?

Humans belong to Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata, Class Mammalia, Order Primates, Genus Homo, and Species Homo sapiens.

What are ecotones in ecosystem geography?

Ecotones are transitional zones where adjacent natural ecosystems merge without sharp boundaries, containing a blend of species from both surrounding ecosystems.

What is the objective of the Half-Earth Project associated with biologist Edward O. Wilson?

The Half-Earth Project aims to conserve half of the Earth's lands and seas to ensure species have sufficient space to thrive and avoid extinction.

What key roles does the American alligator fulfill as a keystone species in wetland ecosystems?

The American alligator digs gator holes that hold water during dry spells, constructs nesting mounds that shelter birds and turtles, and regulates predatory gar fish to maintain game fish populations.

What historical timeline marks the population decline, protection, and recovery of the American alligator?

By the $1960\text{s}$, hunting caused a 90\text{\null}\% loss of alligators in Louisiana; the U.S. government listed the species as endangered in $1967$, and protection allowed populations to rebound sufficiently for removal from the list by $1987$.

What three major human physical adaptations contributed significantly to human dominance?

The three key human adaptations are opposable thumbs, bipedalism (walking upright), and a complex brain.

How long is the evolutionary history of life on Earth according to the transcript?

The evolutionary history of life on Earth spans approximately $3.8\text{ billion years}$.

What are the five steps involved in genetic engineering (gene splicing)?

1) Identify a gene with the desired trait from donor DNA; 2) Extract a plasmid from a bacterial cell; 3) Insert the gene into the plasmid to create recombinant DNA; 4) Introduce the plasmid into a bacterial cell so it reproduces; 5) Transfer the modified bacterial cells to the target plant or animal.

What occurred during the Permian and Cretaceous mass extinctions?

The Permian extinction (about $250\text{ million years}$ ago) was the most severe, wiping out approximately 90\text{\null}\% of species, while the Cretaceous extinction (about $65\text{ million years}$ ago) resulted in the demise of the dinosaurs and many marine species.

What distance do North American monarch butterflies migrate, and what effect did the 2002 winter storm have on them?

Monarch butterflies migrate 3,200\text{ to }4,800\text{\null}\text{ kilometers} annually between the northern U.S. and central Mexico; in $2002$, a winter storm killed 75\text{\null}\% of migrating monarchs.

What three scientific principles of sustainability sustain natural ecosystems?

The three scientific principles of sustainability are solar energy dependence, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity.

Who introduced the concept of keystone species and in what year?

The concept of keystone species was introduced by Robert Paine in $1969$.