Final Exam Study Guide Bio

A set of flashcards covering key biological concepts and definitions to aid in the preparation for the final exam.

Metabolism

Chemical reactions in organisms.

Symbiosis

Ecological relationship between two species in close contact.

Oviparous

Reproduction where eggs are laid outside the body and embryos develop outside.

Ovoviviparous

Reproduction where eggs hatch inside the body, leading to live birth.

Viviparous

Reproduction where offspring develop inside the body and are born live.

Natural Selection

The process by which individuals with certain inherited traits survive and reproduce at higher rates, leading to evolutionary change.

Binomial Nomenclature

The system of naming species using two terms, the first indicating the genus and the second indicating the species.

Homology

Shared characteristics due to shared ancestry

Genetic Drift

A random process affecting allele frequencies in a population, influenced by events like the founder effect and bottleneck effect.

Endosymbiosis

The theory that explains the origin of mitochondria and chloroplasts as a result of one cell engulfing another.

Phylogenetic Tree Terms

Includes taxa, node, branch, root, outgroup, sister taxa, and the concepts of monophyletic, paraphyletic, and polyphyletic groups.

Opisthokonts

A group including fungi and animals, indicating that fungi are more closely related to animals than plants.

Sporopollenin

A polymer that protects plant spores from desiccation.

Hox Genes

A group of genes that control the body plan of an embryo along the head-tail axis.

Keratin

A structural protein that waterproofs and toughens skin, found in amniotes.

Amniotes

Tetrapods that possess an amniotic egg, allowing reproduction on land.

Eutherians

Mammals that develop their embryo fully within the uterus before birth.

Hominins

The group consisting of modern humans and our closest extinct relatives, characterized by upright posture and bipedal locomotion.

Mutualism

Relationship where both parties benefit

Mutualist

Absorb nutrients from a host but reciprocate with actions that benefit the host.

Autotroph

Make your own energy.

Heterotroph

Organisms that obtain energy by consuming other organisms.

Phototroph

Uses light as an energy source.

Chemotroph

Uses chemicals as an energy source.

Commensalism

Relationship where one party benefits and the other is unaffected.

Parasitic

Relationship where one party benefits and the other is harmed.

Pathogens

Parasites that cause disease.

Sexual Reproduction

Creation of offspring by fusion of gametes resulting in unique combinations of genes.

Asexual Reproduction

Pass all genes to offspring without fusion of gametes.

Gametic Meiosis

Diploid organisms make haploid gametes via meiosis that fuse via fertilization to form a diploid offspring (animals).

Alternation of Generations

Two life stages with cell division. Haploid and diploid cells undergo mitosis.

Microevolution

change in allele frequency over time within a population or species.

Macroevolution

broad patterns of evolution above the species level.

Binomial nomenclature

genus + species

Homo sapiens

italics, genus name uppercase, species lowercase

Origin of Species

published by Charles Darwin outlining descent with modification & natural selection.

Descent of Modification

all organisms are related by descent from a common ancestor

Adaptations

inherited characteristics that enhance an organism's survival and reproduction in specific environments

Artificial Selection

modification of species by breeding only individuals with desired traits (crops, livestock, domesticated animals)

Shared Ancestral Traits

trait shared because the ancestors had it (mammals have a backbone, but that is a trait of all vertebrates – not a unique trait to mammals)

Shared derived trait

rait shared by all members of a taxa that is UNIQUE to that group (mammals have milk and hair and they are UNIUQUE to mammals)

Analogy

similar due to convergent evolution (similar environmental pressures in two locations/groups result in similar features)

Population

group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area and interbreed

Allele Frequency

how many copies of an allele

Genotype frequency

how many individuals have a genotype in a population

Genetic Drift

random process where chance causes allele frequencies to fluctuate

Founder effect

few individuals become isolated from a large population

Bottleneck effect

drastic reduction in population size due to sudden change in environment

Biological species concept

a population who can produce viable fertile offspring.

Reproductive isolation

when biological barrier impede reproduction

Hybrids

offspring that result from interspecific mating (two species)

Endosymbiosis

process by which a cell engulfs another cell which then becomes part of the first cell. Endosymbiosis gave rise to mitochondria and chloroplasts.

Mass extinction

occurs when a large number of species become extinct worldwide

Adaptive radiation

rapid period of evolutionary change where many new species arise and adapt to different ecological niches.

Eukaryotic cells

membrane enclosed organelles and a nucleus

Prokaryotic cells

lack a nucleus or other membrane-enclosed organelles

Horizontal gene flow

movement of genes between individual of different species

Halophiles

salt loving

thermophiles

hot loving