Biology and Plant Science Review

Comprehensive practice questions covering plant biology, agriculture, animal classifications, and reproductive structures based on the provided lecture transcript.

What are the seven roles that producers play in an ecosystem?

Oxygen production, food, lumber, medicine, soil stabilization, cleans air and water, and carbon recycling.

What is the definition of transpiration and what percentage of rainfall does it account for?

Transpiration is the evaporation of water off the surface of leaves, and it makes up $60\%$ of our rainfall.

What is the term for crops that provide the majority of calories for humans?

Staple crops

What occurs during eutrophication?

Fertilizer runoff causes huge algae blooms.

What are three negative outcomes of monocrops in agriculture?

Increased disease, reduced diversity, and depletion of soils.

What is a fruit?

A developed ovary of a flower that contains seeds.

What is grafting?

A method of asexual reproduction (cloning) by cutting limbs and taping them onto another cut limb of a different species.

What is pollen?

A capsule of sperm that can travel by wind or animal dispersal.

What are the four ways to increase agricultural productivity?

More land use, more fertilizer (up to a point), selective breeding, and genetic engineering (GMO/transgenic).

What role do many cyanobacteria play in aquatic environments?

They fix nitrogen from the atmosphere.

Describe the symbiotic relationship between algae and corals.

Algae nourish corals while corals provide protection for the algae.

What causes coral bleaching?

When corals become stressed due to pollution, pH, or high temperatures, they kick out the algae, leaving them looking white and often killing them.

Why do algae blooms occur and what is a potential consequence?

They are caused by growing temperatures and fertilizer runoff; they can produce toxins or lead to oxygen depletion, killing fish.

What are the defining characteristics of Mosses (nonvascular plants)?

No leaves, no vascular tissue, no roots, no seeds, no pollen, small size, and must live close to water for reproduction.

How do Ferns (seedless vascular plants) differ from Mosses?

Ferns have leaves, roots, stems, and vascular tissue, though they still lack seeds and pollen and require water for reproduction.

What allowed Conifers (gymnosperms) for terrestrial reproduction?

The development of pollen and seeds.

What distinguishing feature of Flowers (angiosperms) makes their pollination more successful than Conifers?

Most use animals to move pollen instead of relying on the wind.

What are the male and female parts of a flower?

The male part is the Stamens (filament and anther); the female part is the Pistil (stigma, style, and ovary).

What are the three parts of a seed?

Seed coat (protection), Embryo (baby), and food supply.

Give examples of plant storage modifications for the stem, leaves, and roots.

Stem: potatoes; Leaves: onion; Root: beet or sweet potato.

What is the difference between thorns, spines, and prickles?

Thorns are stem modifications, spines are leaf modifications, and prickles are modifications of the epidermis.

How is honey produced and utilized by bees?

Bees gather nectar and through a vomit chain make it honey, which is then used to feed larvae in honeycombs.

What is the difference between a detritivore and a filter feeder?

A detritivore eats partially decayed bits of matter, while a filter feeder eats dissolved organic matter in water.

What are the characteristics of Phylum Porifera (Sponges)?

Asymmetrical body, filter feeders, no true tissues, hermaphroditic, and can reproduce sexually or asexually.

What structures are combined in the gastrovascular cavity of Cnidarians?

Digestion and circulation.

How do Tapeworms differ from Flukes despite both being flatworms?

Tapeworms are all parasites with no gastrovascular cavity and no centralized nervous system; Flukes have both a gastrovascular cavity and a centralized nervous system.

What is the defining characteristic of the digestive tract in Phylum Nematoda (Roundworms)?

A complete digestive tract consisting of a mouth and an anus.

What are the key features of Arthropods?

Exoskeleton, jointed appendages, segmented body, and an open circulatory system.

Contrast the body segments and leg counts of Insects and Arachnids.

Insects have $3$ body segments and $6$ legs; Arachnids have $2$ body segments and $8$ legs.

Describe the life cycle differences in Amphibians.

Juveniles are aquatic with gills and no legs; adults are mostly terrestrial with lungs and legs.

What kind of scales do reptiles have compared to fish?

Reptiles have fingernail-like scales, while fish have teeth-like scales.

What does it mean for Birds and Mammals to be endotherms?

They are warm-blooded.

What are the three defining characteristics of Mammals mentioned in the notes?

Live birth (in most species), feeding young with milk, and having fur or hair.

In an egg, what are the functions of the Allantois and the Amnion?

The Allantois is for waste collection, and the Amnion cushions the embryo and regulates temperature.

What is the function of the Chalaza in an egg?

It acts as an anchor for the yolk.

What is the purpose of the Cuticle (or bloom) on an egg shell?

It seals the egg to reduce contamination.