Comprehensive Biology: Evolution, Taxonomy, Microorganisms, and Fungi

What is evolution?

Change in the genetic makeup of a population over time

How does natural selection contribute to evolution?

Individuals with beneficial traits survive and reproduce more, passing those traits on

What are the key components of natural selection?

Variation, inheritance, overproduction, and differential survival/reproduction

What is positive selection?

Selection that favors advantageous traits

What is negative selection?

Selection that removes harmful traits

What are taxonomic levels (most to least inclusive)?

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

What is binomial nomenclature?

Two-part scientific naming system (Genus species), capitalized and italicized

What are the three domains of life?

Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya

What evolutionary changes occur in the Volvocine line?

Increased colony complexity and more cell-to-cell interaction

What is the difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

Prokaryotes lack a nucleus; eukaryotes have one

What domains contain prokaryotes?

Bacteria and Archaea

Are most prokaryotes harmful?

No, many are harmless or beneficial

What is an extremophile?

Organism that lives in extreme environments

What is an autotroph?

Organism that makes its own food

What is a heterotroph?

Organism that consumes other organisms

What is binary fission?

Asexual reproduction where one cell splits into two

What are the three shapes of prokaryotes?

Cocci, Bacilli, Spirilla

Why is oil immersion used?

To increase resolution when viewing small cells

What is a wet mount slide?

Slide with a live sample

What is a prepared slide?

Slide that is fixed and stained

What does Gram staining show?

Type of bacterial cell wall

What color are Gram-positive bacteria?

Purple (thick cell wall)

What color are Gram-negative bacteria?

Pink (thin cell wall)

What do nitrogen-fixing bacteria do?

Convert nitrogen gas into usable forms for plants

What are cyanobacteria?

Photosynthetic bacteria

What are examples of cyanobacteria?

Oscillatoria, Nostoc, Gloeocapsa

What is a zone of inhibition?

Area where bacteria do not grow due to antibiotics

Why are protists no longer classified as a kingdom?

They are too diverse to fit into one group

What type of cells do protists have?

Eukaryotic

How do algae obtain nutrition?

Photosynthesis

How do protozoa obtain nutrition?

Phagocytosis

How do protists defend themselves?

Movement, toxins, or protective walls

What are the types of algae organization?

Unicellular, filamentous, colonial

What are three methods of protist movement?

Cilia, flagella, pseudopodia

What are examples of green algae?

Chlamydomonas, Spirogyra, Volvox

What are diatoms made of?

Silica cell walls

What can dinoflagellates cause?

Red tides

What is an example of a euglenoid?

Euglena

How do amoebas move?

Pseudopodia

What type of organism is Trypanosoma?

Flagellated parasitic protozoan

How does Paramecium move?

Cilia

What does Plasmodium cause?

Malaria

What are the general characteristics of fungi?

Absorptive heterotrophs with chitin cell walls

What are hyphae?

Thread-like structures of fungi

What is mycelium?

Network of hyphae

What are spores?

Reproductive cells

What are key fungal life cycle terms?

Plasmogamy, dikaryotic, karyogamy, haploid, diploid, mitosis, meiosis

What is an example of Zygomycota?

Rhizopus

What forms during sexual reproduction in Rhizopus?

Zygosporangium

What does Penicillium produce?

Conidiophores

What is Saccharomyces known for?

Budding

What does Peziza produce?

Ascospores in asci

What are the parts of a mushroom?

Cap, gills, stalk, annulus, basidiocarp

What does Coprinus produce?

Basidiospores

What are mycorrhizae?

Mutualistic relationship between fungi and plant roots

What is a lichen?

Symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae or cyanobacteria

What are the three shapes of lichens?

Crustose, foliose, fruticose