Untitled Flashcards Set

1. Correct Sequence of Taxa in Classification

Organisms are classified using eight hierarchical levels, from broadest to most specific:

🔹 Domain → Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species

✅ Example: Humans

• Domain: Eukarya

• Kingdom: Animalia

• Phylum: Chordata

• Class: Mammalia

• Order: Primates

• Family: Hominidae

• Genus: Homo

• Species: Homo sapiens

2. Ecology Terms & Definitions

• Population – A group of the same species living in one area.
  ✅ Example: A herd of zebras in a savanna.

• Community – All different species in one area.
  ✅ Example: Zebras, lions, and elephants in the savanna.

• Habitat – The environment where an organism lives.
  ✅ Example: A frog's habitat is a pond.

• Ecosystem – A community plus non-living (abiotic) factors.
  ✅ Example: A coral reef, including fish, algae, water, and sunlight.

• Biodiversity – The variety of living things in an ecosystem.
  ✅ Example: The Amazon Rainforest has high biodiversity.

3. Competitive Exclusion Principle

🔹 Definition: No two species can occupy the same niche for too long; one will outcompete the other.

✅ Example:

• Lions and hyenas both hunt for the same prey. If resources become too limited, one species will be forced to move or die out.

4. Heterotrophs & Autotrophs

• Heterotrophs – Get energy by eating other organisms.
  ✅ Examples: Lions, wolves, mushrooms (decomposers).

• Autotrophs – Make their own food (either from the sun or chemicals).
  ✅ Examples: Plants (photosynthesis), deep-sea bacteria (chemosynthesis).

5. Keystone Species

🔹 Definition: A species that has a huge impact on its ecosystem. Removing it would cause major disruptions.

✅ Examples:

• Sea otters 🦦 – Eat sea urchins, preventing overgrazing of kelp forests.

• Wolves in Yellowstone 🐺 – Control elk population to prevent overgrazing.

6. Ecosystems, Classifications & Biodiversity

• Ecosystem – A biological community plus abiotic factors.

• Classification – Organizing organisms into categories based on traits.

• Biodiversity – The variety of life in an area (high biodiversity = healthier ecosystem).

✅ Examples of Biomes:

• Tropical Rainforest – High biodiversity (e.g., Amazon Rainforest).

• Aquatic – Marine (saltwater) & freshwater (rivers, lakes).

7. Binomial Nomenclature

🔹 Definition: A system where every species has a two-part scientific name (Genus + species).

✅ Example:

• Homo sapiens (humans)

• Canis lupus (wolves)

🔹 Rules:

• Genus is capitalized (e.g., Homo).

• species is lowercase (e.g., sapiens).

• Names are italicized or underlined.

8. The Main Kingdoms & Their Characteristics

1. Animalia – Multicellular, heterotrophic, no cell walls (e.g., humans, lions).

2. Plantae – Multicellular, autotrophic, cell walls (e.g., trees, flowers).

3. Fungi – Multicellular or unicellular, decomposers (e.g., mushrooms).

4. Protista – Unicellular, diverse group (e.g., algae, amoeba).

5. Bacteria – Single-celled, prokaryotic (e.g., E. coli).

9. Cladograms & Phylogenetic Trees

• Cladogram – A branching diagram that shows evolutionary relationships.

• Phylogenetic Tree – Like a cladogram, but shows how closely species are related.

✅ Example:
A phylogenetic tree might show that chimpanzees are more closely related to humans than to dogs.

10. Importance of Biodiversity

🔹 Why is biodiversity important?

• Helps ecosystems stay stable (more species = more resilience).

• Provides resources (medicine, food, etc.).

• Prevents extinction and ecosystem collapse.

✅ Example:
The Amazon Rainforest is rich in biodiversity, supporting thousands of species.

11. Relationships Between Organisms

• Competition – Two species fight for the same resource.
  ✅ Example: Lions & hyenas competing for prey.

• Predation – One organism hunts another.
  ✅ Example: A snake eating a mouse.

• Symbiosis (organisms living together):

  • Mutualism – Both benefit. ✅ Example: Bees & flowers.

  • Commensalism – One benefits, other unaffected. ✅ Example: Barnacles on whales.

  • Parasitism – One benefits, other is harmed. ✅ Example: Ticks on dogs.

12. Methods to Measure Biodiversity

1. Species Richness – Counting the number of species in an area.

2. Species Evenness – Checking if species populations are balanced.

3. Quadrat Sampling – Counting species in a small area to estimate total biodiversity.

4. Mark and Recapture – Capturing and tagging animals to estimate population size.

✅ Example: Scientists might use quadrats to study plants in a rainforest.

13. Fundamental vs. Realised Niche

• Fundamental Niche – Where a species could live if there were no competition.

• Realised Niche – Where a species actually lives due to competition.

✅ Example:

• Barnacles on rocks – Some barnacles could live higher on the shore (fundamental niche), but competition forces them to live lower (realised niche).

How to Memorise These Concepts Quickly

1. Use Flashcards 📝 – Write the term on one side and definition/example on the other.

2. Make Mnemonics 🤔 –

   • Taxonomy Order: "Dumb Kids Playing Chess On Freeways Get Squished" (Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species).

   • Symbiosis Types: MCP (Mutualism, Commensalism, Parasitism).

3. Practice Quizzes ✅ – Test yourself or ask me to quiz you!

4. Explain It to Someone 🎤 – If you can teach it, you understand it.

5. Look at Real-Life Examples 🔬 – Think about food chains, animals, and ecosystems