Biology Benchmark Notes!

KEY POINTS:

Human evolution key dates:

  • Can trace hominin evolution line back to H. erectus in Rift Valley in East Africa

  • Homo erectus migrated out of Africa 2 mya

  • Homo sapiens evolved in Africa 200,000 ya

  • First migration of homo sapiens 130,000 ya; first successful migration wave 40,000-70,000 ya

  • LUCA lived around 3.5 bya, passing on 100 genes to all life forms including those for protein synthesis as part of an RNA enzyme

  • Gondwana (Southern supercontinent) split up around 180 - 150 mya; NZ seperated from Australia around 80 mya due to formation of the Tasman Sea; 20,000 a land bridge connected the North and South Islands


MEMORY TRICKS:

  • Zygomatic arch = zigzag smile (cheekbones)

  • Sagittal crest = saddle (top of head)

    • saddle relates to the saddle joint of the first metacarpal of the thumb allowing opposability and precision grip)

  • Nuchal crest = neck (base of skull)

  • Brow ridge = eyebrows

  • 70 + 130 = 200 = 2 Ă— 100

    • 70,000 ya: successful migration of homo sapiens out of Africa

    • 130,000 ya: first migration of homo sapiens out of Africa

    • 200,000 ya: homo sapiens (mostly anatomically modern) evolved in Africa from erectus and other species

    • 2 mya: homo erectus migrated out of Africa (forming Neanderthals in Europe, and Denisovans in Asia, to later be outcompeted by homo sapiens around 40,000-70,000 ya)

  • EPAS 1 = Everest (Denisovans, high haemoglobin concentration for altitude)

  • STAT 2 = sickness (Neanderthals, fighting infections and improving immunity)

  • Broca’s area = blah blah blah (making speech)

  • Wernicke’s area = “what?” (interpreting and understanding speech)

  • Cerebellum = cere - balance (balance and muscular coordination)

  • Cerebrum = cere - brain (the largest part of the brain, responsible for intelligence, problem solving, communication, abstract thought etc.)

  • Low larynx = language (humans have a descended larynx, allowing for more complex speech)

  • High larynx = howls (great apes have a higher larynx, so cannot make complex speech)

  • Pharynx = phone room (great apes have a shorter pharynx so are less able to make speech or “phone” others)

  • Y-chromosome DNA = male so faster rate of mutation; mtDNA = maternal so slower rate of mutation (sexual dimorphism in speed)

  • Y-chromosome DNA: mutations occur in non-recombining region to be passed from father to son (the 95% of Y-chromosome in the middle, as opposed to at the tips)

  • mtDNA: mutations occur in the non-coding region to be passed from mother to daughter

  • Out of Africa theory = replacement theory, since homo sapiens replaced Neanderthals and Denisovans (who left 2 mya, compared to 70,000-40,000 ya)

  • Orthokinesis = orthopaedic surgeons are focussed and directional (rather than moving in circles)

  • Klinokinesis = cirkles

  • Vernalisation = vampire/cold (exposing flowers to long periods of chilling to induce flowering)

  • Aestivation = siesta

  • Rheotaxis = rio (river in spanish)

  • Heliotaxis = sun (Helios is Greed god / helicopter moves through the sky)

  • Haustoria = host (roots extending from the parasite plant into the xylem and/or phloem vessels of the host)

  • Nyctinastic = nighty night (sleeping movements of dropping leaves/petals at night)

  • Obligatory = obligation to continue relationship for survival


EXAM OUTLINE:

Plant and animals:

  1. orientation in space

  2. orientation in time (actograms?)

  3. space and time (interspecific relationships?)

Human evolution:

  1. biological (skulls)

  2. tools

  3. dispersal

Speciation:

  1. processes and patterns (natural selection, mutations, adaptive radiation - founder or island formation)

  2. types of speciation and rims

  3. processes (polyploidy)