Biodiversity and Classification Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What concept did Mayr advocate for despite its difficulties in application?

Morphological species concept

Evolutionary species concept

Phenetic species concept

Biological species concept (correct)

Which term replaced 'variety' in the classification of subgroups?

Group

Type

Subspecies (correct)

Subgroup

Which of the following pairs represents the scientific names of the subspecies of lions?

Panthera leo leo and Panthera leo persica (correct)

Panthera onca and Panthera leo

Panthera leo and Panthera pardus

Panthera tigris and Panthera leo

What term is used for species that contain two or more subspecies?

Polytypic species Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary characteristic that differentiates the Indian lion subspecies from the African lion subspecies?

Longer tail tassel Signup and view all the answers

What is considered a significant factor in the evolution of subspecies?

Natural barriers Signup and view all the answers

How are populations that are separated by natural barriers characterized?

They evolve different traits Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining trait that professional taxonomists look for in subspecies?

Morphological and biochemical variations Signup and view all the answers

What term describes a genus that contains only one species?

Monotypic Signup and view all the answers

Which biodiversity index is primarily concerned with the relative abundance of species?

Shannon Weiner Index Signup and view all the answers

Alpha diversity is best defined as which of the following?

Diversity within a specific site or habitat Signup and view all the answers

What does beta diversity measure in ecological communities?

The differences in species composition among sites Signup and view all the answers

The simple count of the number of different species in a community is referred to as what?

Species Richness Signup and view all the answers

In biodiversity studies, which index is often preferred for its apparent simplicity over species evenness?

Species Richness Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following indices combines both species richness and evenness into a single measure?

Simpson’s Diversity Index Signup and view all the answers

What does gamma diversity represent in a biodiversity context?

The diversity of an entire landscape or region Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary focus shift in the study of specimens during the development of taxonomy?

Taxonomic aspects Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes Caesalpino’s classification methods in his work 'De Plantis'?

Grounded in growth habit and fruit/seeds Signup and view all the answers

In their work 'Pinax Theatri Botanici', what significant contribution did the Bauhin brothers make?

Including synonymes for plant species Signup and view all the answers

What is considered John Ray's most significant contribution to taxonomy?

Establishing species as the ultimate taxonomic unit Signup and view all the answers

What criteria did John Ray propose for defining species in his writings?

Distinguishing features preserved in propagation Signup and view all the answers

What was Ray's view on variations within species as described in his writings?

Accidental variations are not distinct from the species Signup and view all the answers

Which significant work did John Ray publish that included around 18,000 plant species?

Methodus Plantarum Nova Signup and view all the answers

How did John Ray differ from his predecessors in his classification system?

He rejected dichotomous division for observation-based classification Signup and view all the answers

What is the correct representation for the transfer of species from one genus to another when the original author is referenced?

Original author is placed within parentheses Signup and view all the answers

Which statement regarding the nomenclature of scientific names is true?

Names must be either in Latin or Latinized Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of reproductive isolating barriers in species?

To maintain the integrity of a species by reducing gene flow between species. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes how family names are formed?

Based on the type-genus Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a pre-mating isolating mechanism?

Gametic incompatibility. Signup and view all the answers

What is the ruling regarding the naming of two species within the same genus?

They must have different names Signup and view all the answers

What is the status of names published without satisfying conditions of availability in zoological nomenclature?

They have no standing and should not be recorded Signup and view all the answers

What describes temporal isolation among species?

Species are active or mature at different times. Signup and view all the answers

How must scientific names be formatted in printed and hand-written forms?

Italicized or underlined Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of hybrid inviability?

The zygote develops but has reduced viability. Signup and view all the answers

Which taxonomic rank must be treated as a singular noun?

Subgenus Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of behavioural isolation in reproductive barriers?

It arises from differences in mating behaviors or courtship displays. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of ecological isolation?

Species mate only in specific habitats or environments. Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of hybrids prevents them from being considered in nomenclature?

Hybrids are typically sterile Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during gametic incompatibility?

Sperm can reach the egg but does not result in fertilization. Signup and view all the answers

Which isolating mechanism can reduce resource expenditure in populations?

Pre-zygotic isolation mechanisms. Signup and view all the answers

What is the value of H' calculated in Example 1 for the grasshopper order?

1.373 Signup and view all the answers

In Example 2, what is the correct interpretation of the D value calculated as 0.020?

It indicates minimal dissimilarity between assemblages. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following indices is NOT mentioned as one of the classic indices for assessing compositional similarity?

Innes Index Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'pi' represent in the context of the examples provided?

The proportion of each species in the total sample. Signup and view all the answers

In calculating dissimilarity indices, what fundamental data do the Jaccard and Sorensen indices rely on?

Presence/absence data of species Signup and view all the answers

From the examples, which calculation corresponds to the formula for D?

1 - Σ(pi^2) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly describes the use of ln(pi) in the calculations?

It contributes to the calculation of diversity indices. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of having a low Σ(pi^2) value in the biodiversity context?

It indicates low biodiversity and more equal species distribution. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Biosystematics and Taxonomy

Biosystematics is the study and classification of living things.
Taxonomy is the science of classifying organisms.
Biosystematics can also be defined as 'taxonomy of living populations'.
The word 'systematics' is derived from the Latinized Greek word 'systema'.
The term "taxonomy" was coined by A.P. de Candolle in 1813.
Systematics is divided into two closely related overlapping levels of classification: taxonomic and phylogenetic.
Taxonomic classifications group organisms based on shared traits.
Phylogenetic classifications group organisms based on their evolutionary relationships.
Taxonomy deals with the principles involved in the study of classification of organisms.
Biosystematics deals with the functional science of identification, nomenclature and classification of organisms all over the world.
Biosystematics deals with various stages of classification.

Kinds of Systematics

Taxonomic classifications group living things based on their appearance and traits, e.g., animals that lay eggs with scales are reptiles and those who give birth and have fur are mammals.
Phylogenetic classifications group organisms by their evolutionary relationships.
Taxonomic classifications and phylogenetic classifications may overlap. For example, gorillas are more closely related to humans than they are to cockroaches.
Phylogenetic classifications use the taxonomic names of organisms, but further group organisms by their evolutionary relationships to each other.

History of Classification

Aristotle (384-322 BC) was the first to classify living things into vertebrates and invertebrates.
Theophrastus (370-285 BC) wrote a classification of plants.
Dioscorides (40-90 AD) wrote De Materia Medica, a work on medicinal plants.
Plinius (23-79 AD) contributed to botanical Latin.
Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778) established species as the ultimate unit of taxonomy. His publication Methodus Plantarum Nova contained 18,000 species.
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656-1708) developed a botanical classification.
John Ray (1627-1705) described species and gave a biological definition of the term species, using the seed or reproduction as a criterion for distinguishing.

Early Taxonomists

Caesalpino (1519-1603) established a classification based on the characteristics of plants and seeds.
Bauhin brothers (1541-1631 and 1560-1624) developed an inventory of 6000 species.
John Ray (1627-1705) considered species criteria, including reproduction.

Dimensions of Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process by which biological populations evolve to become distinct species.
There are four geographic modes of speciation: allopatric, parapatric, peripatric, and sympatric.

Species Concepts

Biological species concept defines a species as a group of populations that actually or potentially interbreed in nature.
Typological species concept defines a group of similar species by sharing constant diagnostic characteristics.
Phylogenetic species concept defines a species as a lineage of populations between two phylogenetic branch points.
Recognition species concept defines a species as a set of organisms that recognize each other as potential mates.
Cohesion species concept defines a species as a population with an internal mechanism to maintain a similar phenotype.
Ecological species concept defines a species as a lineage that occupies a particular adaptive zone.
Composite species concept defines a species as a lineage between two temporal occurrences of new characters.
Geographically concordant species are those that occupy separate, but geographically connected, regions.
Genetically shared species are those that share common character that is passed on through reproduction.

Taxonomic Procedures

Taxonomic collections are preserved specimens organized along with records such as labels and notations.
Dry collections use preservation methods that maintain specimen rigidity, e.g., using drying techniques or preservation agents like borax.
Wet collections use liquid preservatives, especially for soft parts like those of organisms lacking skeletal structures.
The preservation process also needs proper record keeping, e.g. date and local data, morphological details and other relevant information.
The most important aspect is selecting of material from a specific area during a survey, which must be documented appropriately.
Collections should be housed in fireproof and dustproof buildings, with consideration given to proper storage and temperature control.

Trends in Biosystematics

Chemotaxonomy uses chemical constituents for classifying plants.
Cytotaxonomy involves classifying organisms based on chromosome number and structure.
Molecular taxonomy uses DNA sequencing and other molecular methods to classify organisms.

Taxonomic Keys

Taxonomic keys are tools used by scientists to identify unknown organisms.
A dichotomous key provides a series of choices, each leading to another choice, that eventually leads to the identification of the unknown organism.
A polyclave key allows for multiple choices at each step, making the process easier and more flexible but potentially more complex to construct.

Evaluation of Biodiversity Indices

Biodiversity indices measure the relative abundance and richness of species.
Shannon's diversity index takes into account both richness and evenness.
Simpson's dominance index focuses on the dominance of common species.
Jaccard and Sorensen index analyze the similarity in species composition or overlap, between communities.

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Description

Test your knowledge on biodiversity concepts and species classification. This quiz covers key terms and definitions in taxonomy, including subspecies and diversity indices. Challenge yourself with questions on lion subspecies and factors influencing their evolution.