Biodiversity & Origin of Life Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What defines a species as functionally extinct?

  • The species can no longer reproduce in any environment.
  • The species has entirely died out.
  • The species is not found in its natural habitat.
  • The population becomes too small to recover. (correct)

    • Which of the following best describes the current understanding of biodiversity estimates?

  • Species estimates are primarily based on vertebrates.
  • There are no new species being discovered at this point.
  • Current estimates likely underestimate the actual number of species. (correct)
  • Current estimates are likely accurate and conclusive.

    • What is a characteristic of a mass extinction event?

  • It causes a sudden, dramatic loss of biodiversity. (correct)
  • It results in a gradual decline of biodiversity over time.
  • It affects less than half of the species alive at that time.
  • It is always caused by climate change alone.

    • Which group of organisms comprises the largest portion of biodiversity on Earth?

    <p>Non-insect invertebrates</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the IUCN Red List?

    <p>It tracks species classified as endangered.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary driver of the current biodiversity loss associated with the potential 6th mass extinction?

    <p>Human-driven activities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements best describes invasive species?

    <p>They disrupt ecosystems and harm native species.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one effective method for conserving biodiversity mentioned?

    <p>Habitat restoration and nature preserves</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does habitat restoration often take a long time?

    <p>Recreating a functioning ecosystem is complex.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What limitation does habitat restoration face?

    <p>Some ecological losses cannot be restored due to evolutionary time scales.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a significant biological event that contributed to the diversification of animals approximately 500 million years ago?

    <p>The Cambrian Explosion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group of organisms first began diversifying on land?

    <p>Plants</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary criterion for defining a biological species?

    <p>Interbreeding to produce fertile offspring</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary flaw in Carolus Linnaeus's classification system?

    <p>It incorrectly classifies humans based on cultural biases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the concept of 'tree thinking' in biology help visualize?

    <p>The interrelationship and similarities among species</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What modern conceptual model addresses the classification of biodiversity?

    <p>Phylogenetic Relationships</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements regarding human genetic variation is accurate?

    <p>Human genetic variation is continuous with no discrete boundaries.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term describes the pseudoscientific belief that empirical evidence supports racism?

    <p>Scientific Racism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do phylogenetic trees illustrate regarding species and groups?

    <p>The hypothesis about evolutionary relationships</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What indicates sister groups on a phylogenetic tree?

    <p>Groups that are adjacent on the tree and closely related</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following correctly describes endemic species?

    <p>Species native to a single geographical area</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is biodiversity primarily measured by?

    <p>The number of species and their relative abundance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor is NOT related to a region's higher species richness?

    <p>Geological instability</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What restructuring did DNA evidence lead to in the classification of life?

    <p>Classification into 3 Domains</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are biodiversity hotspots critical to conserve?

    <p>They house significant numbers of endemic species</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does latitude affect species diversity?

    <p>Closer proximity to the equator usually leads to increased species diversity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines biodiversity in a given space?

    <p>The number of species and their relative abundance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of organism was the first to evolve approximately 3.8 billion years ago?

    <p>Prokaryotes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant event is associated with cyanobacteria?

    <p>The production of oxygen and transformation of the atmosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characteristic is unique to eukaryotes compared to prokaryotes?

    <p>They have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following correctly describes the early Earth environment over 4 billion years ago?

    <p>Anoxic and lacking an ozone layer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one advantage of multicellularity?

    <p>Specialization of cell types and body organization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many times did multicellularity evolve according to the content?

    <p>Several times across various groups like plants and fungi</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What major factor has contributed to the understanding of the history of life and biodiversity on Earth?

    <p>Ecological context and evolutionary relationships</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Before cyanobacteria, what was the predominant type of organism on Earth?

    <p>Unicellular prokaryotes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary role of cyanobacteria in Earth's history?

    <p>To increase atmospheric oxygen levels</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Biodiversity & Origin of Life

    • Biodiversity is a product of evolution, encompassing the number of species and their relative abundance in a given space
    • Early Earth (over 4 billion years ago) was hot, lacked oxygen, and had little liquid water
    • The first organisms were prokaryotes (bacteria) which evolved around 3.8 billion years ago, small, single-celled, and anaerobic
    • Cyanobacteria evolved the ability to produce oxygen, transforming Earth's atmosphere
    • Eukaryotes evolved, featuring a "true nucleus" and other cell structures called "organelles"
    • Multicellularity evolved several times, leading to the development of plants, animals, fungi, and more
    • Cambrian Explosion (around 500 million years ago) saw a massive diversification of animals in the seas
    • Plants were the first to colonize land, followed by animals

    Classification of Biodiversity

    • Taxonomy is the classification and naming of organisms
    • Biological species are groups of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring
    • Linnaean classification, developed by Carolus Linnaeus, uses nested classes and binomial nomenclature (two-part naming system)
    • Phylogenetic trees visually represent relationships between species, originally based on morphology and later on genetics
    • Molecular phylogeny uses DNA sequencing to compare molecular data, leading to the classification of life into three Domains: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya

    Biodiversity and Distribution

    • Species richness refers to the number of species in a location
    • Relative abundance measures the proportion of each species present in a given area
    • Areas closer to the equator generally have higher biodiversity due to higher primary energy input from the sun and more stable climates
    • Biodiversity hotspots are geographical areas with high numbers of endemic species
    • Endemic species are native to a single geographical location

    Threats to Biodiversity

    • Humans are driving a potential 6th mass extinction event, likely initiated by European global colonization
    • Major threats include habitat loss and fragmentation, overharvesting, species introductions, pollution, and climate change
    • Invasive species can survive and harm native species, disrupting ecosystems
    • Conservation efforts include changing human behaviour, habitat restoration, nature preserves, captive breeding, and climate change mitigation
    • Habitat restoration aims to rehabilitate damaged ecosystems
    • The IUCN Red List tracks endangered species

    Extinction

    • Extinction is the complete disappearance of a species
    • Functional extinction occurs when a population becomes too small to recover
    • Mass extinctions involve sudden and dramatic loss of biodiversity
    • We are currently experiencing a potential sixth mass extinction event

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    Related Documents

    NS 201 Lecture 2.1 - Life on Earth - Biodiversity PDF

    Description

    Test your knowledge on the origins of life and the diversity of organisms that have evolved on Earth. This quiz covers early Earth conditions, the development of prokaryotes to eukaryotes, and the events leading to the Cambrian Explosion. Explore the fundamentals of taxonomy and the classification of species.

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