Questions and Answers
What is an autotroph?
An organism that produces its own nutrients from inorganic substances or from the environment instead of consuming other organisms.
What is cladistics?
A method or analysis that reconstructs phylogenies by inferring relationships based on shared characters.
What is a cladogram?
A diagram that is based on patterns of shared, derived traits and shows the evolutionary relationships between groups of organisms.
What is classification in biology?
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What defines a eukaryote?
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What is evolutionary systematics?
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What is the role of genus in biological classification?
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What are heterotrophs?
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What is a hybrid?
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What does morphology study?
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What is a phylogenetic tree?
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What is phylogeny?
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What defines a prokaryote?
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What is a species?
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What is taxonomy?
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What is the basis for classifying organisms?
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Describe the biological species concept.
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How are organisms named scientifically?
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What is a scientific name?
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The correct order of taxa is ____.
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Describe each taxon.
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Study Notes
Key Definitions in Biology
- Autotrophs: Organisms that synthesize their own nutrients from inorganic substances or environmental sources.
- Heterotrophs: Organisms that obtain organic food by consuming other organisms and cannot produce organic compounds independently.
- Eukaryote: Organisms with membrane-bound nuclei, multiple chromosomes, and a mitotic cycle; examples include animals, plants, and fungi.
- Prokaryote: Single-celled organisms without a nucleus or organelles; includes bacteria.
Classification and Taxonomy
- Classification: The systematic grouping of organisms into hierarchical categories, from broad to specific.
- Taxonomy: The scientific discipline of naming, describing, and classifying organisms.
- Binomial nomenclature: A two-part naming system created by Linnaeus; the first part indicates genus and the second part specifies the species.
Evolutionary Concepts
- Evolutionary systematics: The study of the evolutionary relationships among species, integrating phylogeny with classification.
- Phylogenetic tree: A branching diagram illustrating the evolutionary connections between different organisms.
- Phylogeny: The historical development and evolutionary history of a species or taxonomic group.
Morphological and Cladistic Analysis
- Morphology: The branch of biology focused on the form and structure of organisms.
- Cladistics: A method that reconstructs evolutionary lineages by analyzing shared characteristics among organisms.
- Cladogram: A diagram representing evolutionary relationships based on shared traits.
Species and Hybridization
- Species: A group of closely related organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring; positioned below genus in classification.
- Hybrid: Offspring produced from the interbreeding of different species.
Biological Species Concept
- Defines a species as the primary unit of biological classification; effective for sexually reproducing organisms.
- Unsuccessful in categorizing asexually reproducing organisms, commonly seen in bacteria and certain fungi.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
- Order of taxa: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
- Each taxonomic level contains increasingly specific categories, from broad domains to unique species.
Scientific Naming Conventions
- Scientific names are italicized or underlined, featuring the genus name (capitalized) followed by the species name (lowercase).
- Example: Homo sapiens for humans; Felis domesticus for domestic cats.
- Genus name can be abbreviated to its first letter (e.g., H. sapiens).
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Description
Test your knowledge of key terms from Biology Chapter 14 with these flashcards. Learn about important concepts like autotrophs, cladistics, and cladograms that are essential for understanding biological classifications and relationships.