Biosphere and Extinct Species Quiz

History of Life and the Present Biosphere

• Extinct Species: Species no longer existing on Earth.
• Relative Dating: Determining the age of rocks/fossils relative to each other (older/younger).
• Half-life: Time for half of a radioactive isotope to decay, aids in dating fossils.
• Geological Time Scale: System showing Earth's history, with eras and periods.
• Plate Tectonics: Theory explaining Earth's surface movement, causing geological changes.
• Mass Extinction: Widespread, rapid decrease in biodiversity, significant extinction of species.
• Endosymbiotic Theory: Explains origin of mitochondria and chloroplasts through symbiotic relationship.
• Fossil Record: Provides info about organisms' structure, behavior, environment, and evolution.
• Fossil Locations: Often found in sedimentary rock (shale, limestone, sandstone).
• Fossil Information: Reveals organism structure, behaviour, environment, and evolutionary history.
• Fossil Record Gaps: Gaps exist due to incomplete fossilization and undiscovered fossils.
• Fossil Record Changes: Reveals species changes and environmental shifts (temperature, climate, habitat).
• Mass Extinction Causes: Often linked to catastrophic events (asteroid impacts, volcanism).
• Mass Extinction Effects: Loss of species and significant reduction in biodiversity.
• Niche: An organism's role within an ecosystem - habitat, food, interactions.
• Fossil Location & Time: Fossils in deeper rock layers are older.
• Earth's Changing Surface & Plate Tectonics: Explains continent movement, mountain formation, earthquakes, and volcanic activity.
• Geological Time Scale Eras: Determined using fossil evidence, radiometric dating, and geological features.
• Early Atmosphere Composition: Likely water vapor, CO2, nitrogen, methane, and ammonia.
• Stanley Miller Experiment: Simulated early Earth conditions, showing amino acid formation.
• Miller-Urey Experiment: Demonstrated synthesis of organic compounds in early Earth's atmosphere.

The Biosphere

• Biosphere: Part of Earth with life—Land, water, and atmosphere.
• Ecology: Study of organism/environment interactions.
• Species: Group of interbreeding organisms producing fertile offspring.
• Population: Group of same-species individuals in same area.
• Community: All different populations in an area interacting.
• Ecosystem: Community and its physical environment.
• Biotic Factors: Living parts of an ecosystem (plants, animals).
• Abiotic Factors: Non-living parts (temperature, water, sunlight).
• Atmosphere: Earths' gas layer, important for life.
• Geosphere: Solid Earth part (rocks, minerals).
• Climate: Long-term average weather conditions.
• Weather: Short-term atmospheric conditions.
• Climatograph: Graph of average temperature and precipitation.
• Biome: Large geographical community defined by climate and organisms.
• Permafrost: Permanently frozen ground in tundra.
• Four Spheres Interaction: Biosphere, atmosphere, geosphere and hydrosphere interact via cycles (carbon, water).
• Climate Zones: Tropical, temperate, and polar based on latitude, influencing climate.
• Latitude/Longitude: Affect climate due to sunlight angle variations, time zones.
• Population, Community, Ecosystem: Interrelated concepts of organisms in their environment.
• Biomes & Climate: Variations in climate create diverse biomes with unique species.
• Ecosystems within Biomes: Localized environments within a larger biome.
• Climatogram Use: Identify climate and biome based on temperature and precipitation data.

Biodiversity and Classification

• Taxonomy: Science of classifying organisms based on shared traits.
• Binomial Nomenclature: Two-part naming system (genus and species).
• Genus: Group of closely related species (first part of binomial).
• Taxon: Group of organisms in a classification system.
• Family, Class, Order, Phylum, Kingdom: Hierarchical classification levels.
• Phylogeny: Evolutionary history of a species or group.
• Clade: Group including a common ancestor and its descendants.
• Derived Character: Trait evolved within a lineage and shared by members of a clade.
• Cladogram: Diagram illustrating evolutionary relationships via traits.
• Dichotomous Key: Tool for identifying organisms using choices.
• Common Names Confusion: Regional/language differences make them confusing.
• Binomial Nomenclature Use: Give unique names to each species.
• Taxonomy Use: Organize and understand species relationships.
• Genus Significance: Groups organisms with common ancestor and significant traits.