Biodiversity (topic1-2)

1. Biodiversity (topic1-2) BY: Darya, Loran, Jack

2. What does biodiversity mean? • The variety of species in an ecosystem on earth and the ecological process of which they are a part: ecosystem diversity, community diversity, genetic diversity are three main components

3. Explain the 5 componants of biodiversity? • Ecosystem diversity: there are many types of ecosystems, marshes, lakes, streams, forests and etc. • Community diversity: populations of different species living within a community. • Species diversity: there are many variations within a particular species. • Genetic diversity: there is a variety of genetic mechanical in all living things. • Species distributions diversity: plant and animal species are not evenly distributed thought the various ecosystem on earth.

4. Why coral reefs are called the Amazons of the ocean? • Because they are extremely rich in species diversity just like the Amazon forest on land.

5. What areas of earth do we find the most biodiversity? • Tropical Rainforest

6. What is interdependence ? • Interdependence is when a species is dependent on other species in its environment.

7. What’s an important example of interdependence found in nature? • Food chains and food webs

8. What is symbiosis? Explain 3 different types of symbiosis? • Symbiosis is a type of interdependence. • 3 different types are, Mutualism, parasitism and commensalism. • Mutualism: is a type of interdependence where both species benefit! Example: birds picking out the bacteria out of the buffalos fur. The bird get fed and the buffalo gets cleaned • Commensalism: is a type of interdependence is where only one specie benefits the other is neither hurt or benefits. Example: a bird making a nest on a tree. The bird benefits by getting a place to live but the tree neither gets hurt of benefits. • Parasitism: is where one specie benefits and the other is hurt. For example a tapeworm inside a human stomach, the tape worm benefits but getting fed but the human suffers from pain.

9. What is a Niche? • niche is a role of a living organism in an ecosystem this role includes eating, hunting, and its habitat.

10. Why are niches important? • allow many species to exist in the same locations and balance out the ecosystem.

11. Give an example of an ecosystem? Name some animals in this ecosystem and the niches they would fill? In the boreal forest. Organisms such as deer, ravens, fox, and fungi live together in an ecosystem they all have a role. The deer feeds on the greens on the floor of the forest the fox hunts down the deer and feed off of that then the ravens eat off of the leftover and the fungi decompose their waste.

12. Explain whether niches stay the same or if they can change? • We can give an example to show that niches can change depending on its habitat and the organisms surrounding it. • Example A: In the mountains a coyotes niche is to act a predator due the completions from larger predators. • Example B : Around an urban area like a city due to less competition the coyote fills a niche of a major predator.

13. What is resource partitioning and give an example? • Resource partitioning is when similar but different species use the same resource but the use different parts of it evenly.

14. What are 2 reasons variability is important in an eco system? • Variability make the ecosystem healthier • And can also create lots of diversity.

15. What is natural selections and how does it relate to variability? • Natural selection is when the environment selects which organism will survive to reproduce. This happens do to the difference characteristics. This relates to variability because then these survivals will have off springs which will eventually create variability.

16. Describe who variations are important in helping organisms deal with changes in environment? • If organisms aren’t all alike they will have different immune systems which mean some will react really badly to a disease and die and some may survive. Therefore having many different types of organisms with different immune systems can help deal with changes in the environment.

17. Explain the difference between heritable and non-heritable traits and give some examples of each. • Heritable characteristics are passed from generations to generations by genetic material during sexual reproduction. • Example : eye colour, skin colour. • Not heritable characteristics are acquired or learned not necessarily passed from generation to generation. • Example: Ability to play an instrument

18. Explain how environment can play a role in the development of characteristics and give some examples of how environment can affect characteristics. • Environment can play a big role in the development of characteristics for example if a persons is raised at a warmer and sunnier environment the person will probably have a darker skins and if a person lives in a colder environment that is exposed to less sun they will have lighter skin and will probably more used to the cold

19. Explain the difference between discrete and continues variations and give example of each. • Discrete variations is when there are only two ways of the form like being able to roll your tongue or not. you will either be able to roll your tongue or not there no other options when continues variations is when there are many variations in characteristics.

20. Explain what asexual reproduction is? • Asexual reproduction involves one parents and offspring’s who are identical to their parents • The parent makes an exact copy of their self

21. Four types of asexual reproduction • Four types of asexual reproductions are • -Binary fission’ this happens only in single celled organism. The cell splits into two cells each being identical • -budding: parent organism produces a bud which detaches from parent and becomes a self sufficient individual. • -spore reproduction: spores are similar to seeds and are produced by the division of cells in the parent one parent can produce many spores each spore turn into a new individual identical to the parent. • -Vegetative reproductions- is the reproductions of plant not involving a seed. This includes cutting runners, suckers, and tubers.

22. Give a scientific explanation of sexual reproduction • In involves two individual organisms. The offspring has a mix of characteristics, half from one parent and half from the other. It doesn’t always involve female and male partner but involves gametes.

23. What special cell is involved in sexual reproduction? • Gametes, they are reproducing cells which join with other gametes during reproduction.

24. In animals, what are the specialized cells called that are involved in sexual reproduction and what do they produce when they combine? What is formed next? • In animals the reproducing cells are called sperm cells in male and egg cells in females . when these gametes are combined they form a fertilized combinations of cells called zygote.

25. Briefly describe how sexual reproduction works in plants. Use the proper names of the parts please. • Sexual reproduction in plants also involves gametes that for a zygote which then form an embryo • Pollinations happens when the male gametes (pollen) travels down the stigma to the ovule (female gamete). These two gametes meet and produce a zygote the finally and embryo. An embryo develops inside a seed to help protect it.

26. Briefly explain the three types of sexual reproduction in plants. • -cross pollination: it’s when the pollen from a plant goes to an ovule of another plant the production is not identical to neither parent. • - if a plant self pollinates : pollen from the same plants unites with the ovule of the same plant and te production become identical to the parent. • -artificial pollination: when plants are pollinated by man.

27. one major advantage and disadvantage of both sexual and asexual reproduction. • Asexual Advantage: The reproduction is a very quick process. The productions are identical to the parent and that’s good for an environment that doesn’t change very much. • Disadvantage: All the reproductions are the same and if there was a change in the environment they could all die due to lack of variations. • Sexual advantage: the reproduction provides us with lots of variations and that’s good for an environment that faces lots of changes. • Disadvantage: the reproductions take time and energy so the population is smaller than the rest.

28. What are some examples of organisms that can reproduce both asexually and sexually? • Many plants sponges and yeast can produce both sexually and asexually. Aphids are a non plant organisms that can reproduce both ways.

29. So. That’s the end of it. By: Darya, Lorpoo, and Jack.