BIOLOGY 1030 - STUDY QUESTIONS

Unit 1 Study Questions: Classification of Organisms

1. List the three domains of living organisms. Provide an example of each one. List the kingdoms of each. Draw a cladogram to show the relationships among domains.

2. Define systematics, taxonomy, classification, phylogeny, diversity. How are these terms related? How are they different?

3. How do the terms "hierarchical" and "binomial" apply to our current system of nomenclature? List the 8 major taxonomic ranks or levels. How are humans classified at each rank?

4. What is a species? What is a subspecies? Compare and contrast typological, and biological species concepts. What is the evolutionary species concept? In what way(s) does each concept present problems in the classification of all organisms?

5. What were the major contributions of Aristotle, Carolus Linnaeus, John Ray, and Charles Darwin to biology?

6. What is a synapomorphy? What is a clade? How can these terms be helpful in systematics?

Unit 2 Study Questions: Protists and Fungi

1. Explain the evolution of eukaryotes by a series of ancient symbioses. How is this different from most evolutionary pathways?

2. List types of bacteria found in each domain and kingdom of prokaryotes. Briefly characterize cyanobacteria, purple bacteria, and members of Archaea.

3. Review your knowledge of cell division so that you clearly understand and can easily converse with the following terms: haploid, diploid, polyploid, homologous chromosome, mitosis, meiosis, gamete, fertilization, syngamy, karyogamy, zygote, spore.

4. Diagram zygotic meiosis, gametic meiosis, and sporic meiosis life cycles. Indicate how an asexual life cycle may relate to the sexual life cycle; and how variation on the basic pattern may occur (e.g., dormancy periods). Why is sporic meiosis also referred to as "alternation of generations"? What is the meaning of the name of each life cycle type? Provide examples of organisms that exhibit each.

5. How do the terms gametophyte, sporophyte, isomorphic, heteromorphic, gametangia, meiospore, zoospore, zygospore, isogamy, anisogamy, oogamy, homospory, heterospory, etc., apply to the life cycles diagramed above? What evolutionary trends exist among them?

6. Briefly characterize the following groups in the kingdom Protista: Chlorophyta, Stramenopila, Rhodophyta, Euglenozoa, Alveolata, and Choanoflagellida. Which of these are usually considered to be algae? Which are usually considered to be protozoa? Why are Chlamydomonas and Euglena classified in different phyla?

7. Diagram the life cycle of the Plasmodium, the parasite responsible for malaria. Include both asexual and sexual phases of the life cycle.

8. List characteristics that members of Kingdom Fungi have in common. What growth forms are typical of fungi? List the 4 phyla (or groups) included in the Kingdom Fungi. Briefly describe how each group is unique and supply common names where appropriate. What are some specific examples of each group?

9. What is the basic life cycle type for all fungi? Distinguish between plasmogamy and karyogamy. Do they occur simultaneously? Diagram a life cycle typical of the Basidiomycota. Point out diploid and haploid and dikaryotic stages. Explain why this fits the pattern of zygotic meiosis. How many cells are diploid?

10. Why are lichens not a typical taxonomic group? What are the phycobiont and mycobiont and to what taxonomic groups do they belong? What is their ecological relationship?