Study Guide For Relationships And Biodiversity Lab

Study Guide for Relationships and Biodiversity Lab

Words to know

· Biodiversity – “The variety of life.” Biodiversity creates a more stable ecosystem.

· Molecular Evidence – Evidence used from DNA and chemical bonds

· Structural Evidence – Evidence used from the physical appearances

· Chromatography – The separation of plant pigments

· DNA – Made of A,C,G, and T. Creates the code for proteins. A double helix.

· Transcription – Rewriting the DNA code into mRNA (U replaces T)

· Translation – mRNA à tRNA. Protein synthesis in the ribosome.

· Amino acids – the building blocks of proteins made during translation.

· Extinct – a species that no longer exists anywhere on earth.

· Enzymes – Biological catalyst. Speeds up the rate of a reaction by lowering the activation energy.

· Gel Electrophoresis – The separation of DNA fragments by length when run through an electric charge. Smaller fragments move further than large.

· Habitat Destruction – The creation of “islands of nature” when humans reduce the size of ecosystems. (ex. cutting down the Brazilian rainforest.)

· Habitat Degradation – The release of pollutants into the environment by humans. (ex. acid rain, chemical runoff, trash).

Key Points

· The diversity of life on earth has been created through the process of evolution by natural selection.

· Natural selection has caused organisms to evolve to lessen competition. This has led to organisms filling a wide variety of nihes. This biodiversity increases the stability of an ecosystem.

· Biodiversity has important benefits to mankind. Ex. new food sources, medicine. Habitat degradation and destruction lead to the loss of genetic biodiversity and increases the chance that an ecosystem will become less stable and collapse.