Archives: Questions and Answers

Explain that biodiversity can be assessed at different levels, including: • the number and range of different ecosystems and habitats • the number of species and their relative abundance • the genetic variation within each species

Define the terms ecosystem and niche

Outline how viruses are classified, limited to the type of nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) and whether this is single stranded or double stranded

Outline the characteristic features of the kingdoms Protoctista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia

Describe the classification of organisms in the Eukarya domain into the taxonomic hierarchy of kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species

State that Archaea and Bacteria are prokaryotes and that there are differences between them, limited to differences in membrane lipids, ribosomal RNA and composition of cell walls

Explain how speciation may occur as a result of genetic isolation by: • geographical separation (allopatric speciation) • ecological and behavioural separation (sympatric speciation)

Discuss how DNA sequence data can show evolutionary relationships between species

Outline the theory of evolution as a process leading to the formation of new species from pre-existing species over time, as a result of changes to gene pools from generation to generation

Outline the following examples of selective breeding: • the introduction of disease resistance to varieties of wheat and rice • inbreeding and hybridisation to produce vigorous, uniform varieties of maize • improving the milk yield of dairy cattle