Bacteria & Archaea
Name the 3 main shapes of bacterial cells
1. Spherical or cocci
2. Rod-shaped or bacilli
3. Spiral
Which phylum contains brown algae? Which photosynthetic pigment gives this group their distinctive colour?
1. Phylum Phaeophyta
2. Fucoxanthin
Which fungal phylum contains the mushrooms you commonly see in the grocery store? Name the fruiting body and spore-producing cells for this phylum.
1. Basidiomycota
2. Basidiocarp, basidia (plural) or basidium (singular)
An easy way to remember that Basidiomycota contain the club fungi is: You want bass in the club.
What is the difference between the terms "Bryophyte" and "Bryophyta"
Bryophyte- the general term given to all non-vascular plants
Bryophyta- the phylum that contains mosses
In the digestive system of an earthworm, does food pass through the crop or the gizzard first? What are the functions of these two organs?
passes through crop first.
Crop stores food. Gizzard mechanically breaks down food.
What mode of nutrition would an organism who produces food by oxidizing inorganic matter have?
Chemoautotrophy
The source of energy is what distinguishes these individuals from photoautotrophs.
What does the term "cytoplasmic streaming" describe? Which phylum (clade) is known for this trait?
Cytoplasmic streaming describes the flow of endoplasm to expand or retract a pseudopod.
This is a trait of the clade Amoebozoa.
1. Hyphae help to absorb nutrients from the surrounding soil and can form underground networks.
2. Septate hyphae contain internal cross walls that separate nuclei from one another. Aseptate hyphae have no internal divisions making them multinucleated.
Describe the mesophyll tissue in the leaves of a monocot vs a eudicot.
Monocot: undifferentiated mesophyll, contains one type of mesophyll cells
Eudicot: mesophyll differentiated into palisade and spongy
What are the two types of food chains and what organism makes up the base of each one?
1. Grazing food chain, primary producer (ex. plant)
2. Detritus food chain, a detritivore (ex. earthworm)
Describe the cell walls of both archaea and bacteria. How are they different?
Archaea lack peptidoglycan in their cell walls, as they are made mostly of polysaccharides, but some contain pseudopeptidoglycan.
Bacteria cell walls are composed of peptidoglycan, just in different amounts. Gram positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer while gram negative have a thin layer.
In which phylum (clade) would you expect to find single-celled, amoeboid organisms that reproduce by forming sporangia which produce spores?
Phylum Myxomycota- the plasmodial slime molds.
*Remember, these are not true fungi
Which phylum has two distinct body forms (one sessile and one motile) and a two-way digestive system? Name the two body forms.
1. Phylum Cnidaria
2. Sessile or stationary form = Polyp, Motile or free-moving = Medusa
Describe alternation of generation in plants and state the ploidy of each generation.
Alternation of generations describes the ability of plants to progress through two life stages during their life cycle. The dominant generation will differ with the phylum of plants. Gametophyte (n or haploid). Sporophyte (2n or diploid).
*Remember, human gametes are haploid and so is the gametophyte generation in plants.
What the the setae in earthworms? chaetae? septa? What is the function of the seminal vesicles?
Setae & chaeate are the same = bristle-like structures that anchor the worm in the soil and aid in locomotion.
Septa = thin membranes that separate the body segments
Seminal vesicles = mature and store sperm
What is the benefit of a broad-spectrum antibiotic vs a narrow-spectrum? Overuse of these broad-spectrum antibiotics increases the risk of what?
Broad-spectrum antibiotics are effective against a variety of different bacterial species, whereas narrow-spectrum specialize to effectively target a few bacterial species. The danger of a broad-spectrum is that over use can lead to increased antibiotic resistance. This is because they are used to treat a variety of infections even though they may not always be effective.
Which algal division is most closely related to land plants? Which feature do they share with the land plants?
1. Division Charophyta
2. A defining characteristic of this division is the plasmodesmata which are also found in land plants. Plasmodesmata are transport channels.
What is one ecologically important role of mycorrhizae?
Mycorrhizae form mutualistic relationships with plant roots by increasing their surface area to aid in nutrient and water absorption. In return, the fungi receive carbohydrates and amino acids from the plant.
*Remember, mutualistic relationships benefit both members
Name 2 ways you could distinguish a monocot from a eudicot without cross-sectioning the plant.
Monocots: fibrous root, parallel-veined leaves, floral parts in multiples of 4 or 5.
Eudicots: taproot, net-veined leaves, floral parts in multiples of 3.
*Accept all reasonable answers that do not involve the plant's internal anatomy.
Describe the difference between a specialist vs generalist predator. What are the pros and cons of each?
Specialist- predators have specific adaptations that help them efficiently prey on a limited number of food sources. Though they feed efficiently, they are dependent upon high numbers of prey in the ecosystem
Generalist-predators do not have any specific adaptations, but can utilize a wide variety of food sources. These predators do not feed as efficiently, but can utilize all types of prey within the environment
What is the Kirby-Bauer Method used for and how would you interpret the results of that test?
The Kirby-Bauer Method is used to test the sensitivity of bacteria to a particular antibiotic. To interpret the results, you measure the diameter of the zone of inhibition and compare it to the test chart. Then, you can classify the bacteria as being either susceptible, intermediate, or resistant to that antibiotic.
Which type of algae is known for the wide variety of thallus forms it can adopt? Name any 3 of the thallus forms.
1. Phylum Chlorophyta or green algae
2. multicellular, unicellular, colonial, filamentous, tubular, multinucleate, sheet or blade-like
Name the 4 classes found within phylum Mollusca and provide an example of an organism found in each.
1. Class Polyplacophora- Ex. chitons
2. Class Bivalvia- Ex. clams, oysters, mussels, etc.
3. Class Gastropoda- Ex. slugs, nudibranch, snails, etc.
4. Class Cephalopoda- Ex. squids, cuttlefish, octopus, etc.
*Accept all organisms that fall within that phylum
Name the 3 main types of ground tissue cells and the function of each.
1. Schlerenchyma- thick cell wall makes them rigid, important for structural support
2. Parenchyma- thin cell wall makes them soft and flexible, function in storage and gas exchange
3. Collenchyma- cell wall thickness varies, supports plant and helps hold up to wind by stretching and bending
What is the green world hypothesis? What regulatory mechanisms support this hypothesis?
green world hypothesis: explains the world is still green because herbivore populations are regulated in a way that prevents them from taking over and eating all of the plants. They are regulated by top-down and bottom-up processes.