Module 4

• Biological Classification

  Groups organisms based on characteristics like anatomy, physiology, and genetics.
• Taxonomic Groups

  Organisms grouped based on similarities into domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.
• Binomial System of Naming Species

  Genus and species names uniquely identify organisms, with genus capitalized and species in lowercase.
• Five Kingdoms

  Prokaryotae, Protoctista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia - each with distinct characteristics.
• Three Domains

  Eukarya, Archaea, Bacteria - distinguished by ribosome types and evolutionary relationships.
• Phylogeny

  Shows evolutionary relationships; classification groups organisms based on similarities.
• Phylogenetic Trees

  Represent existing species at branch ends, common ancestors at nodes; line length indicates time.
• Evolution by Natural Selection

  Genetic variation leads to adaptations under selection pressure, causing gradual genetic change.
• Paleontology

  Fossils show evolution stages, with older fossils at the bottom and younger at the top.
• Comparative Anatomy

  Compares structural features, focusing on homologous structures for relatedness determination.
• Comparative Biochemistry

  Analyzes DNA, RNA, proteins to determine relationships; genetic changes influence adaptations.
• Variation

  Can be genetic or environmental, influencing populations differently.
• Discontinuous Variation

  Distinct categories controlled by few genes, best represented by bar charts.
• Continuous Variation

  Characteristics with a range of values, controlled by many genes and influenced by the environment.
• Normal Distributions

  Characteristics with a distribution around the mean, measured by standard deviation.
• T-Test

  Compares means and standard deviations of two sets of data with normal distributions.
• Correlation

  Shows the relationship between environmental factors and characteristics, measured by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient.
• Adaptations

  Anatomical, behavioral, physiological changes for survival; examples include body coverings and nervous systems.
• Convergent Evolution

  Distantly related species evolve similar adaptations due to similar niches and selection pressures.
• Genetic Variation

  Leads to adaptations under selection pressure, causing gradual genetic change over generations.
• Pest Resistance

  Development of resistance in populations due to genetic variation under selection pressure.