Practise IB Biology HL A3.1 with classification and data questions on domains, kingdoms, shared characteristics and genetic, species and ecosystem biodiversity.
The diagram shows the range of heights and brain sizes found in four groups of hominids.
Distinguish between the characteristics of the Australopithecus and H. erectus using the data.
The table shows the number of amino acids that are different in the sequences of the protein FOXP2 from a human compared with four other primate species.
Identify the total number of different genera named in the table.
Using evidence from the diagrams, justify the hypothesis that chromosome 2 in humans arose from the fusion of chromosomes 12 and 13 with a shared primate ancestor.
A species is often defined as a group of similar individuals that interbreed in nature and produce fertile offspring. Discuss some problems with the use of this definition.
The table shows the number of amino acids that are different in the sequences of the protein FOXP2 from a human compared with four other primate species.
Identify the total number of different genera named in the table.
Evolution Canyon is a steep sided rocky valley near Mount Carmel in Israel. There are populations of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) living on the north facing and south facing slopes of the canyon. Fruit flies are sensitive to drought conditions and die if they become desiccated.
Twenty samples of fruit flies were collected from both sides of the canyon. They were subjected to the same conditions of drought stress and the life span (in hours) of the adult flies was measured.
Discuss whether the populations on the two slopes could evolve into two species.
The diploid number of chromosomes in humans (Homo sapiens) is 46 and the diploid number of chromosomes in rice (Oryza sativa) is 24. What does this indicate about diploid chromosome numbers?
Plant species have a lower diploid number of chromosomes than animals.
Members of a species have the same diploid number of chromosomes.
The evolutionary progress of species is determined by the diploid number of chromosomes.
The complexity of the organisms is correlated to the diploid number of chromosomes.
The table shows the number of amino acids that are different in the sequences of the protein FOXP2 from a human compared with four other primate species.
Using evidence from the diagrams, justify the hypothesis that chromosome 2 in humans arose from the fusion of chromosomes 12 and 13 with a shared primate ancestor.
The biological insights of Mendel and Darwin in the 19th century remain important to this day.
Discuss the role of genes and chromosomes in determining individual and shared character features of the members of a species.
Analysis of the genome of primates reveals many DNA segments that have been duplicated. It is possible to deduce the stage in evolution at which segmental duplications (SDs) occurred by comparing human and other primate genomes. Human-specific SDs occurred after humans and chimpanzees diverged. Human-chimpanzee shared SDs occurred after the common human-chimpanzee ancestor diverged from gorillas and so on. It is possible to estimate the rates at which SDs occurred during evolution using knowledge of when the primates changed. In the chart the bars indicate numbers of shared SDs and the line shows estimates of the rate of SDs per millions of years (Myr).
State the number of SDs that can be found in humans but not in other primates.
State the rate of SDs after the divergence of macaques from the other primates, giving the units.
Outline the trends in the rate of SDs occurring since the separation of orangutans from other primates.
Explain how the number of human-chimpanzee shared SDs can be the lowest despite the rate of SDs per millions of years being the highest.
A few SDs were found in humans and gorillas but not chimpanzees. Suggest how this might have occurred.
The scattergraph shows the genome sizes of four Enterococcus species.
What can be concluded about the genomes in Enterococcus?
E. pallens has the greatest number of genes.
E. faecalis and E. faecium have the same mean number of genes.
The total genetic information in Enterococcus is constant within each species.
E. pallens has more DNA than E. columbae.
The table shows a comparison of DNA base sequences in several yeast (Saccharomyces) genomes.
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the first eukaryotic organism to have its entire genome sequenced. Suggest reasons for the choice of yeast as a study organism.
The gut of a healthy human contains more than 1000 species of bacteria. Some of these species are shown in the cladogram.
Outline a difficulty in applying the biological species concept to bacteria.
The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is a critically endangered species that has declined in numbers by 80 % since 2000 . It inhabits both forest and grassland, where it uses long, powerful claws to open ant and termite nests and ingests the insects using a long, sticky tongue.
The Chinese pangolin, Manis pentadactyla, has a diploid chromosome number of 40.
State how many chromosomes there would be in gametes of this species.
Sex is determined in the same way in pangolins as in humans. State how many autosomes there are in somatic cells of M. pentadactyla.
The following shows a dichotomous key.
Using the dichotomous key above, identify the genus of bird W and bird Z .
Bird W:
Bird Z:
What is one application of DNA barcoding?
Selective breeding
Preserving an endangered species
Analysing environmental DNA
Sequencing a genome