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BIOLOGY 150 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE –Spring 2016; 120 multiple choice questions
ECOLOGY (20-22 questions)
 Understand and define these varying levels of biological organization, including narrowest to broadest
level:
o Organism: an individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form.
o Species: Can breed to produce fertile offspring
o Community: Plants and animals, gets name from plants in the area (Rock Hill Oak Hickory Forest)
o Ecosystem: Can be expanded or shrunk, don’t start or stop. Made of ecotones (transition areas)
o Biosphere: largest part of the Earth that supports life. Ocean depths to mountain peaks.

General descriptions of the major biomes
o Tundra: short summer for migration, extremely cold and windy, no large shrubs or trees, top soil is
frozen, wetlands and shallow lakes in summer,
o Taiga: Evergreen Coniferous Forest: Trees have needles for leaves, long, cold winter, many feet of
snow, antifreeze in sap, shaped like pyramid so it won’t break or bend. Cutting down=soil erosion,
pollution.
o Temperate deciduous forest: Covers eastern part of US. Used for development. Limits to what
nature can fix, but resilient.
o Grassland: underground root system, fire, drought, native grasses, turned to farmland b/c nutrients.
Need water.
o Deserts: Plant adaptations: wide spacing, extensive root systems, stems & leaves which
conserve/store water: rapid life cycle, & dormancy Animal adaptations: active during cooler
times/night, obtain moisture from foods, excrete “solid” urine, have thick outer coverings, may
become dormant –Fragile biomes: slow plant growth, lack of water, & low species diversity
Desertification over grazing by animals causes desert plants to disappear
o Tropical Rainforest- greatest amount of biodiversity, 2/3 earth species. Limited sunlight for
vegetation. Deforestationa. large-scale extinction/aesthetic insult- loss of potentially valuable
medicinal resources – EX: vinca – leukemi* greatest threat to biodiversity  loss of habitat

potential effects on climate & land
1) burning – increases CO2 (greenhouse effect)
2) intact forests – CO2 sponges
3) locally: changes in rainfall patterns
4) rapid runoff, soil erosion, & more flooding
c. economic problems
1) poor soil & lack of regeneration
2) sustainable development  wise use, controlled harvests  greater productivity & more
revenue for local people
Little resistance, poor recovery
o . Marine Ecosystems
1. Productivity: higher near poles (phytoplankton) & coasts (nutrients); less in open ocean
2. Estuaries & coastal wetlands: highly productive; spawning/nursery grounds
o Open ocean
a. phytoplankton & zooplankton: basis of oceanic food chain
b. human impacts
- pollution: esp. plastics & oil; nutrients near coasts, contributing to “dead” zones (O2 depletion)
- overfishing  results in depletion of many commercially important species & endangerment of
Others/ Algae bloom- from nutrients, fish can’t live there
o Coral reefs- marine equivalent of rain forest
a. human impacts
- pollution-rivers into reef
- capture of fish for aquarium trade-squirt cyanide and kill the fish, also kills corals
b. “bleaching” of coral: excessively warm water causes corals to expel colorful symbiotic algae
o Hydrothermal vent communities - chemosynthesis by sulfur bacteria (deep sea alternative to
photosynthesis)
- high temperatures (106o C)
o Freshwater Ecosystems
oligotrophic lakes-low in nutrients, high in oxygen
b. eutrophic lakes – periodic algae blooms
* eutrophication=many nutrients, low in oxygen
 Basic understanding of the major pathways of the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycle
o Carbon: to make all organic compounds, sugars, and starches. Dna and RNA included.
o Nitrogen: use in fertilizers, amino acids, DNA, RNA

Nitrogen fixation: changes free nitrogen to a useable form

Nitrogen fixing bacteria: on the roots of legumes or free in soil
o Phosphorous Cycle:

Makes ATP (only energy source for cells)

Plant nutrient- can cause algae bloom

Structure of food chains/food webs and energy pyramids in relation to trophic levels and amount of energy and
number of individuals at each level

Base of most marine ecosystem food chains –algae (phytoplankton) protist

More important ecology terms to be able to define AND apply: habitat, niche, consumers, producers, primary
consumer vs secondary consumer (carnivore vs herbivore)

Be able to define AND apply examples of community structure such as: mutualism, parasitism,
commensalism, predation, resource partitioning, competition, keystone species, mimicry (both Batesian
(Harmless creature takes protection from dangerous by looking like them) and Mullerian(lots of truly
dangerous things look alike))

Understand AND apply exponential growth, limiting factors, and carrying capacity

Basic understanding of 1) causes 2) effects of and 3) responses to BOTH global warming/climate change AND
ozone depletion. (They are different!)
o Climate Change: co2 in air- melting ice caps, chances in rainfall, fossil fuel use and deforestation
o Ozne:CFC is cause also car exhaust, chlorine eats the ozone. Increase skin cancer.

Biggest factor contributing to extinction- destroying habitat

How humans harm the ocean
Pollution
ENERGY (11-13 questions)

1st and 2nd law of thermodynamics
o Conservation of Energy: Energy can not be created or destroyed. It can only change form.

Entropy Law: Energy is lost from heat High-lower temp.

Role of ATP molecule: Energy for cell, triphosphate tail, ATP=ADP+ P+ Energy Released


Renewable Resource, good energy transfer molecule
Photosynthesis:
1. Who does it (types of organism) Green plants, bacteria, some prodist, phytoplankton
2. Reactants and products of overall equation
6CO2 + 6H2O ------> C6H12O6 + 6O2
3. Organelle where it occurs: Chloroplasts
4. Basic understanding of what happens in each the light dependent and light independent (Calvin Cycle)stages
(at which stage reactants and products from overall equation are involved)


Light-Dependent Reactions – Convert solar energy into chemical energy in the forms of ATP and NADPH;
Require sunlight. Occurs in thyiokoid layer of the chloroplasts
 Water (reactant)- Oxygen and water=products
 ATP and NADPH sent to LI REACTION
 Photosystem II
 Water molecules are split and O2 is released (through the stomata).
 The splitting of water provides electrons which are passed from photosystem II to photosystem I and
 eventually to NADPH.
 Replacement electrons for photosystem II are derived from the splitting of water molecules.
 ATP is produced.
 Photosystem I
o NADPH is produced.
 ATP and NADPH will provide the energy to power the light-independent (dark) reactions.+
 Light-Independent (Dark) Reactions – “Fix” carbon to make sugar (carbohydrate); Do not require light
 Stroma of chloroplast
 CO2 is reactant- glucose is the product
 Calvin Cycle ( sends ADP back to light side with NADPH+)(C3 Cycle) – produces sugar; EX: most plants –
soybeans, wheat, & oats
o Enzyme rubisco is needed to “fix” carbon from CO2 onto molecules of RuBP (already present).
o Energy for chemical reactions is obtained from ATP and NADPH. These molecules are recycled.
o Each time the Calvin cycle operates one molecule of the product, G3P exits. Two molecules of G3P
 are needed to make 1 molecule of glucose.
o More ATP is used to regenerate RuBP so the cycle can “turn” again.
Cellular respiration
1. Who does it (types of organisms) EVERYTHING
2. Correct order of the stages of aerobic cellular respiration and how many ATP are produced in each stage in
glycolysis, before and during Kreb’s cycle, and Electron transport chain 3. Where reactants and products from
overall equation fit in to the three different stages; the basics of what happens
Quick Review of Aerobic Cellular Respiration
Location
Cytoplasm
Start with glucose2
Pathway
Glycolysis
Results
2 molecules of pyruvic acid
NADPH and pyruvate
# ATP Produced
2
Matrix of
mitochondrion
Start with pyruvate
Transition
reaction
2 molecules of Acetyl CoA
(which go to Krebs cycle)
2 molecules of CO2, 2 NADPH
Matrix of
mitochondrion
Start with ACTYL COA
Krebs cycle
4 molecules of CO2 FADDH NADPH
Cristae of
mitochondrion-
E- Transport
Chain
6 molecules of H2O
--
2
__32
Total: 36 ATP
Start with H,O, and electrons
Additional Items to Note:
1. Krebs cycle occurs twice per molecule of glucose. It is also a major source of electrons for
the electron transport chain.
2. The electron carriers are NAD+ (NADH) and FAD (FADH2).
3. Oxygen is the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain. It is reduced to H2O.
4. Compare and contrast anerobic fermintaion with aerobic respiration- only glycoloisis

Define enzymes and their role in reactions
Speed up chemical reactions

Define metabolism
Sum of all chemical reactions in a cell
BIODIVERSITY (13-14 questions)

Characteristics of a virus/contrast to definition of a cell (living things)
Viruses are not considered "alive" because they lack many of the properties that scientists associate with
living organisms. Primarily, they lack the ability to reproduce without the aid of a host cell, and don't use
the typical cell- division approach to replication.

Know the names and major characteristics of 3 domains (compare and contrast Eukarya, Archaea and Bacteria;
know which two we used to think belonged to the same category and why we now know they are not)
Eukarya: a domain of organisms having cells each with a distinct nucleus within which the genetic material is
contained. Eukaryotes include protoctists, fungi, plants, and animals. Compare prokaryote.
Archaea: microorganisms that are similar to bacteria in size and simplicity of structure but radically different in
molecular organization. They are now believed to constitute an ancient intermediate group between the
bacteria and eukaryotes.
Bacteria: a member of a large group of unicellular microorganisms that have cell walls but lack organelles and an
organized nucleus, including some that can cause disease.
Prokaryote: a microscopic single-celled organism that has neither a distinct nucleus with a membrane nor other
specialized organelles. Prokaryotes include the bacteria and cyanobacteria.

Names and major characteristics and examples of the 4 kingdoms of Eukarya (be able to compare and contrast
major characteristics of Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia)
Protista: any of a diverse taxonomic group and especially a kingdom (Protista syn. Protoctista) of
eukaryotic organisms that are unicellular and sometimes colonial or less often multicellular and that
typically include the protozoans, most algae, and often some fungi (as slime molds)
Fungi: any of a group of unicellular, multicellular, or syncytial spore-producing organisms feeding on
organic matter, including molds, yeast, mushrooms, and toadstools

Know the most important two groups of decomposers; understand which types of organisms form the
mutualistic relationship in lichen
Bacteria and fungi

Know the 4 major plant types and major characteristics of each
. Bryophyte: swimming sperm-plants ( mosses, hornworts, liverworts)
2. Seedless/ Vascular(transport food and water)- ferns. These are the most well represented of the seedless plants.
Most ferns have fronds, compound leaves divided into several leaflets. As the frond develops it uncoils from a
structure called a fiddle head.
3. Gymnosperms: As the climate began to dry out the large Fern forests began to be replaced by a new type of
plant the gymnosperm. This plant had vascular tissue and a new type of reproductive structure called the seed.
These plants contained these seeds in structures called cones. The leaves of most of the gymnosperms are needle like structures. These needles contained a thick cuticle and reduced stomata. The conifers are heterosporus (male
and female gametes develop from different types of spores on different structures).
4. Angiosperms/ Flowering Plants: are the most widespread and diverse. The division Anthophyta is divided into
two classes, Monocotyledonae and Dicotyledonae. The development of the flower allow this group of plants take
over most biomes on earth. The life cycle of the Anthophyta is similar to that of the gymnosperms. The
gametophyte stage is small and microscopic. The male gametophyte is the mature pollen grain while the female
gametophyte is the embryo sac, located in the ovule.

Understanding of the different classification categories (such as Domain, Kingdom and species) in which
humans belong (including the narrowest classification of humans) Eukaryotic Animalia homosapians
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR (6-8 questions)
 Factors that contribute to behavior
Instinct, learning, chemical

Know and be able to apply innate/instinct behaviors (spider)

Understand the definition of learning and be able to recognize examples of different types (imprinting,
habituation, trial-and-error learning, operant conditioning, imitation, and insight learning)

Understand benefits and apply definitions of altruism( animal helps another, despite risk), kin selection(nesthelpers) , caste system(no disagreement about jobs), and territoriality(claiming area- population control) in
social behavior

Understand examples of different forms of communication, including pheromones- visual displays, auditory,
smell (5 senses)

Thought to be the overall cause of most behaviors – reproduction/survivial
EVOLUTION (17-19 questions)
 Understand the many forms of evidence that support evolutionary theory, including examples of fossils and
biochemical processes

Some important evolution definitions: allele: one of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by
mutation and are found at the same place on a chromosome.

gene pool: the stock of different genes in an interbreeding population.

evolution, natural selection, adaptations, species(biological species concept)

Understand and be able to apply the causes/mechanisms of evolution (mutations, natural selection, sexual
selection, genetic drift:
gene flow: (also known as gene migration) is the transfer of alleles or genes from one population to another.
Migration into or out of a population may be responsible for a marked change in allele frequencies (the
proportion of members carrying a particular variant of a gene).
Genetic drift: the change in the frequency of a gene variant (allele) in a population due to random sampling of
organisms.

Significance of mutations to evolution and how they occur

Be able to define and compare allopatric speciation vs sympatric speciation
Allopatric speciation is speciation that results when a population is separated by a physical barrier. It is
also referred to as geographic speciation. Sympatric speciation is speciation that occurs without physical
separation of members of the population.

Know and apply the reproductive isolating mechanisms (recognize pre mating vs post mating mechanisms)

Understanding of the endosymbiont theory (evolution of eukaryotic cells from bacteria, and the organelles
involved)
s an evolutionary theory that explains the origin of eukaryotic cells from prokaryotes. It states that several
key organelles of eukaryotes originated as a symbiosis between separate single-celled
organisms.Characteristics of early Earth that influenced characteristics of early life on earth and Urey-Miller
experiment

Approximate age of the Earth AND approximate age of first life on Earth
4.6 billion, 3.5 billion

Human evolution: relative timing of it; relationship to chimpanzees; if any other hominids exist at this time
Shared common ancestor until 6-7 million years ago, homo erectus and homo sapiens on Earth at same time
Cell division (17-18 questions w/Molecular genetics)
 Important definitions: (sister)chromatids: 2 copies of chromose joined at centromere
 chromosomes (and homologous chromosomesa threadlike structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the
nucleus of most living cells, carrying genetic information in the form of genes.
 Gametes: a mature haploid male or female germ cell that is able to unite with another of the opposite sex in
sexual reproduction to form a zygote.
 haploid and diploid
 somatic cells (diploid body cell) vs sex cells( haploid)
 interphase

Cell cycle (including understanding of when during the cycle DNA is packaged into chromosomes)

Products of mitosis and products of meiosis (including understanding of number of chromosomes in parent and
daughter cells in both processes)

Knowledge of order of phases and general understanding of what occurs during each phase of mitosis,
especially related to the genetic material (chromosomes)

Knowledge of crossing over (prophase 1- exchange parts so not fully mom or dad)/recombination and
independent assortment (When homologous chromosomes, one from each parent, pair up along the equator
during metaphase 1 of meiosis, the particular arrangement is determined by chance. )and why significant;
during which phase of meiosis they occur
Molecular Genetics (17-18 questions w/Cell Division
 DNA structure: definition and structure of a nucleotide( sugar, phosphate, nucleotide base A-T/U, C-G) and its
relationship to a DNA molecule; parts and structure of DNA molecule

Significance of nitrogen base pairing in DNA structure, replication, and protein production

DNA replication: when it occurs, the basic steps, and the resulting products
Order of amino acid-protien, Interphase

Mutations: what are they and what can result from them- probably a question- easy

Compare and contrast DNA and RNA

Protein production: molecules involved in transcription and translation

Relationship of amino acids to proteins
Building blocks of protiens

Determine resulting mRNA from a DNA segment
4 nuclioties

How many different nucleotides (nitrogen bases) found in DNA -4-and number of different amino acids used to
build proteins-20-
Mendelian (and variations of) Genetics (12-13 questions)
 Important definitions to know and apply: gene, allele, phenotypes, genotypes, homozygous, heterozygous,
recessive, dominant, genetics

Construct and interpret Punnett squares for monohybrid cross (understanding of basic Mendelian genetics)

Variations of Mendel genetics (know definitions and recognize examples of: Incomplete dominance- hair/eye,
codominance-blood type, polygenic inheritance (bell shaped curve) more than 2 and same trait, pleiotropy- one
gene many characteristics and effects of the environment on phenotype)

Be able to distinguish number of possible gametes in a dihybrid cross

Be able to explain which gender is more likely to express X linked diseases in humans

Know definition of Mendel’s Laws of Segregation and Independent Assortment

Segregation-1 copy each

Independent assortment-independently distributed
Cell-Structure, Function and Transport (11-13 questions)
 Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

Eukarya: a domain of organisms having cells each with a distinct nucleus within which the genetic material
is contained. Eukaryotes include protoctists, fungi, plants, and animals. Compare prokaryote.

Prokaryote: a microscopic single-celled organism that has neither a distinct nucleus with a membrane nor other
specialized organelles. Prokaryotes include the bacteria and cyanobacteria.

Know function of the main parts of typical animal cell (used in protein production and energy production and
also structures used for other purposes such as cytoskeleton, lysosomes, smooth ER (synthesize lipids)vs rough
ER(export proteins) protein synthesis

Compare and contrast plant and animal cells (structures)

Know organelles thought to be originally symbiotic bacteria (endosymbiont theory) Mitochondria and
Chloroplasts

Compare and contrast different forms of passive and active transport across a cell membrane; recognize
examples; understand roles of concentration gradient and ATP (use of energy) in determining if it is passive or
active transport
No energy: Simple, facilitated, or osmosis- high to low- facilitated= transport protein osmosis=water
Engergy: Active
Molecules and Summary (2-3 questions)
 Importance of shape to the functioning of molecules
Determines ability to bind to others
 Major characteristics of living things
1st Characteristic of Life
Cell & Organization
* Example each cell can only perform the job associated with its specific function such as heart cells, brain cells
etc.
2nd Characteristic of Life
Energy use and metabolism
To maintain their internal order, energy is needed by organisms. Energy is utilized in chemical reactions.
3rd Characteristic of Life
Response to environmental changes
responds to stimuli
4th Characteristic of Life
Regulation and homeostasis
ex. internal regulation of our body to maintain a stable environment
5th Characteristic of Life
Growth and development
all living things get larger and more complex throughout the organism's life
6th Characteristic of Life
Reproduction
7th Characteristic of Life
Biological evolution
the change over time of living organisms
History (6-7 questions)
Know significant contributions to biology, along with the approximate time frame these contributions occurred, for the
following people. By knowing the approximate time frame, you should also know what was unknown about biology
during the time of their contribution!
 Linneaus (mid-1700s) genus and species Taxonomy Latin names

Lorenz (mid-1950s) father of animal behavior-geese

Fleming (1920s)- penicillin

Woese (1990s)- domains archaea and bacteria

Darwin (mid-1800s)- natural selection - Wallace (mid-1800s)

Mendel (mid-1800s)- genetics- pea plants

Pasteur (mid-1800s)- microorganisms

Watson and Crick (1950s) DNA structure

Miller & Urey (1950s) conditions of early earth

Franklin and Wilkins- x ray