BIOL 272 Midterm Exam Questions and
Answers
Natural Classifications - Correct Answers -Use multiple characters and show true
relationships
Homology - Correct Answers -Similarity due to inheritance of feature; Having the same
or similar relation, relative position, or structure
Continuous classification - Correct Answers -Main categories like soil, language,
community
Artificial classifications - Correct Answers -Based on more than 1 character for particular
purpose (Ex: Presence of wings)
Discontinuous classification - Correct Answers -Subcategories like different dialects
within languages
3 Domains of Life - Correct Answers -3 largest classifications:
Bacteria
Archea
Eukarya
what's a type specimen? - Correct Answers -the specimen on which the description and
name of the new species is based
what's a character state? - Correct Answers -Different manifestations of the character
What is the difference between acrocarpous and pleurocarpous mosses? - Correct
Answers -Acrocarpous moss: erect growth and nonbranching
Pleurocarpous moss: branching and creeping
Is Ginkgo more closely related to Pinus or Quercus? Explain. - Correct Answers -More
related to pinus according to phylogeny they are both gymnosperms while quercus is an
angiosperm
Clade - Correct Answers -Monophyletic group
How are living things classified? - Correct Answers -Based on ancestry and
characteristics
What is phylogeny? - Correct Answers -The evolutionary history of a group of
organisms
, What is Monophyly? - Correct Answers -All descendants of common ancestor; Form a
clade
what is polyphyly? - Correct Answers -Grouped together with things not commonly
related
-2+ ancestral lineages from which parallel character states evolved
what is paraphyly? - Correct Answers -Common ancestor and some descendants, but
not all; Various members of common ancestor with some missing.
Grade - Correct Answers -a group united by morphological and physiological
resemblances rather than genetic ones.
Nomenclature - Correct Answers -The science of naming
"Genus species"
What is a genus? - Correct Answers -Typically a noun; can be masculine, feminine, or
neutral
What is a species? - Correct Answers -Typically an adjective that describes the genus;
Epithets.
What are the 4 types of species epithets? - Correct Answers -Descriptive
Geographic
Habitat
Commemorative
What are the effects of plant domestication on plants? - Correct Answers --Development
of self fertilization
-Development of non-shattering inflorescences
-Reduction of non edible parts
-Increased seed size
-Loss of germination inhibitions
What are the effects of plant domestication on people? - Correct Answers --Settlements
supported by agriculture
-Food as commodity
-Differentiation of labor
-Development of art, music, writing, money
-More reliable but lower quality diet
-Sharp decrease in life expectancy and health
What are the important edible plant families? - Correct Answers -*Poaceae*
*Fabaceae*
Lamiaceae
Answers
Natural Classifications - Correct Answers -Use multiple characters and show true
relationships
Homology - Correct Answers -Similarity due to inheritance of feature; Having the same
or similar relation, relative position, or structure
Continuous classification - Correct Answers -Main categories like soil, language,
community
Artificial classifications - Correct Answers -Based on more than 1 character for particular
purpose (Ex: Presence of wings)
Discontinuous classification - Correct Answers -Subcategories like different dialects
within languages
3 Domains of Life - Correct Answers -3 largest classifications:
Bacteria
Archea
Eukarya
what's a type specimen? - Correct Answers -the specimen on which the description and
name of the new species is based
what's a character state? - Correct Answers -Different manifestations of the character
What is the difference between acrocarpous and pleurocarpous mosses? - Correct
Answers -Acrocarpous moss: erect growth and nonbranching
Pleurocarpous moss: branching and creeping
Is Ginkgo more closely related to Pinus or Quercus? Explain. - Correct Answers -More
related to pinus according to phylogeny they are both gymnosperms while quercus is an
angiosperm
Clade - Correct Answers -Monophyletic group
How are living things classified? - Correct Answers -Based on ancestry and
characteristics
What is phylogeny? - Correct Answers -The evolutionary history of a group of
organisms
, What is Monophyly? - Correct Answers -All descendants of common ancestor; Form a
clade
what is polyphyly? - Correct Answers -Grouped together with things not commonly
related
-2+ ancestral lineages from which parallel character states evolved
what is paraphyly? - Correct Answers -Common ancestor and some descendants, but
not all; Various members of common ancestor with some missing.
Grade - Correct Answers -a group united by morphological and physiological
resemblances rather than genetic ones.
Nomenclature - Correct Answers -The science of naming
"Genus species"
What is a genus? - Correct Answers -Typically a noun; can be masculine, feminine, or
neutral
What is a species? - Correct Answers -Typically an adjective that describes the genus;
Epithets.
What are the 4 types of species epithets? - Correct Answers -Descriptive
Geographic
Habitat
Commemorative
What are the effects of plant domestication on plants? - Correct Answers --Development
of self fertilization
-Development of non-shattering inflorescences
-Reduction of non edible parts
-Increased seed size
-Loss of germination inhibitions
What are the effects of plant domestication on people? - Correct Answers --Settlements
supported by agriculture
-Food as commodity
-Differentiation of labor
-Development of art, music, writing, money
-More reliable but lower quality diet
-Sharp decrease in life expectancy and health
What are the important edible plant families? - Correct Answers -*Poaceae*
*Fabaceae*
Lamiaceae
