GCSE Biology B2 (OCR)

Question	Answer
Classification	Organising living organisms into groups basesd on their characteristics, e.g kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species, etc.
Natural Classification Systems	Based on evolutionary relationships and genetic similarities between organisms
Artificial Classification Systems	Based on appearance rather than genes. They are used to identify organisms.
Genus	A group of closely-related species
Species	A group of organisms that can interbreed to produce a fertile offspring
Asexual Reproduction	Where an organism reproduces by making a copy of itself. There is no interbreeding with another organism, so they don't fit in with the definition of a species.
Hybrids	Interbreeding a male and female from two different species, e.g. horse + donkey = mule. Hybrids are often infertile so they aren't a new species - this makes it difficult to classify them
Evolution	A continuous process in which organisms change over time for the best survival. Sometimes, organisms evolve so much, they become a new species.
The Binomial System	A two-part Latin naming system, in which organisms are called. It is used all over the world, so that different countries, speaking different languages can still refer to the same animal. The first part is the Genus, and the second part is the Species, e.g. Panthera Leo - Panthera = Genus, Leo= Species.
Pyramid of Biomass	Shows the mass of each living material at each trophic level. They are almost, always a pyramid shape.
Pyramid of Numbers	Each bar on a pyramid of biomass show the number of organisms at the stage of the food chain - not their mass.
Efficiency	Energy available for the next trophic level ------------------------------------------------------ x 100 Energy that was available at the previous trophic level
Ecological Niche	How well an organism fits in with the ecosystem. It depends on things like where it lives and what they feed on.
IntRAspecific Competition	Where organisms compete for the same resources against individuals of the SAME species.
IntERspecific Competition	Where organisms compete for resources against organisms of a DIFFERENT species.
Parasitic Relationship	Where parasites live off the host, taking what they need to survive without giving anything back. This often harms the host, making it a win-or-lose situation, e.g. dogs and fleas.
Mutualistic Relationship	A relationship where both organisms benefit - this is a win-win situation, e.g. the Oxpecker and the Buffalo.
Adaptations	Things that make an organism better suited for their environment.
Specialists	Organisms which are highly adapted to survive in a specific environment, e.g. giant pandas, etc.
Generalists	Organisms that are adapted to survive in a range of different habitats, e.g. black rats, etc.
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection (Evolution)	Organisms that are best adapted to the environment would be most successful competitors and would be more likely to survive. This idea was called the 'survival of the fittest.'
Lamarck's Theory of Natural Selection	If characteristics were used a lot by an animal then they would become fore developed, e.g. Giraffes stretching to eat leaves from higher branches, meant their neck would develop better muscles, making their necks longer, etc. These acquired characteristics could be passed on to the animal's offspring.
Indicator Species	Living organisms that can only survive in really clean or polluted areas - this can be a method of suggesting whether a place is dirty or not, e.g. Rat-tailed Maggots, Sludgeworms, etc.
Endangered Species	Organisms that have very low numbers remaining in the wild. They are in danger of becoming extinct
Sustainable Development	Providing for the needs of today's increasing population without harming the environment.

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GCSE Biology B2 (OCR)

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	Created by The Flob M almost 10 years ago