Science 9 – Unit A: Biological Diversity – Topic Review Questions

Topic 1 Review: What is Biodiversity?

1. a) Using specific examples, explain in your own words what is meant by the term
biodiversity.

b) Almost half of all animal life forms on the planet are insects. Should we be
concerned about ensuring that something as small as the fruit fly is not eliminated?
Why or why not?

2. Use a Venn diagram to compare (similarities) and contrast (differences) the

meanings of population and community.

3. Bob is comparing two ecosystems – X and Y. Through his investigation Bob

discovered ecosystem X has a total of 142 different species, while ecosystem Y has
a total of 89 different species. Which ecosystem would be considered the ‘most
healthy’ as discussed in class? Explain your choice.

4. Suppose a population of sparrows migrating south for the winter is blown off course
by a storm and the sparrows become isolated on an island. The only food source
available on the island is a plant that produces large seeds. Predict which birds in
the population, those with large beaks or those will small beaks, will survive to
continue their migration or to populate the island. Explain your answer.

5. Pepper moths come in two types of coloring – white with small black speckles or
dark grey.

a) Which type of variation – continuous or discrete –

does the Pepper moth have? Explain how you
arrived at your answer.
b) How does the variation in the color of the Pepper Moth affect its survival?

6. Which area, A or B, would have

more biodiversity? Justify your
answer. A

B
7. a) Which of the organisms below is
most likely a specialist? Explain
your answer.

b) Explain the advantages and disadvantages of being a specialist.

8. Describe the niche of a raccoon.

9. Use an example of your own to explain when interspecies competition occurs.

10. How might the prey population benefit when individuals in the prey population are
eaten by a predator? Hint: Think big picture - population.

11. Explain the difference between mutualism, commensalism and parasitism using an
example for each. Be sure to include how the organism benefits or is harmed.

Topic 2A Review: Reproduction

12. Betty has a hitchhiker’s (bent back) thumb and plays guitar with a local rock band.
Explain how she displays both heritable and non-heritable characteristics.

13. Imagine a population of Martians. In this population, there are only three types of
eye color: black, purple, and orange. However, there are many different colors of
hair. Classify each of these variations. Explain your classification choice.

14. “An individual produced by asexual reproduction may be identical to one of its
parents.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Support your answer.

15. Compare and contrast the 4 types of asexual reproduction. How are they all
similar? How is each unique?

16. What is the greatest advantage of asexual reproduction? Greatest disadvantage?

Explain your choices.

17. Using a Venn diagram, compare and contrast sexual and asexual reproduction.

18. a) Create a flow chart to show the main stages of sexual reproduction in animals.
b) Create a flow chart to show the main stages of sexual reproduction in plants.
Don’t forget to include the names of structures!

19. “A flower produces a seed; most fungi produce spores.” Which part of the previous
statement is an example of sexual reproduction? Explain your choice.
20. What is the greatest advantage of sexual reproduction? Greatest disadvantage?
Explain your choices.

21. Imagine an organism that lives where there are often big changes in environmental
conditions. What type of reproduction – asexual or sexual – would be more
advantageous for this organism? Explain your answer.

Topic 2B Review: Genetics

22 a) Define the term in DNA in your own words and explain its function.
b) i) What is the backbone (ie. sides) of DNA composed of?
ii) What 4 chemicals make up the genetic code? How are these chemicals
arranged in a DNA molecule?
iii) Complete the missing sections of the DNA ladder below.
A T T G C __ __ __ __ G G T A C __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __ __ A A C C __ __ __ __ __ T T C G
c) What is the genetic code? Why is it important to understand?

23. a) What is a gene? An allele? A chromosome?

b) Draw a diagram to show how DNA, genes and chromosomes are related

24. If DNA is like the words in a book, what would a gene be compared to? What
would a chromosome be compared to? Explain your answer.

25. a) How is a homozygous individual different from a heterozygous individual?

b) Explain how dominant and recessive traits are different from each other.
c) If you asked to describe an the genotype of an organism, what does this mean?
Phenotype?

26. If you wanted to be certain that a trait would appear in the offspring of the plants
you were breeding, what would you need to know about the parents?

27. How could two black cats produce a kitten that has white fur?

28. A brown homozygous bull is bred to a white homozygous cow. All of the offspring
are brown.
a) What is the dominant trait?
b) What is the genotype of all of the offspring?
29. A white homozygous mouse is bred to a white heterozygous mouse (grey is the
recessive color).
a) What are the possible phenotypes of the offspring?
b) What are the possible genotypes of the offspring?

30. a) A short heterozygous plant is crossed with another short heterozygous plant.
i) What are the possible phenotypes of the offspring?
ii) What are the possible genotypes of the offspring?
b) A tall homozygous plant is crossed with a short heterozygous plant
i) What are the possible phenotypes of the offspring?
ii) What are the possible genotypes of the offspring?

31. Suppose a new flower in your garden displays an intermediate coloring – you
planted only red and yellow flowers, but now orange flowers are starting to appear.
What pattern of inheritance would you be observing? Explain your answer.

Topic 2C Review: Cell Division

32. a) Explain what happens to the DNA of a cell during mitosis.

b) What is the end result of mitosis?
c) What types of activities is mitosis used for?

33. a) Explain what happens to the DNA of a cell during meiosis.

b) What is the end result of meiosis?
c) What types of activities is meiosis used for?

Topic 3 Review: Saving Diversity

34. When do we worry about an organism?

35. What are the main causes of endangerment? Explain.

36. a) Compare and contrast the 3 methods of conservation.

b) Explain an example of each method of conservation.
c) Which method is the best? Explain your reasoning.