Important!! bio assignment HELP! (1 Viewer)

[wrenie3]

Hey i have a bio assignment due soon and need these questions answered!

1. Describe 2 australian fossils, where these fossils were found and explain how the fossils contribute to the development and understanding of the evolution of species in Australia

2. Identify and describe evidence of a changing environment in australia over millions of years. (How has the australian environment changed? (eg. rainforests contracted and sclerophyll communities and grasslands spread) What process caused these changes? What change occurred in ONE species and how did their distribution change? eg kangaroo).

3. Define internal and external fertilisation. Discuss the relative success of each in the colonisation of terrestrial and aquatic environments.

4. Describe ONE mechanism found in australian fauna to ensure each of the following: fertilisation, survival of the embyro and survival of the young after birth. (don't use one organism as an example, use atleast 3).

5. Explain how the evolution of these reproductive adaptations has increased the chances of continuity of the species in the australian environment. (use natural selection, competition and environmental pressures in answer).

6. Discuss the Huxley-Wilberforce debate on Darwin's theory of evolution (Present both sides of arguements).

7. Using examples, explain natural selection as a mechanism that supports the theory of evolution (Try to relate these 2 concepts- theory of evolution and natural selection as described by Charles Darwin.

8. Explain the need to maintain biodiversity and discuss positive and negatives in current efforts to monitor biodiversity. (Be specific in Australian example (define biodiversity, state why it is necessary and give an example of a current program running to monitor biodiversity).

Thanks for any help you can give me even if its just one answer. These are dot points in the Australian biota sylabus so i was hoping a lot of you biology students may have done this and may be able to help me. Thanks a lot your help is really appreciated!

 

[Aquawhite]

Wikipedia...?

It's the greatest site for all. It makes assignments far too easy.

 

[MissGiggles]

hey dude, wrenie3 asked for science, not religion! and you want the word "meet" not "meat"

here is a quick overview of what you asked from my bio notes:

1) we've only been told about one Australian fossil sorry but it's name is Glossopteris, and i think it's a tree. it was found in Aus., South America, Africa and India (so they must have been joined up)

and to the response: have you considered that maybe God created the first organisms and then decided how they would evolve? that's the church's viewpoint.

2)i can't go into too much detail but Australia got drier and warmer after it moved north. this meant the rainforests shrank and a lot of Australia became open forests or grasslands and the fauna had to adapt to changes like frequent fire, drought and salinity (which is shown in the fossils). the kangaroos came down from trees and ate grass because there was lots of it. they also got bigger because the males began competing for mating rights when they formed mobs. many heads are better than one to spot danger.

and to the response: the Bible also says men can walk on water. come back to me if you get the hang of it.

3) don't quote this as a definition but basically fertilisation is external if the zygotes are released into the environment (which has to be in water) or internal if the male zygotes are inserted into the female (necessary in non-aquatic environments to provide moisture). internal has a higher success rate because the male zygotes are swimming in a smaller environment (therefore more likely to meet female zygote) but external fertilisation makes up for it by producing and releasing a lot more zygotes as well as trying more often.

4/5) haven't studied it yet sorry but i would discuss it if i could

6) on the 30th of June 1860 Bishop Samuel Wilberforce spoke at a meeting of the British Association attempting to discredit Darwin's "Origin of Species". he finished by asking Thomas H. Huxley (a biologist and a friend of Darwins) if he was descended from an ape on his grandmother's side or his grandfather's (shows how ignorant religious people can be: we are descended from a common ape-like ancestor, not apes) , and Huxley calmly and clearly replied he would rather be related to an ape than a man who would get in the way of truth. Wilberforce lost!!! (and Darwin did not believe his grandmother was an ape!)

7) if there were two moths, one the colour of tree bark, one white, the moth who had camoflauge would live longer, having more offspring, therefore camoflauged moths would slowly increase within the population. oh...you did consider God selection...well then why is evolution a problem for you?!?!

8) biodiversity is necessary because it improves a species chances of survival if something bad happens (eg. disease...some might be immune)

i hope this answers some of your questions

 

[maplestory]

Hey i have a bio assignment due soon and need these questions answered!

1. Describe 2 australian fossils, where these fossils were found and explain how the fossils contribute to the development and understanding of the evolution of species in Australia

2. Identify and describe evidence of a changing environment in australia over millions of years. (How has the australian environment changed? (eg. rainforests contracted and sclerophyll communities and grasslands spread) What process caused these changes? What change occurred in ONE species and how did their distribution change? eg kangaroo).

3. Define internal and external fertilisation. Discuss the relative success of each in the colonisation of terrestrial and aquatic environments.

4. Describe ONE mechanism found in australian fauna to ensure each of the following: fertilisation, survival of the embyro and survival of the young after birth. (don't use one organism as an example, use atleast 3).

5. Explain how the evolution of these reproductive adaptations has increased the chances of continuity of the species in the australian environment. (use natural selection, competition and environmental pressures in answer).

6. Discuss the Huxley-Wilberforce debate on Darwin's theory of evolution (Present both sides of arguements).

7. Using examples, explain natural selection as a mechanism that supports the theory of evolution (Try to relate these 2 concepts- theory of evolution and natural selection as described by Charles Darwin.

8. Explain the need to maintain biodiversity and discuss positive and negatives in current efforts to monitor biodiversity. (Be specific in Australian example (define biodiversity, state why it is necessary and give an example of a current program running to monitor biodiversity).

Thanks for any help you can give me even if its just one answer. These are dot points in the Australian biota sylabus so i was hoping a lot of you biology students may have done this and may be able to help me. Thanks a lot your help is really appreciated!

your text book would help .... & find some resources from BOS
hope it helps