Textbook Question
The most important primary producers in marine ecosystems are ___________.
1134
views
Ch. 27 - Diversification of Eukaryotes
Freeman8th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9780138276263
Not the one you use?Change textbookSelect a different textbook
Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - Biology: The Study of Life13
- Ch. 2 - Water and Carbon: The Chemical Basis of Life14
- Ch.3 - Protein Structure and Function10
- Ch.4 - Nucleic Acids and the RNA World10
- Ch. 5 - An Introduction to Carbohydrates10
- Ch. 6 - Lipids, Membranes, and the First Cells11
- Ch. 7 - Inside the Cell10
- Ch. 8 - Energy and Enzymes: An Introduction to Metabolism10
- Ch. 9 - Cellular Respiration and Fermentation11
- Ch. 10 - Photosynthesis12
- Ch. 11 - Cell-Cell Interactions12
- Ch. 12 - The Cell Cycle8
- Ch. 13 - Meiosis12
- Ch. 14 - Mendel and the Gene23
- Ch. 15 - DNA and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair15
- Ch. 16 - How Genes Work16
- Ch. 17 - Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation16
- Ch. 18 - Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria16
- Ch. 19 - Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes12
- Ch. 20 - The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology, Genomics, and New Frontiers15
- Ch. 21 - Genes, Development, and Evolution12
- Ch. 22 - Evolution by Natural Selection16
- Ch. 23 - Evolutionary Processes13
- Ch. 24 - Speciation15
- Ch. 25 - Phylogenies and the History of Life13
- Ch. 26 - Bacteria and Archaea15
- Ch. 27 - Diversification of Eukaryotes16
- Ch. 28 - Green Algae and Land Plants16
- Ch. 29 - Fungi18
- Ch. 30 - An Introduction to Animals9
- Ch. 31 - Protostome Animals15
- Ch. 32 - Deuterostome Animals17
- Ch. 33 - Viruses16
- Ch. 34 - Plant Form and Function16
- Ch. 35 - Water and Sugar Transport in Plants16
- Ch. 36 - Plant Nutrition13
- Ch. 37 - Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and Responses16
- Ch. 38 - Flowering Plant Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 39 - Animal Form and Function17
- Ch. 40 - Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals16
- Ch. 41 - Animal Nutrition16
- Ch. 42 - Gas Exchange and Circulation16
- Ch. 43 - Animal Nervous Systems16
- Ch. 44 - Animal Sensory Systems16
- Ch. 45 - Animal Movement11
- Ch. 46 - Chemical Signals in Animals16
- Ch. 47 - Animal Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 48 - The Immune System in Animals16
- Ch. 49 - An Introduction to Ecology15
- Ch. 50 - Behavioral Ecology16
- Ch. 51 - Population Ecology16
- Ch. 52 - Community Ecology20
- Ch. 53 - Ecosystems and Global Ecology17
- Ch. 54 - Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology18
Chapter 27, Problem 5
Explain the logic behind the claim that the nuclear envelope is a synapomorphy that defines eukaryotes as a monophyletic group.
Verified step by step guidance1
Begin by understanding the term 'synapomorphy'. A synapomorphy is a shared derived trait that is present in an ancestral species and its descendants, but not in more distant relatives. It is used to define a monophyletic group, which includes all the descendants of a common ancestor.
Next, consider the structure and function of the nuclear envelope. The nuclear envelope is a double membrane that surrounds the nucleus in eukaryotic cells, separating the genetic material from the cytoplasm. This structure is crucial for the compartmentalization of cellular processes.
Recognize that the nuclear envelope is a defining feature of eukaryotic cells, distinguishing them from prokaryotic cells, which lack a true nucleus and nuclear envelope. This structural difference is significant in the classification of life forms.
Understand that the presence of the nuclear envelope in eukaryotes is a synapomorphy because it is a derived trait that originated in the common ancestor of all eukaryotes. This trait is not found in prokaryotes, which supports the idea that eukaryotes form a monophyletic group.
Conclude by explaining that the nuclear envelope's role as a synapomorphy helps scientists classify eukaryotes as a distinct lineage, emphasizing their shared evolutionary history and common ancestry, which is a fundamental concept in phylogenetics.
Verified video answer for a similar problem:
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Video duration:
1mWas this helpful?
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Nuclear Envelope
The nuclear envelope is a double membrane structure that surrounds the nucleus in eukaryotic cells, separating the genetic material from the cytoplasm. It plays a crucial role in regulating the exchange of materials between the nucleus and the cytoplasm, and is a defining feature of eukaryotic cells, distinguishing them from prokaryotic cells which lack a true nucleus.
Recommended video:
Guided course
06:32
Nucleus
Synapomorphy
A synapomorphy is a shared derived trait that is present in an ancestral species and its descendants, but absent in more distant relatives. It is used in phylogenetic analysis to infer evolutionary relationships and define monophyletic groups, which include all descendants of a common ancestor. The presence of the nuclear envelope is considered a synapomorphy for eukaryotes.
Recommended video:
Guided course
15:46Cladistics
Monophyletic Group
A monophyletic group, or clade, consists of an ancestor and all its descendants, representing a single branch on the tree of life. It is defined by shared characteristics, such as synapomorphies, that are inherited from a common ancestor. Eukaryotes are considered a monophyletic group because they all share the nuclear envelope, a trait not found in prokaryotes.
Recommended video:
06:37Monophyletic, Paraphyletic, & Polyphyletic Group
Related Practice
Textbook Question
Evaluate the following statements regarding motility in protists. Select True or False for each statement.
T/F Amoeboid motion is common in species with cell walls.
T/F Some protists use flagella to swim.
T/F Some protists use cilia to swim, which are shorter and more numerous than flagella.
T/F Amoeboid motion requires ATP and interactions between the proteins actin and myosin.
758
views
Textbook Question
How can dinoflagellates be harmful to humans? a. They are transmitted by mosquitoes and cause malaria. b. They produce toxins that can be absorbed by clams and other shellfish which, when eaten by people, can lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning. c. They cause amoebic dysentery which leads to severe diarrhea and dehydration. d. They are transmitted by tsetse flies and cause 'sleeping sickness.'
551
views
Textbook Question
Consider the endosymbiosis theory for the origin of the mitochondrion. How did each endosymbiotic partner benefit from the relationship?
1623
views
1
rank
Textbook Question
Why was finding a close relationship between mitochondrial DNA and bacterial DNA considered particularly strong evidence in favor of the endosymbiosis theory?
1672
views
Textbook Question
The text claims that the evolutionary history of protists can be understood as a series of morphological innovations that established seven distinct lineages, each of which subsequently diversified based on innovative ways of feeding, moving, and reproducing. Explain how the Alveolata support this claim.
789
views