biol+2+exam+revision

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homeostasis concept map [|biol 2 exam revision.ppt]

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Voj the builder- can he fix us? What do you mean by this? I don't get it. can you help me? (yes you can!)
 * Question: What is Apical Dominance?** I can't seem to grasp the idea of it!

// A. In short, the term relates to plants that grow upwards more than outwards. In other words, growth of the main shoot (stem) upwards is important because it means a the plant grows taller hence less likely to have sunlight blocked out by other plants. But plants have branches that also go sideways rather than upwards, hence apical dominanace (promoted by auxin) is sort of like an adaptation in some plants that ensures growth is upwards. Do not worry about this other than be familiar with its relevance. If need be, ask me to explain more when you come in. VM //

Bit confused Voj What is action potential, and what is its role/ influences? Thanks, Lia and Lauren

// A. Action potential is the name of the electrical impulse that is generated within a nerve cell and travels along the axon. You need not worry about how it actually is generated, other than knowing the direction it goes and its "all or nothing" characteristic (if stimulus is not great enough no electrical impulse, therefore message does not continue). It's role is really the way a "message" travels along the neuron. If stimulated the neuron allows the action potential to travel along towards the axon terminals, where neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic gap that then cause the next neuron to be stimulated. And the myelin sheath allows the electrical impulse to travel faster along axon. VM //

Yeah, that last answer makes sense (I'm glad! VM) Another question: Is homeostasis a physiological adaptation? eg calcium regulation

// A. all living things need to maintain the right environment around their cells, even if they are only one cell big, so homeostasis itself is not an adaptation. However, organisms do have physiological, structural and behavioural adaptations to be able to maintain homeostasis. So in calcium regulation a structural adaptation may be the fact that we have lots of bones that make up our body (not really a good example but the three main examples we covered (temp, sugar and water regulation) all have clear examples of different types of adpatations). VM //