Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
WHS Bio Final 2009
Vocabulary list for WHS Biology Final 2009
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| ecosystem | all the organisms in a particular location, including their non-living environment |
| species | two organisms that are so similar they can interbreed in nature and produce fertile offspring |
| population | members of a species in a defined area |
| community | populations of different organisms living in a defined area |
| autotroph | organism that makes its own food using sunlight or chemicals; producer |
| producer | organism that makes its own food using sunlight or chemicals; autotroph |
| photosynthesis | using sunlight and carbon dioxide to make food (carbohydrates) |
| heterotroph | organism that relies on other organisms for food; consumer |
| consumer | organism that relies on other organisms for food; heterotroph |
| omnivore | consumer that eats both plants and animals |
| decomposer | organism that breaks down and absorbs nutrients from dead organisms |
| food chain | series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten |
| food web | network of all the food chains in an ecosystem |
| trophic level | step in a food chain, food web, or ecological pyramid |
| energy pyramid | diagram that shows the energy available to each trophic level in an ecosystem; 10% is passed on to upper levels, the rest is lost as heat |
| nitrogen fixation | process in which bacteria convert nitrogen gas into nitrogen compounds plants can use to make proteins |
| biotic factor | living factors or organisms that affect an ecosystem |
| abiotic factor | non-living factor that affects an ecosystem |
| habitat | where an organism lives |
| predation | interaction in which one organism hunts, captures, and feeds on another organism |
| symbiosis | relationship in which two species live closely together |
| mutualism | symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit |
| commensalism | symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is not affected |
| parasitism | symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is harmed |
| immigration | individuals joining a population |
| emigration | individuals leaving a population |
| biodiversity | the variety of all living things in the biosphere |
| cellular respiration | process that breaks down food to make ATP and releases carbon dioxide as waste |
| evolution | change over time; process by which modern organisms descended from ancient organisms |
| fossil | preserved remains of an ancient organism |
| natural variation | differences among individuals of a species; results from mutation and sexual reproduction |
| struggle for existence | competition between organisms for food and space |
| fitness | ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment |
| adaptation | inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival |
| survival of the fittest | individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; natural selection |
| natural selection | individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; survival of the fittest |
| common descent | principle that all living things have a common ancestor |
| homologous structure | structures that have different mature forms but develop from the same embryonic tissues |
| vestigial organ | organ so reduced in size, it does not serve an important function; may be homologous to structures in other organisms |
| speciation | formation of a new species as a result of reproductive isolation |
| reproductive isolation | separation of species that prevents them from interbreeding and producing fertile offspring |
| geographic isolation | type of reproductive isolation in which two populations are separated by geographic barries like mountains or bodies of water |
| taxonomy | classification of organisms |
| kingdom | second largest taxonomic group; there are six - animalia, plantae, protista, eubacteria, archaebacteria, fungi |
| domain | most inclusive taxonomic group, larger than kingdom; three exist - bacteria, archaea, eukaryota |
| Protista | a single celled plant or animal, ex. amoeba, paramecia, euglena |
| Fungi | kingdom of heterotrophs that obtain nutrients through absorption, ex. mushrooms, yeasts |
| Eukaryota | domain of organisms that contain nuclei, includes animals, plants, fungi, and protists |
| gene | section of DNA that codes for a protein and determines a trait |
| trait | specific characteristic that varies from one individual to another |
| allele | form of a gene |
| dominant | trait that will show up in an organism's phenotype if gene is present |
| recessive | trait that will only appear in the phenotype if organism inherits two of them; covered up by the dominant gene |
| segregation | separation of alleles during meiosis or gamete formation |
| gamete | sex cell; sperm or egg |
| hybrid | offspring of a cross between parents with different traits; heterozygous |
| probability | likelihood an event will occur |
| phenotype | physical characteristics of an organism |
| Punnett square | diagram that shows the possible results of a genetic cross; parents' gametes on top and left, offsprings' genotypes inside |
| genotype | genetic makeup of an organism |
| homozygous | has two identical alleles for a particular trait; true-breeding or purebred, ex. PP or pp |
| heterozygous | has two different alleles for a particular trait; hybrid, ex. Pp |
| independent assortment | principle that genes do not influence each other's inheritance because they are separated independently during meiosis |
| incomplete dominance | creates a blended phenotype; one allele is not completely dominant over the other |
| polygenic trait | trait controlled by two or more genes; shows a wide variety of phenotypes |
| codominance | both genes contribute to the phenotype of the organism, ex. spotted or striped |
| nondisjunction | error in meiosis in which homologous chromosomes don't separate; gametes end up with wrong number of chromosomes |
| sex-linked trait | trait related to a gene that is found on the X or Y chromosomes |
Created by:
mshunt
Popular Biology sets