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Biology Spring Vocab
2nd semester Biology vocab
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Autotroph | An organism that produces it's own food through photosynthesis, also known as a producer. |
| Heterotroph | An organism that cannot make it's own food so it has to consume other organisms for energy, also known as a consumer. |
| Food Web | Multiple overlapping food chains in a particular ecosystem. |
| Matter | The substance that all things are made up of. |
| Food Chain | A diagram that shows the flow of energy between organisms in a particular ecosystem. |
| Producer | An organism that produces it's own food through photosynthesis, also known as an autotroph. |
| Consumer | An organism that cannot make it's own food so it has to consume other organisms for energy, also known as a heterotroph. |
| Decomposer | An organism that breaks down dead or dying organisms to return their nutrients back into the ecosystem. |
| Herbivore | A consumer that only eats producers or plants. |
| Omnivore | A consumer that eats both producers and other consumers. |
| Carnivore | A consumer that eats only other consumers. |
| Scavenger | A consumer that eats only dead or dying consumers |
| Energy Pyramid | A triangular diagram illustrating that the amount of energy at each level of a food chain decreases. |
| Competition | The relationship between organisms in the same ecosystem fighting or competiting for limited resources, such as food, water, space, or mates. |
| Biodiversity | The abundance of living things in a particular ecosystem. |
| Predation | The relationship between at least two organisms in which one hunts and kills the other for food. |
| Predator | The organism that is hunting it's prey for food. |
| Prey | The organism that is being hunted as food. |
| Adaption | A characteristic that allows an organism to survive in it's environment, such as camouflage, having sharp teeth, or being able to run fast. |
| Organism | One individual of one species in a particular ecosystem. |
| Population | All of the organisms of the same species in a particular ecosystem. |
| Community | All of the differing populations of organisms living together in one ecosystem. |
| Ecosystem | All of the living and nonliving parts of a particular area. |
| Carbon Cycle | How carbon is cycled in the environment. Through photosynthesis & respiration. |
| Nitrogen Cycle | How nitrogen is cycled in the environment, helping plants to grow with the help of nitrogen fixing bacteria and bacteria that aid in the denitrification process. |
| Phosphorous Cycle | How phosphorus is cycled in the environment through weathering. |
| Keystone Species | a species that is vital to the survival and health of an environment. |
| Invasive Species | A species that is not native to the area in which it is living. This can seriously damage the ecosystem. |
| Primary Succession | The creation of a new ecosystem where one has never existed before. Begins with pioneer species likes lichens and mosses, which create soil/dirt |
| Biosphere | All of Earth's Life supporting features. |
| Secondary Succession | The rebuilding of an ecosystem after it has been lost as a result of human activity like logging/deforestation or after a natural disaster like a tornado or fire |
| Pioneer Species | The first species to grow and live in an new environment, like lichens and mosses, which help to create soil/dirt where there wasn't any before |
| Abiotic Factors | The non-living factors in an ecosystem, such as sunlight, oxygen/air, temperature, precipitation, rocks/soil. |
| Biotic Factors | All the living factors in an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, fungi and bacteria. |
| Logistic Growth Curve | an s-shaped curved graph where the population growth rises until it meets it's carrying capacity, at which point it stabilizes or becomes constant |
| Exponential Growth Curve | a j-shaped graph where the population growth rises without stopping, this is a result of unlimited resources |
| Limiting Factors | factors in the environment that limit a population's growth |
| Density Dependent Limiting Factors | factors that limit a populations growth based on the population size. Ex: space, mates, food and water |
| Density Independent Limiting Factors | factors that limit a population's growth that DO NOT depend on the population size, typically abiotic factors like, fires, floods, tornados, or human activity |
| Natural Selection | organisms with beneficial traits survive and reproduce to pass on the beneficial trait to future offspring |
| Charles Darwin | a naturalist who traveled to the Galapagos Islands and begin the theory of Evolution |
| Fossils | remains of previously living organisms that provide scientists with evidence of how organisms have changed over time |
| Embryology | the idea that organisms have evolved from a common ancestor because embryos of differing organisms appear similar |
| Homologous Structures | the idea that organisms have evolved from a common ancestor because some structures of differing organisms appear similar |
| Vestigial Structures | the idea that organisms have evolved over time because there are remaining structures in some organisms that are no longer being used today |
| Mimicry | a harmless organism's appearance looking similar to a harmful organism |
| Camouflage | an organism blending into its surroundings |
| Evolution | change in a species over time |
| Variation | naturally occurring differences in the species ca be beneficial leading to eventual adaptations |
| Darwin's Finches | birds that Charles Darwin found on the Galapagos Islands that demonstrate change in a species over time due to limited food resources |
| Comparative Morphology | the scientific study of structures of organisms |
| Analogous Structures | structures in genetically different organisms that have the same function due to environmental requirements, like fins of a fish and flippers on a penguin |
| Gradualism | the idea that evolution occurred gradually, over a long period of time |
| Punctuated Equilibrium | the idea that evolution occurs in quick bursts, followed by periods of stability |
| Directional Evolution | the evolution of a species in which one variation of a trait is favored over all others |
| Stabilizing Evolution | the evolution of a species in which the average or median variation of traits is favored over both extremes |
| Disruptive Evolution | the evolution of a species in which both extreme variations of traits are favored over the average or median trait |
| Geographic Isolation | the isolation of a population of a species due to geographic features like mountains, lakes, streams, etc., resulting in two species to be developed over time. |
| Allelic Frequency | the percentage of a specific allele appearing in a population. Calculated by taking the total number of alleles available in the population and dividing it by the number of the specific allele you're looking for. |
| Adaptive Radiation | the creation of a variety of new species evolving from a common ancestor, such as Darwin's Finches |
| Behavioral Adaptations | adaptations in an organism that are behaviors, such as mating dances, mating calls, migration, hibernation |
| Structural Adaptations | adaptations in an organism that are a part of its structure, or how its built, such as hollow bones in birds, gills for fish, wings for insects that fly |
| Physiological Adaptations | adaptations in an organism that its body naturally makes, such as venom, poison, ink, etc. |
| Convergent Evolution | organisms that do not have a common ancestor, but develop common characteristics due to their environment. Ex: dolphins and fish and penguins |
| Divergent Evolution | organisms that DO have a common ancestor but have become more and more different over time. Ex: wolves and dogs |
| Transgenic Organism | the product of recombinant DNA, where DNA from 2 different organisms are combined together. Ex: glowing cats |
| DNA Fingerprint | the result of gel electrophoresis. compares DNA from multiple sources. Used in Forensics to identify suspects, also used in paternity |
| Restriction Enzymes | used to cut DNA into smaller pieces |
| Recombinant DNA | combining 2 or more segments of DNA from other organisms to create transgenic organisms |
| Gene Therapy | using a virus to replace mutated or damaged genes that can lead to a person not being able to create specific proteins |
| Gel Electrophoresis | Process that separates DNA pieces by size using an electrical current to which creates a DNA fingerprint |
| Cloning | creating a genetically identical copy of a cell, tissue, organ or organism |
| Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) | organisms that have had their genes modified in a science lab to make them: produce more, healthier, or pesticide/herbicide resistant options |
| STEM Cell | "blank" or jobless cells that can be programmed by doctors and scientists to become specialized for the use in replacing damaged cells due to disease or injury |
| Endosymbiotic Theory | The theory of how eukaryotic cells have developed from prokaryotic cells |
| Archae | The domain containing prokaryotic bacteria, that like extreme locations like underwater vents and acid pools |
| Eukrya | The domain containing eukaryotic organisms, including Protists, Fungi, Plants and Animals |
| Taxonomic Levels of Classification | Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species |
| Taxonomy | branch of Biology that groups and names organisms |
| Prokaryote | an organism without a nucleus; genetic material floats freely throughout the organism |
| Eukaryote | an organism that has its genetic material contained inside a nucleus |
| Classification | the process of grouping organisms together by similarities |
| Archaebacteria | prokaryotic, unicellular, heterotroph & autotroph, lives in harsh environments, has a cell wall without peptidoglycan |
| Eubacteria | prokaryotic, unicellular, heterotroph & autotroph, "true bacteria", cell walls with peptidoglycan, found in most areas |
| Protista | eukaryotic, unicellular or multicellular, heterotroph & autotroph, most varied group, some have cell walls some do not, can reproduce sexually or asexually |
| Fungi | eukaryotic, unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophs, decomposers, cell walls made of chitin |
| Plantae | eukaryotic, multicellular, autotrophic, cell walls made of cellulose, reproduces sexually & asexually |
| Animalia | eukaryotic, multicellular, heterotrophs, no cell walls, reproduce sexually |
| Phylogenetic Tree/Cladogram | a diagram that shows the evolutionary relationships & how closely or distantly related organisms are |
| Heterotroph | cannot produce its own energy and therefore must consume other organisms |
| Autotroph | can produce its own energy, typically through photosynthesis |
| Multicellular | made of two or more cells |
| Unicellular | made of only 1 cell |
Created by:
DrMacKay
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