Question | Answer |
Dominant Trait | observed trait of an organism that mask the recessive form of a trait; these alleles show their effect on the phenotype whenever they are present in the genotype |
Recessive Trait | trait of an organism that can be masked by the dominant form of a trait |
Phenotype | a combination of the organism's genetic makeup and the environment's effect on that makeup; physical appearance |
Pedigree | the descendants of one individual |
Homeostasis/Equilibrium | The ability of a system or living organism to adjust its internal environment to maintain a stable equilibrium |
Negative Feedback | a mechanism of the endocrine system that chemically corrects an imbalance; called “negative feedback” because when the level of the imbalance decreases, the feedback stops the correcting effects |
System Levels (organization) | KPCOFGS King Philip Came Over For Good Spaghetti (mnemonic for taxonomy order: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species) |
Animal Cell | organisms whose cells are organized into complex structures enclosed within cell membranes: can not make their own food |
Plant Cell | a cell that is a structural and functional unit of a plant, is enclosed within a cell wall and can make its own food |
DNA | Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses |
Photosynthesis | a process in which organisms, with the aid of chlorophyll (green plant enzyme), convert carbon dioxide and inorganic substances into oxygen and additional plant material, using sunlight for energy |
Ecological Succession | Process in which communities of plant and animal species in a particular area are replaced over time by a series of different communities |
Autotroph | An organism that makes its own food (as in plants) |
Heterotroph | Describes an organism that obtains its energy through consuming other organisms |
Carrying Capacity | Maximum number of individuals of a given species that the enviorment will support. |
Pollutant | Any substance that contaminates the enviorment. |
Enzyme | A protein that helps chemical reactions in organisms occur more quickly. |
Recycle | Conservation method in which materials are used again. |
Nonpoint Source Pollution | Pollution that enters water from a large area and cannot be traced to a single location. |
Point Source Pollution | Pollution that enters water from a specific location and can be contolled or treated before it enters a body of water. |
Pesticides | Substance that is used to keep insects and weeds from destroying crops and lawns. |
Fertilizer | Chemical that helps plants and other organisms grow. |
Acid Rain | Acidic moisture, with a pH below a 5.6, that falls to Earth as rain of snow and can damage forests, harm organisms, and corrode structures. |
pH Scale | Scale that is used to measure how acidic or basic something is. |
Sewage | Water that goes into drains and contains human waste, household detergents, and soaps. |
Evolution | Change in the genetics of a species over time. |
Natural Selection | Process by which organisms that are suited to a particular enviorment are better able to survive and reproduce than organisms that are not. |
Mutation | Process that changes DNA to form new alleles. |
Adaptive Radiation | Production of several species from ancestral species. |
Extinction | Occurs when the last member of a species dies; causes a loss of diversity among living things. |
Organic | carbon based life form - is alive or was once alive |
Inorganic | relating or belonging to the class of compounds not having a carbon basis |
Succession | the rebuilding of populations in a community or ecosystem that has been changed |
pollutant | any substance that contaminates the environment |
producers | make their own food - grass, trees |
consumers | feeds on other living organisms; can't make their own food - deer eat grass; hawk eats snake |
decomposers | any organism that feeds off of decomposing organic material. Especially bacterium or fungi |
ecosystems | a community of organisms and where the organisms live |