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2nd semester Biology vocab

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Term
Definition
Autotroph   An organism that produces it's own food through photosynthesis, also known as a producer.  
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Heterotroph   An organism that cannot make it's own food so it has to consume other organisms for energy, also known as a consumer.  
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Food Web   Multiple overlapping food chains in a particular ecosystem.  
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Matter   The substance that all things are made up of.  
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Food Chain   A diagram that shows the flow of energy between organisms in a particular ecosystem.  
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Producer   An organism that produces it's own food through photosynthesis, also known as an autotroph.  
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Consumer   An organism that cannot make it's own food so it has to consume other organisms for energy, also known as a heterotroph.  
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Decomposer   An organism that breaks down dead or dying organisms to return their nutrients back into the ecosystem.  
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Herbivore   A consumer that only eats producers or plants.  
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Omnivore   A consumer that eats both producers and other consumers.  
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Carnivore   A consumer that eats only other consumers.  
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Scavenger   A consumer that eats only dead or dying consumers  
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Energy Pyramid   A triangular diagram illustrating that the amount of energy at each level of a food chain decreases.  
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Competition   The relationship between organisms in the same ecosystem fighting or competiting for limited resources, such as food, water, space, or mates.  
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Biodiversity   The abundance of living things in a particular ecosystem.  
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Predation   The relationship between at least two organisms in which one hunts and kills the other for food.  
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Predator   The organism that is hunting it's prey for food.  
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Prey   The organism that is being hunted as food.  
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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.  
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Organism   One individual of one species in a particular ecosystem.  
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Population   All of the organisms of the same species in a particular ecosystem.  
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Community   All of the differing populations of organisms living together in one ecosystem.  
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Ecosystem   All of the living and nonliving parts of a particular area.  
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Carbon Cycle   How carbon is cycled in the environment. Through photosynthesis & respiration.  
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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.  
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Phosphorous Cycle   How phosphorus is cycled in the environment through weathering.  
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Keystone Species   a species that is vital to the survival and health of an environment.  
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Invasive Species   A species that is not native to the area in which it is living. This can seriously damage the ecosystem.  
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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  
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Biosphere   All of Earth's Life supporting features.  
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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  
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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  
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Abiotic Factors   The non-living factors in an ecosystem, such as sunlight, oxygen/air, temperature, precipitation, rocks/soil.  
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Biotic Factors   All the living factors in an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, fungi and bacteria.  
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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  
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Exponential Growth Curve   a j-shaped graph where the population growth rises without stopping, this is a result of unlimited resources  
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Limiting Factors   factors in the environment that limit a population's growth  
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Density Dependent Limiting Factors   factors that limit a populations growth based on the population size. Ex: space, mates, food and water  
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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  
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Natural Selection   organisms with beneficial traits survive and reproduce to pass on the beneficial trait to future offspring  
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Charles Darwin   a naturalist who traveled to the Galapagos Islands and begin the theory of Evolution  
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Fossils   remains of previously living organisms that provide scientists with evidence of how organisms have changed over time  
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Embryology   the idea that organisms have evolved from a common ancestor because embryos of differing organisms appear similar  
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Homologous Structures   the idea that organisms have evolved from a common ancestor because some structures of differing organisms appear similar  
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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  
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Mimicry   a harmless organism's appearance looking similar to a harmful organism  
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Camouflage   an organism blending into its surroundings  
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Evolution   change in a species over time  
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Variation   naturally occurring differences in the species ca be beneficial leading to eventual adaptations  
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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  
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Comparative Morphology   the scientific study of structures of organisms  
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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  
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Gradualism   the idea that evolution occurred gradually, over a long period of time  
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Punctuated Equilibrium   the idea that evolution occurs in quick bursts, followed by periods of stability  
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Directional Evolution   the evolution of a species in which one variation of a trait is favored over all others  
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Stabilizing Evolution   the evolution of a species in which the average or median variation of traits is favored over both extremes  
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Disruptive Evolution   the evolution of a species in which both extreme variations of traits are favored over the average or median trait  
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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.  
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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.  
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Adaptive Radiation   the creation of a variety of new species evolving from a common ancestor, such as Darwin's Finches  
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Behavioral Adaptations   adaptations in an organism that are behaviors, such as mating dances, mating calls, migration, hibernation  
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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  
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Physiological Adaptations   adaptations in an organism that its body naturally makes, such as venom, poison, ink, etc.  
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Convergent Evolution   organisms that do not have a common ancestor, but develop common characteristics due to their environment. Ex: dolphins and fish and penguins  
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Divergent Evolution   organisms that DO have a common ancestor but have become more and more different over time. Ex: wolves and dogs  
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Transgenic Organism   the product of recombinant DNA, where DNA from 2 different organisms are combined together. Ex: glowing cats  
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DNA Fingerprint   the result of gel electrophoresis. compares DNA from multiple sources. Used in Forensics to identify suspects, also used in paternity  
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Restriction Enzymes   used to cut DNA into smaller pieces  
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Recombinant DNA   combining 2 or more segments of DNA from other organisms to create transgenic organisms  
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Gene Therapy   using a virus to replace mutated or damaged genes that can lead to a person not being able to create specific proteins  
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Gel Electrophoresis   Process that separates DNA pieces by size using an electrical current to which creates a DNA fingerprint  
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Cloning   creating a genetically identical copy of a cell, tissue, organ or organism  
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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  
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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  
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Endosymbiotic Theory   The theory of how eukaryotic cells have developed from prokaryotic cells  
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Archae   The domain containing prokaryotic bacteria, that like extreme locations like underwater vents and acid pools  
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Eukrya   The domain containing eukaryotic organisms, including Protists, Fungi, Plants and Animals  
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Taxonomic Levels of Classification   Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species  
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Taxonomy   branch of Biology that groups and names organisms  
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Prokaryote   an organism without a nucleus; genetic material floats freely throughout the organism  
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Eukaryote   an organism that has its genetic material contained inside a nucleus  
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Classification   the process of grouping organisms together by similarities  
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Archaebacteria   prokaryotic, unicellular, heterotroph & autotroph, lives in harsh environments, has a cell wall without peptidoglycan  
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Eubacteria   prokaryotic, unicellular, heterotroph & autotroph, "true bacteria", cell walls with peptidoglycan, found in most areas  
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Protista   eukaryotic, unicellular or multicellular, heterotroph & autotroph, most varied group, some have cell walls some do not, can reproduce sexually or asexually  
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Fungi   eukaryotic, unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophs, decomposers, cell walls made of chitin  
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Plantae   eukaryotic, multicellular, autotrophic, cell walls made of cellulose, reproduces sexually & asexually  
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Animalia   eukaryotic, multicellular, heterotrophs, no cell walls, reproduce sexually  
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Phylogenetic Tree/Cladogram   a diagram that shows the evolutionary relationships & how closely or distantly related organisms are  
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Heterotroph   cannot produce its own energy and therefore must consume other organisms  
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Autotroph   can produce its own energy, typically through photosynthesis  
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Multicellular   made of two or more cells  
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Unicellular   made of only 1 cell  
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