| Term | Definition |
|---|
| variations | differences in characteristics of organisms caused by genetic and environmental factors |
| biological diversity | the number and variety of organisms in an area |
| species | a group of organisms that share similar genetic and physical characteristics; generally these organisms can interbreed and produce fertile offspring |
| speciation | the evolution of different species from a single ancestor |
| structural adaptation | an inherited physical characteristic that helps and organism survive in its environment |
| behavioral adaptation | an inherited characteristic that helps an organism survive in its environment |
| diversity index | a measure of the biological diversity in an area, calculated by dividing the number of runs in a walk-through of an area by the total number of specimens |
| environment | the area or conditions in which an organism lives; sometimes used to refer exclusively to natural areas on earth |
| competition | the struggle among individual organisms for access to a limited resource, such as food or territory |
| broad niche | the roles or characteristic activities filled by a generalist organism |
| generalists | an organism with generalized requirements and adaptations that allow it to survive in variable conditions and depend on a variety of food sources; generalists tend to have broad niches |
| specialists | a type of organism that is adapted to very specific environments and having a narrow niche |
| narrow niche | a highly specialized role or characteristic activity undertaken by an organism in an ecosystem |
| specialization | adaptations for surviving in very specific environments |
| symbiotic | an interaction between organisms of different species living in close proximity to each other in a relationship that lasts over time |
| heritable | a genetic characteristic; that is, one that can be passed on from parent to offspring |
| reproductive strategies | a method an organism uses to reproduce |
| asexual reproduction | the formation of a new individual from a single organism |
| binary fission | the splitting of a single-celled organism into two new organisms approximately equal in size; amoebae and many bacteria reproduce asexually through this process |
| spores | a single-celled reproductive structure from which and individual offspring develops; plants, algae, fungi, and some protozoa produce spores |
| zoospores | a flagellated asexual spore; the alga Chlamydomonas reproduces this way |
| meristem | an area of cell division of unspecialized cells in the tips of roots and shoots that produces new growth in plants |
| clones | an identical copy of a molecule, gene, cell, or entire organism |
| budding | an asexual reproduction process in which a bud forms on an organism, grows, and eventually breaks away to become a new organism independent of the parent |
| sexual reproduction | reproductive process involving two sexes or mating types, and resulting in offspring with a combination of genes from both parents |
| zygospores | a single-celled reproductive structure formed in sexual reproduction by some fungi; zygospores contain genetic information from two different mating types, - and + |
| bacterial conjugation | the direct transfer of genetic material (DNA) from one bacterial cell to another |
| zygote | the new cell formed by the process of fertilization |
| pistil | the seed-producing, or female, part of a flower |
| stamen | the part of a flower that contains pollen (male) |
| ovule | the plant part that develops into a seed |
| pollen tube | in a plant, a tube that grows from a pollen grain toward the ovule |
| embryo | a multi-cellular organism during early development |
| cotyledons | a seed leaf; a structure in a seed that nourishes the plant embryo |
| self-pollination | pollination of an ovule in a flower with pollen from the same flower |
| cross-pollination | pollination of an ovule in a flower with pollen from a different individual plant |
| genetics | the study of genes or heritable traits |
| continuous variation | in genetics, traits that show a range of possibilities |
| discrete variation | in genetics, inherited traits that have a limited number of variations, such as the ability of inability to roll one's tongue |
| dominant trait | an inherited trait that shows up in the offspring |
| recessive trait | an inherited trait that shows up in the offspring only if both parents passed on the genes for the trait; when mixed with genes for a dominant trait, a recessive trait does not show up in the offspring |
| mutations | a change in the genetic information, or DNA, of an organism |
| mutagens | an agent that can cause changes in the genetic information of an organism |
| DNA | (deoxyribonucleic acid) a molecule that stores genetic information for heritable traits and directs the structure and functions of cells |
| chromosomes | in a cell, tightly packed strands of DNA visible under a light microscope during cell division |
| gene | a section of DNA on a chromosome that codes for a specific protein and function |
| somatic cells | body cells, not the egg or sperm (reproductive cells) |
| genetic engineering | the artificial introduction of genes from one organism into the genetic material of another |
| biotechnology | using or modifying living organisms to make marketable products; sometimes involves genetic engineering |
| transgenic | an organism produced by moving DNA from one organism to another to create a new genetic combination |
| aquaculture | fish farming |
| domestic animal | an animal that is no longer wild, but has been bred or tamed by humans to perform various functions |
| artificial selection | technique in which individual plants or animals with desirable traits are bred together to develop plants or animals with specific traits; also called selective breeding |
| selective breeding | technique in which individual plants or animals with desirable traits are bred together to develop plants or animals with specific traits; also known called artificial selection |
| natural selection | a naturally occurring process in which only those organisms with the best traits for survival in an environment survive to reproduce; over time this process results in changes in the genetic characteristics of a species |
| extirpation | the extinction of a species from specific geographic areas |
| bioindicator species | species that help indicate the environmental change |
| seed bank | a collection of genetically diverse seeds |
| global treaties | international agreements between many nations worldwide |
| protected areas | natural areas protected by law from certain kinds of human activities; includes preserves, refuges, and provincial and national parks |
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