Quarterly Test Biology Vocabulary

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Metabolism

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The sum total of all processes in an organism which convert energy and matter from outside sources and use that energy and matter to sustain the organism's life functions

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Anabolism

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The sum total of all processes in an organism which use energy and simple chemical building blocks to produce large chemicals and structures necessary for life.

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Catabolism

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The sum total of all processes in an organism which break down chemicals to produce energy and simple chemical building blocks.

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Photosynthesis

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The process by which green plants and some other organisms use the energy of sunlight and simple chemicals to produce their own food.

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Herbivores

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Organisms that eat only plants

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Carnivores

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Organisms that eat only organisms other than plants

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Onivores

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Organisms that eat both plants and other organisms

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Producers

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Organisms that produce their own fod

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Consumers

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Organisms that eat living producers and/or other consumers for food.

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Decomposers

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Organisms that break down the dead remains of other organisms

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Autotrophs

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Organisms that are able to make their own food

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Heterotrophs

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Organisms that depend on other organisms for their food

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Receptors

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Special structures that allow living organisms to sense the conditions of their internal or external environment.

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Asexual reproduction

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Reproduction accomplished by a single organism

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Sexual reproduction

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Reproduction that requires two organisms

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Inheritence

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The process by which physical and biological characteristics are transmitted from the parent (or parents) to the offspring

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Mutation

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An abrupt and marked change in the DNA of an organism compared to that of it's parents.

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Hypothesis

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An educated guess that attempts to explain an observation or answer a question

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Theory

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A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data

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Scientific law

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A theory that has been tested by and is consistent with generations of data

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Microorganisms

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Living creatures that are too small to see with the naked eye

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Abiogenesis

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The idea that long ago, very simple life forms spontaneously appeared through chemical reactions

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Prokaryotic cell

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A cell that has no distinct membrane-bounded organelles

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Eukaryotic cell

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A cell with distinct, membrane-bounded organelles

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Species

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A unit of one or more populations of individuals that can reproduce under normal conditions, produce fertile offspring, and are reproductively isolated from other such units

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Taxonomy

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The science of classifying organisms

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Binomial Nomenclature

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Naming an organisms with its genus and species name

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Pathogen

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An organism that causes disease

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Saprophyte

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An organism that feeds on dead matter

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Parasite

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An organism that feeds on a living host

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Aerobic organism

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An organism that requires oxygen

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Anaerobic organism

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An organism that doesn't require oxygen

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Steady state

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A state in which members of a population die as quickly as new members are born

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Exponential growth

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Population growth that is unhindered because of the abundance of resources for an ever-increasing population

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Logistic growth

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Population growth that is controlled by limited resources

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Conjugation

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A temporary union of two organisms for the purpose of DNA transfer

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Plasmid

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A small, circular section of extra DNA that confers one or more traits to a bacterium and can be reproduced separately from the main bacterial genetic code

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Transformation

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The transfer of a DNA segment from a nonfunctional donor cell to that of a functional recipient cell

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Transduction

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The process in which infection by a virus results in DNA being transferred from one bacterium to another

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Endospore

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The DNA and other essential parts of a bacterium coated with several hard layers

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Strains

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Organisms from the same species that have markedly different traits

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Pseudopod

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A temporary foot-like extension of a cell, used for locomotion or engulfing food

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Nucleus

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The region of a eukaryotic cell that contains the cell's main DNA

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Vacuole

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A membrane-bounded "sac" within a cell

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Ectoplasm

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The thin, watery cytoplasm near the plasma membrane of some cells

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Endoplasm

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The dense cytoplasm found in the interior of many cells

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Flagellate

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A protozoan that propels itself with a flageullum

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Pellicle

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A firm, flexible coating utside the plasma membrane

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Chloroplast

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An organelle containing chlorophyll for photosynthesis

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Chlorophyl

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A pigment necessary for photosynthesis

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Eyespot

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A light-sensitive region in certain protozoa

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Symbiosis

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A close relationship between two or more species where at least one benefits

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Mutualism

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A relationship between two or more organisms of different species where all benefits from the association

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Commensalism

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A relationship between two organisms of different species where on benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited.

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Parasitism

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A relationship between two organisms of different species where on benefits and the other is harmed

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Cilia

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Hairlike projections that extend from the plasma membrane and are used for locomotion

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Plankton

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Tiny organisms that float in the water

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Zooplankton

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Tiny floating organisms that are either small animals or protozoa

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Phytoplankton

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Tiny floating photosynthetic, primarily algae

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Thallus

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The body of a plant-like organism that is not divided into leaves, roots, or stems

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Cellulose

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A substance (made of sugars) that is common in the cell walls of many organisms

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Holdfast

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A special structures used by an organism to anchor itself

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Sessile colony

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A colony that uses holdfasts to anchor itself to an object

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Extracellular digestion

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Digestion that takes part outside of the cell

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Mycelium

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The part of the fungus responsible from extracellular digestion and absorption of the digested food

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Hypha

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A filament of fungal cells

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Rhizoid hypha

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A hypha that is imbedded into the material on which the fungus grows

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Aerial hypha

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A hypha that is not imbedded into the material upon which the fungus grows

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Sporophore

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Specialized aerial hypha that produces spores

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Stolon

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An aerial hypha that asexually reproduces to make more filaments

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Haustorium

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A hypha of parasitic fungus that enters the host's cells, absorbing nutrition directly from the cytoplasm.

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Chitin

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A chemical that provides both toughness and flexibility

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Membrane

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A thin covering of tissue

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Fermentation

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The anaerobic breakdown of sugars into smaller molecules

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Zygospore

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A zygote surrounded by a hard, protective covering

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Zygote

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The result of sexual reproduction when each parent contributes half the DNA necessary for the offspring

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Antibiotic

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A chemical secreted by a living organism that kills or reduces the reproduction rate of other organisms