U2 AoS2 Adaptations and diversity

Biotic factor

An environmental component that is living

Abiotic factor

An environmental component that is not living

Adaptation

A heritable change that makes an organism better suited to survival in its environment

Structural adaptation

A physical feature or part of an organism that helps it to survive in its environment

Physiological adaptation

An internal function cellular process of an organism that helps it to survive in its environment

Behavioural adaptation

An action or activity of an organism that helps it to survive in its environment

Interdependence

When two or more organisms rely on each other for survival.

Species

A group of organisms that are capable of interbreeding to produce fertile, viable offspring

Population

A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same location at the same time.

Community

A number of different populations that live together and interact in the same location at the same time.

Ecosystem

A biological community of organisms (biotic factors) and the abiotic factors in their environment that they interact with.

Symbiosis

A relationship between two different species living in close proximity where at least one benefits.

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship between two species in which both species benefit

Commensalism

A symbiotic relationship between two species in which one species benefits and the other is unaffected

Parasitism

A symbiotic relationship between two species where one benefits and the other is harmed

Predation

A relationship that is not symbiotic where one species benefits and the other is killed

Competition

A relationship that is not symbiotic where two different species are rivals for the same resources (food, territory etc.)

Producer/Autotroph

An organism that converts light energy into chemical energy it can use

Consumer/ Heterotroph

An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms

Decomposer

An organism that obtains nutrients by secreting enzymes that break down dead or decaying organic matter

Detritivore

An organism that obtains nutrients by ingesting dead organic matter

Herbivore

An organism that eats only plants

Carnivore

An organism that eats only animals

Omnivore

An organism that eats both plants and animals

Food web

A diagram that shows the energy transfers that occur in an ecosystem

Primary consumer

An organism that obtains energy by eating producers

Secondary consumer

An organism that obtains energy by eating primary consumers

Tertiary consumer

An organism that obtains energy by eating secondary consumers

Trophic level

A group of organisms that occupy the same level in a food web

Keystone species

A species that has a larger than expected influence on the survival of many other species in an ecosystem

Asexual reproduction

A type of reproduction that involves only one parent and produces offspring that are identical to the parent.

Spore formation

A process of asexual reproduction done by fungi, where many small capsules are produced and dispersed

Vegetative propagation

A form of asexual reproduction in which plants produce genetically identical offshoots (clones) of themselves, which then develop into independent plants.

Parthenogenesis

A form of asexual reproduction in which offspring are produced from an unfertilised egg of a female parent

Binary fission

A form of asexual reproduction in prokaryotes in which one cell divides into two genetically identical cells of the same size

Budding

A form of asexual reproduction in which a small outgrowth forms on the parent organism and eventually detaches, forming a new organism

Fragmentation

A form of asexual reproduction whereby a single parent breaks into parts that regenerate into whole new individuals.

An example of an organism that undergoes binary fission

E. coli

An example of an organism that undergoes parthenogenesis

Lizards

An example of an organism that undergoes budding

Yeast

An example of an organism that undergoes fragmentation

Starfish

An example of an organism that undergoes vegetative propagation

Potato