BIOL 1407 – Exam 3 Review Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering producers, microalgae, plant anatomy & growth, ecological processes, feeding strategies, major invertebrate & vertebrate groups, reproductive modes, and egg anatomy as outlined in the BIOL 1407 Exam 3 review.

Producer

An organism (usually a photoautotroph) that makes its own organic molecules from CO₂ and an energy source; examples include plants, algae, and cyanobacteria.

Photoautotroph

Organism that uses light energy and CO₂ to build organic molecules (e.g., plants, algae, cyanobacteria).

Chemoautotroph

Organism that oxidizes inorganic chemicals (e.g., H₂S, NH₃) for energy and uses CO₂ as its carbon source; many prokaryotes.

Phytoplankton

Microscopic, photosynthetic organisms drifting in aquatic environments; base of most marine food webs.

Red tide

Harmful algal bloom (often dinoflagellates) that releases toxins and discolors water.

Cyanobacteria

Photosynthetic prokaryotes (blue-green algae) important for oxygen production and nitrogen fixation.

Diatoms

Unicellular algae with silica cell walls; major component of marine phytoplankton.

Dinoflagellates

Flagellated protists; some bioluminescent, some cause red tides; cellulose plates for armor.

Green algae

Photosynthetic protists most closely related to land plants; chlorophyll a & b, cellulose cell walls.

Brown algae

Multicellular marine algae (kelp) with algin in cell walls; exhibit alternation of generations.

Lichen

Symbiotic association between fungus and photosynthetic alga/cyanobacterium.

Zooxanthellae

Dinoflagellate symbionts that live in coral tissues and provide them with photosynthate.

Algal bloom

Rapid algal population increase from excess nutrients; can deplete oxygen when algae die.

Dead zone

Low-oxygen (hypoxic) aquatic area often caused by decomposition of algal blooms; lethal to many organisms.

Nonvascular plants (Bryophytes)

Early land plants lacking xylem and phloem (mosses, liverworts, hornworts); dominant gametophyte.

Seedless vascular plants

Early plants with xylem & phloem but no seeds (ferns, horsetails, club mosses); dominant sporophyte.

Peat

Partially decayed moss (Sphagnum) deposits that store carbon and can be used as fuel.

Heterosporous

Producing two spore types: microspores (male) and megaspores (female).

Homosporous

Producing one type of spore that gives rise to bisexual gametophytes.

Xylem

Vascular tissue that transports water & minerals upward; composed of tracheids and vessel elements.

Phloem

Vascular tissue that transports sugars and other organic products throughout a plant.

Meristem

Region of undifferentiated plant cells where growth (cell division) occurs.

Alternation of generations

Life cycle with multicellular haploid (gametophyte) and diploid (sporophyte) stages.

Taproot

Large, central root that penetrates deep soil layers; typical of dicots.

Fibrous root

Dense network of equally sized roots; typical of monocots; good for erosion control.

Rhizome

Horizontal underground stem that stores resources and forms new shoots (e.g., ginger).

Stolon (Runner)

Horizontal aboveground stem that forms new plants at nodes (e.g., strawberry).

Tuber

Swollen, food-storing stem (e.g., potato).

Bulb

Short stem with fleshy leaves for storage (e.g., onion).

Tendril

Modified leaf or stem used for climbing support (e.g., pea tendril).

Spine (Leaf)

Modified leaf that reduces water loss and deters herbivores (e.g., cactus spine).

Succulent leaf

Water-storing, thick leaf adapted to arid environments (e.g., aloe).

Apical bud

Bud at a plant’s shoot tip responsible for primary (length) growth.

Axillary bud

Bud in the angle between leaf and stem that can form lateral branches or flowers.

Primary growth

Growth in length from apical meristems; forms primary xylem, phloem, epidermis, ground tissue.

Secondary growth

Growth in girth from vascular & cork cambia; produces secondary xylem (wood) and secondary phloem, cork.

Vascular cambium

Lateral meristem producing secondary xylem inward and secondary phloem outward.

Cork cambium

Lateral meristem producing protective cork (bark) to the outside.

Parasitic plant

Plant that obtains nutrients from another plant via haustoria (e.g., mistletoe, dodder).

Carnivorous plant

Photosynthetic plant that supplements nutrients by digesting animals (e.g., Venus flytrap).

Crop rotation

Alternating crop species in a field across seasons to replenish soil nutrients and disrupt pests.

Carnivore

Heterotroph that consumes other animals.

Herbivore

Heterotroph that consumes plants or algae.

Omnivore

Heterotroph that consumes both plant and animal material.

Detritivore

Organism that feeds on dead organic matter (detritus).

Decomposer

Microorganism (fungus, bacteria) that breaks down organic matter into inorganic nutrients.

Porifera (Sponges)

Aquatic, sessile invertebrates with porous bodies and no true tissues; filter feeders.

Cnidaria

Radially symmetrical invertebrates (jellies, corals, anemones) with stinging cnidocytes.

Platyhelminthes (Flatworms)

Bilateral, acoelomate worms; many parasitic (tapeworms, flukes).

Annelida

Segmented worms (earthworms, leeches) with true coelom and closed circulatory system.

Mollusca

Soft-bodied animals (snails, clams, squids) with mantle, foot, and visceral mass.

Arthropoda

Invertebrates with jointed appendages, exoskeleton, segmented body (insects, spiders, crustaceans).

Echinodermata

Marine invertebrates with pentaradial symmetry as adults and water vascular system (starfish).

Bilateral symmetry

Body plan with right and left halves that mirror each other; associated with cephalization.

Radial symmetry

Body parts arranged around a central axis; any plane through center divides into mirror images.

Body cavity (Coelom)

Fluid-filled space between digestive tract & body wall that cushions organs and allows growth/independent movement.

Coelomate

Animal with body cavity completely lined by mesoderm-derived tissue.

Pseudocoelomate

Animal with body cavity partially lined by mesoderm (e.g., nematodes).

Acoelomate

Animal lacking a body cavity (e.g., flatworms).

Tapeworm

Parasitic flatworm living in vertebrate intestines; absorbs nutrients through skin.

Hookworm

Parasitic roundworm that attaches to intestinal wall and feeds on blood.

Fluke

Parasitic flatworm (trematode) with complex life cycle involving multiple hosts.

Leech

Annelid, some species are ectoparasites feeding on blood using anticoagulant saliva.

Jawless fish (Agnatha)

Vertebrates lacking jaws, paired fins; includes lampreys, hagfish.

Cartilaginous fish

Fish with cartilaginous skeleton (sharks, rays); no swim bladder.

Bony fish

Fish with bony skeleton, swim bladder, scales (ray-finned & lobe-finned fish).

Amphibian

Tetrapod vertebrate requiring water for reproduction; permeable skin (frogs, salamanders).

Reptile

Amniote vertebrate with scales or scutes; most ectothermic; lays shelled eggs (lizards, snakes, turtles).

Bird

Feathered, endothermic vertebrates; amniotes with hollow bones and high metabolism.

Mammal

Endothermic amniotes with hair, mammary glands, and differentiated teeth.

Oviparous

Reproductive mode where eggs develop and hatch outside parent’s body.

Ovoviviparous

Eggs retained inside parent; young hatch internally and are then born live, nourished by yolk, not placenta.

Viviparous

Embryos develop inside parent and receive nourishment directly from parent (placenta); born live.

Amniote

Tetrapod vertebrate whose embryo is surrounded by amniotic membrane (reptiles, birds, mammals).

Endotherm

Animal that generates heat metabolically to maintain constant body temperature (birds, mammals).

Ectotherm

Animal that mainly uses external heat sources to regulate body temperature (reptiles, amphibians, fish).

Chorion

Egg membrane facilitating gas exchange and forming part of placenta in mammals.

Amnion

Membrane forming fluid-filled sac that cushions embryo.

Yolk sac

Egg membrane enclosing nutritive yolk for embryo.

Allantois

Egg membrane handling waste storage and gas exchange; becomes part of umbilical cord in mammals.

Albumen

Egg white; provides water and protein to embryo and cushions against shock.

Eggshell

Calcified or leathery outer layer that protects embryo while allowing gas exchange.