Plant Biology

These flashcards cover key concepts from plant biology, focusing on vocabulary and definitions pertaining to the diversity, structure, function, and evolution of plants.

Biodiversity Crisis

A human-caused mass extinction episode affecting the planet's biodiversity.

Abiogenesis

The natural process by which life arises from non-living matter.

Heterotrophic Prokaryotes

Organisms that depend on organic compounds for energy, lacking a membrane-bound nucleus.

Autotrophs

Organisms that produce their own food from inorganic substances, primarily through photosynthesis.

Eukaryotes

Cells that contain a nucleus and organelles, distinct from prokaryotes.

Endosymbiotic Theory

The theory that eukaryotic cells originated from symbiotic relationships between different species of prokaryotes.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.

Stomata

Small openings on the surface of leaves that allow gas exchange to occur.

Cuticle

A waxy layer that prevents water loss from the surface of leaves.

Meristem

A tissue in plants that contains undifferentiated cells capable of division and growth.

Xylem

Tissue in vascular plants responsible for water transport from roots to the rest of the plant.

Phloem

Tissue that transports sugars and other organic compounds in plants.

Primary Growth

Growth that results from the activity of apical meristems, leading to an increase in length.

Secondary Growth

Growth that results from the activity of lateral meristems, leading to an increase in thickness.

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms and their physical environment interacting as a system.

Biome

A large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat.

Cladistics

A method of classifying organisms based on common ancestry.

Phenotype

The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism.

Genotype

The genetic constitution of an organism.

Genetic Code

The set of rules used by living cells to translate information encoded within genetic material into proteins.

Transcription

The process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA.

Translation

The process of decoding mRNA to build a polypeptide chain.

Transgenic Plants

Plants that have been genetically modified to express a foreign gene.

Flavonoids

A class of secondary metabolites in plants responsible for pigments and UV filtration.

Alkaloids

Nitrogen-containing compounds found in many plants that often have pharmacological effects.

Terpenoids

A large class of organic chemicals derived from five-carbon isoprene units.

Photosystem

Protein and pigment complex involved in the light reactions of photosynthesis.

Gene Pool

The total collection of genes in a population at any one time.

Gene Flow

Transfer of genetic variation from one population to another.

Genetic Drift

Random fluctuation of allele frequencies in a small population.

Nucleus

The membrane-bound organelle in eukaryotic cells that contains the genetic material.

Chloroplast

An organelle found in plant cells where photosynthesis occurs.

Meristematic Tissue

Tissue in plants consisting of undifferentiated cells that are capable of division.

Cytokinin

Plant hormone that promotes cell division and growth.

Auxin

A class of plant hormones that regulate growth and behavior in response to light and gravity.

Abscisic Acid

A plant hormone involved in responses to stress and regulating dormancy.

Gibberellins

Plant hormones that stimulate stem elongation and flowering.

Ethylene

A plant hormone that regulates fruit ripening and leaf abscission.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within a fruit.

Gymnosperms

Seed-producing plants that do not form flowers or fruits, such as conifers.

Green Revolution

A period of agricultural transformation that increased food production worldwide.

Iteroparous

Species that can reproduce multiple times during their life cycle.

Semelparous

Species that reproduce only once in their life cycle.

Homeostasis

The ability of an organism to maintain stable internal conditions.

Biotechnology

The use of living systems and organisms to develop or create products.

Phenotypic Plasticity

The ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to environmental conditions.

Apical Dominance

The phenomenon whereby the main central stem of the plant grows more strongly than the other side shoots.

Sporophyte

The multicellular diploid phase in the life cycle of plants that produces spores.

Gametophyte

The multicellular haploid phase that produces gametes in plants.

DNA Replication

The process by which DNA makes a copy of itself during cell division.

Meiosis

A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, producing four haploid cells.

Fertilization

The fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote.

Mitosis

The process by which a single cell divides to produce two identical daughter cells.

Transposons

Segments of DNA that can move within the genome.

Gene Therapy

An experimental technique that uses genes to treat or prevent disease.

Polyploidy

The condition of having more than two complete sets of chromosomes.

Cloning

The process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals.

CRISPR

A revolutionary gene-editing technology that allows for precise modifications of DNA.

Apomixis

A form of asexual reproduction that occurs through the process of seed formation without fertilization.

Germination

The process by which a seed develops into a new plant.

Secondary Metabolites

Compounds produced by plants that are not directly involved in normal plant growth, development, or reproduction.

Polygenic Traits

Traits controlled by two or more genes.

Synapomorphy

A shared derived characteristic used to establish phylogenetic relationships.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that can lead to variation among individuals.

Phylogenetics

The study of evolutionary relationships among biological entities.

Natural Selection

The process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Chromosome

A long strand of DNA and proteins that contains the genetic information of an organism.

Homologous Chromosomes

A pair of chromosomes containing the same genes but possibly different alleles.

Codon

A sequence of three nucleotides in mRNA that codes for a specific amino acid.

Gene Expression

The process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize a functional gene product, often a protein.

Genomic Library

A collection of the total genomic DNA from a single organism.

Research Cultivation

The controlled growing of plants in a laboratory or greenhouse setting.

Splenic Role of Stomata

Gas exchange regulation and transpiration in plants.

Hypothesis Testing

A method to verify scientific assumptions through experiments.

Nucleotide

The basic building block of DNA and RNA, composed of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Plasmids

Small circular DNA molecules that are separate from chromosomal DNA and can replicate independently.

Ecotype

A genetically distinct geographic variety or race within a species.

Mendelian Genetics

The study of inheritance and variation of traits based on the principles established by Gregor Mendel.

Tissue Culture

A technique for maintaining and growing tissue cells in a controlled environment.

Hybrid Vigor

The improved biological functions observed in hybrid offspring.

Glycolysis

The metabolic process that converts glucose into pyruvate, producing ATP.

TCA Cycle

The series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through the oxidation of acetyl-CoA.

Electron Transport Chain

A series of protein complexes and other molecules that transfer electrons through a membrane within mitochondria.

Facilitated Diffusion

The process of spontaneous passive transport of molecules across a cell membrane via specific transmembrane integral proteins.

Active Transport

The movement of ions or molecules across a cell membrane from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher concentration.

Endosymbiosis

The theory that some organelles were once free-living prokaryotes engulfed by ancestral eukaryotic cells.

Vascular Bundle

A transport structure in plants made up of xylem and phloem.

Plant Pathology

The study of diseases in plants and how to control or eradicate them.

Senescence

The process of aging in plants affecting growth and development.

Epidermis

The outer layer of cells covering the plant.

Cutin

A waxy substance that forms the cuticle preventing water loss in plants.

Promotion of Root Growth

The enhancement of root development, often influenced by auxins.

Vegetative Propagation

A method of asexual reproduction in plants where new individuals arise without seeds or spores.

Pollination Syndrome

The evolutionary adaptations of floral traits to attract specific pollinators.

Metabolic Pathway

A series of chemical reactions occurring within a cell.

Alleles

Different versions of a gene that arise by mutation.

Haploid

Having a single set of unpaired chromosomes.

Diploid

Having two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.

Domestication

The process of adapting wild plants and animals for human use.

Fecundity

The potential reproductive capacity of an individual or population.