The Connections and Interactions Among Living Things: Unifying Themes in Biology

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the unifying themes of biology, characteristics of life, types of organisms, and biological systems based on the 11th-grade lecture.

Biology

The study of life.

Biologists

Scientists who study the structure, functions, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution of living organisms.

Zoology

A major branch of biology.

Botany

A major branch of biology.

Microbiology

A major branch of biology.

Characteristics of Life

A set of traits including being made of cells, capability of reproduction, growth and development, maintenance of homeostasis, exhibiting metabolism, and responding to the environment.

Eukaryote

Any cell or organism that possesses a clearly defined nucleus and contains organelles; examples include animals, plants, fungi, and protists.

Prokaryote

Any organism that lacks a distinct nucleus and other organelles due to the absence of internal membrane, such as bacteria and archaea.

Shared Cell Structures

The four components found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells: cell membrane, cytoplasm, DNA, and ribosomes.

Biological System

An organized group of interesting parts where living things work together and interact with non-living things.

Body System

A system that includes organs that interact within an organism.

Ecosystem

A system that includes living and non-living things that interact.

Cells

The basic unit of life and a system of chemicals and processes; all living things are composed of them.

Ecology

The study that deals with the interactions of living organisms with one another and their environment.

Autotrophs

Living organisms that capture light and convert it into chemical energy in food.

Heterotrophs

Living organisms that use chemical energy stored in molecules obtained from food.

Form and Function

The biological theme where an organism's structures are specifically fitted to its functions.

Reproduction and Inheritance

The process where traits of parents are passed from one generation to the next generation.

Asexual Reproduction

A type of reproduction illustrated by a Hydra developing a bud to create a new individual.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of constant internal conditions, such as the regulation of body temperature through the evaporation of water.

Hypothalamus gland

A gland that regulates temperature and changes in osmotic pressure.

Excretory Regulation (Kidney)

The process of filtering the blood to separate waste and maintain water balance in the body.

Adaptation

The ability of living organisms to survive depending on how they adjust to a changing environment.

Evolution

The process by which different kinds of living organisms developed and diversified from earlier forms; it accounts for the diversity and unity of life.