Life Science Vocab For Finals⚠️

Cell wall (found in plant cells)

A rigid structure found only in plant cells that sits outside the cell membrane to give the cell its shape and support

Cell membrane

The flexible outer lining of a cell that controls what goes in and out, serving as the main border for animal cells and sitting just inside the cell wall for plant cells

Cytoplasm

A thick, clear, jelly-like substance inside the cell that holds the floating organelles it allows those organelles to move around

Nucleus

A large oval-shaped organelle wrapped in a nuclear membrane that acts as the cell’s command center, containing DNA to direct cell activities

Mitochondria

A rod-shaped organelle that acts as the powerhouse of the cell, converting energy stored in food into ATP to fuel cell actions

Chloroplast (also found in plant cells)

Green structures found only in the cytoplasm of plant cells that contain chlorophyll, which absorbs sunlight and converts it into food during photosynthesis

Vacuole

Floating storage sacs found in all plant cells and some animal cells that hold water, food, waste, and other essential materials for the cell

Organelle

Means “little organ” they are tiny structures which do special jobs for the cell

Symbiosis

A close long-term interaction between two or more different species of organisms in which at least one of the partners benefits

Mixotroph

An organism that is both a heterotroph (eats plants and animals) and an autotroph (which makes its own food through photosynthesis)

Ex: Venus flytrap

Coral Bleaching

When the coral looses it’s color caused by the rising temperature in the ocean which then causes the corals to get stressed and eject their zooxanthellae (which gives the coral it’s color)

Mutualistic Symbiotic Relationship

When both species benefit from the relationship

Ex: A bee and a flower

Commensal Symbiotic Relationship

When one species benefits but the other is not harmed

Ex: Sharks and a remora fish

Parasitic Symbiotic Relationship

When one species benefits and the other is harmed

Ex: A tic on a dog

Stomata

A small opening on the underside of a leaf through which oxogen, water, and carbon dioxide can move.

Roots

Part of the plant that anchors the plant into the soil while absorbing water and dissolved minerals to help the plant grow.

Stem

Acts as the plant’s support system, holding up leaves and flowers it also connects the roots to the leaves of the plant

Xylem

Responsible for the upward transport of water and dissolved minerals from the soil, which is absorbed from the roots up into the stem & leaves

Phloem

The vascular tissue in plants that transports sugars and food made in the leaves down to the rest of the plant, where it is needed.

Leaves

The organs of a plant where photosynthesis happens, taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxogen and water

Cuticle

A waxy water-repellent layer covering the exterior of the leaves that protects the leaf and prevents water loss

Lenticel

A small pore or opening found on the roots of red mangroves that allows oxogen to enter the plant from the air

Pneumatophor

A specialized upward root found in black mangroves that sticks out of the water or mud to take in oxogen from the air

Vascular Bundle

A collection of tube like tissues containing xylem and phloem that transports water, nutrients, and food throughout the plant

Non-vascular plants

Small plants that lack vascular tissue, meaning they do not have true roots or thick cell walls and must absorb water and nutrients directly from their surroundings

Domain Eukaryota

It includes all animals including plants and fungi

Kingdom Animalia

Includes just animals no plants or fungi

Phylum Chordata

Narrowing it down to animals who DO have a backbone

Endotherm

An organism whose body heat is controlled or regulated by their own internal body heat

Ectotherm

An organism whose body heat changes with the external environment

Autotroph

An organism that is able to capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and use it to reproduce it’s own food

Heterotroph

An organism that cannot make it’s own food and gets it by consuming other living things

Bacteria

Microscopic single celled organisms that lack a nucleus they are prokaryotes

Eukaryote/Eukaryotic

A group of organisms whose cells HAVE a nucleus, which includes the familiar kingdoms of plants, animals, fungi, and protists.

Prokaryote/Prokaryotic

Microscopic, single-celled organisms that LACK a nucleus an example would bacteria

Fungi

Heterotrophs that have eukaryotic cells with cell walls, and they feed by absorbing food through their cell walls

Hyphae

Thin threadlike tubes that make up the body of a fungus. They spread underground to absorb food and nutrients

Mycelium

The hidden, underground part of a fungus. It is a large, root-like network made up of a mass of branching hyphae woven together to absorb nutrients

Spores

Tiny reproductive cells (kinda like reproductive seeds if you will) that are carried by wind or water to grow into a new fungus.

Protist

Eukaryotic organisms that cannot be classified as animals, plants, or fungi they typically live in moist environments

Vaccine

Made of pathogens that have been weakened or killed, but can trigger the body to produce chemicals to destroy the pathogen

Virus

A tiny, nonliving particle that enters and then reproduces inside a living host cell

Parasite

An organism that lives on or inside a host organism and benefits by taking nutrients while causing harm to the host

Companion Planting

Growing different kinds of plants close together so they can benefit each other

Allelopathy

A way that plants release chemical compounds into the soil which positively or negatively affect the growth of other nearby plants

Neighboring Affect

The positive or negative impact that one plant has on the growth, health, or survival of another plant growing near it

Abiotic

The non-living parts of an organism or an organism’s habitat, such as temperature, water, soil, and air

Biotic

The living or once living parts of an organism or habitat such as biomass size and germination

Controlled/Constant Variable

Ex: Like the growth chamber, light settings, and 28 growth period (required)

A variable that is purposely kept the same throughout an experiment to ensure a fair test

Dependent Variable

Ex: Like the germination date, height, and edible biomass (measured)

The data collected during an experiment which can be observed and measured

Independent Variable

Ex: Like the plant type, either red amaranth or fennel (in mixed pot or ginle cultivar pots)

What is being tested or changed in an experiment the thing that is different between the experimental groups

Research Question

How do Fennel and Red Amaranth impact each other’s development when grown together?

What is GBE?

A classroom science project partnered with NASA to test which food crops grow best in space to help feed astronauts on long missions

What were the results?

We concluded that fennel and red amaranth were good companions and should be tested further by Project Veggie for consideration to be grown on the international Space Station

Robert Hooke

First to observe cells by looking at a thin slice of cork and named them cells because they reminded him of tiny rooms in a monastery

Anton von Leeuwenhoek

He improved the microscope lenses and was the first to observe living microorganisms

Schleiden

He concluded that all PLANTS are made out of cells

Schwann

He concluded that all ANIMALS are made out of cells

Virchow

He proposed that all cells come from pre-existing cells

How do Corals and Zooxanthellae benefit from each other?

Coral- the algae uses sunlight to make food/energy with the coral this is how the corals get their color

Zooxanthellae (algae)- The coral provides the algae with a safe place to live and compounds it needs for photosynthesis

How does Lettuce Sea Slug and Algae benefit from each other?

Lettuce Sea Slug- Takes in the chloroplasts from the algae and uses them like solar panels to make it’s own food from sunlight so it can survive without eating

Algae- The lettuce sea slug provides the algae with a safe, protected home inside it’s body where they are protected from being eaten by other ocean creatures

How does the White Mangrove and Ants benefit from each other?

White Mangrove- The ants act as little bodyguards for the tree they attack, sting, or scare away hungry caterpillars, beetles, etc.

Ants- They benefit by getting food (sugar) from the mangrove

What are the steps of Natural Selection?

1. Overproduction

2. Variation

3. Competition and Survival

4. Reproduction

How do you get the percent survival?

Surviving population/Starting population = x/100

How do you get the percent reproduced

Number of offspring/ Surviving population = x/100

Red Mangrove

-Location: In the low marsh closest to the water, the farthest

-Root: Prop & Drop

-Leaf structure: Large, oval, waxy lamina, thick.

-How it copes with salt: Excludes the salt.... blocks it from entering

-How it gets oxygen: Lenticel openings to allow oxygen inside

Black Mangrove

-Location: High marsh in the middle region

-Root: Pencil roots/deadman fingers/snorkel

-Leaf structure: Smaller, oval, pointed, thin, salt crystals, on underside

How it copes with salt: It absorbs salt, takes it in, and sweats it out

-How it gets oxygen:" pneumatophore" allows oxygen to let air inside

White Mangrove

-Location: Mostly on the land

-Root: Roots in the soil or pneumatophore as needed

-Leaf Structure: Medium size, rounded or oval, indent of W on tip, 2 little knobs petide(looks like a stem)

-How it copes with salt: Excretes salt(not common)