Biology: Animal Circulatory and Digestive Systems, Plant Transport and Mineral Nutrition

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to animal transport systems, digestive organ functions, digestive system types (monogastric, ruminant, pseudo-ruminant, avian), plant roots and tissues, active transport, and plant mineral deficiencies.

Circulatory system

An animal body system that transports blood and heat around the body to move materials and help protect against disease.

Lymphatic system

An animal body system connected to the circulatory system that transports lymph (a fluid containing white blood cells) around the body, removes toxins, waste, and unwanted materials.

Xylem tissue

Plant transport tissue that carries water and solutes from the roots to the leaves.

Phloem tissue

Plant transport tissue that carries food from the leaves to the rest of the plant.

Translocation

The process by which products of photosynthesis and some mineral nutrients are transported in the phloem tissue.

Proteases

Enzymes that catalyse the breakdown of proteins into amino acids in the stomach and small intestine.

Lipases

Enzymes that catalyse the breakdown of fats and oils into fatty acids and glycerol in the small intestine.

Amylase

An enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of starch into maltose in the mouth and small intestine.

Maltase

An enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of maltose into glucose in the small intestine.

Oesophagus

A muscular tube that moves ingested food from the mouth to the stomach.

Gall bladder

A digestive organ that stores bile produced by the liver before releasing it into the duodenum.

Small intestine - duodenum

The region of the small intestine where food is mixed with digestive enzymes and bile.

Small intestine - ileum

The region of the small intestine where digested food is absorbed into the blood and lymph.

Large intestine - colon

The part of the large intestine where water is reabsorbed from digested material.

Digestion

The breakdown of large insoluble food molecules into small water-soluble molecules using mechanical and chemical processes.

Absorption

The movement of digested food molecules through the wall of the intestine into the blood or lymph.

Villi

Finger-like projections on the internal wall of the small intestine that increase its surface area for fast absorption.

Lacteal

An internal structure inside a villus that transports absorbed fatty acids and glycerol away from the small intestine in the lymph.

Monogastric digestive system

A digestive system with one stomach compartment secreting acid to maintain a low pH of $1.5$ to $2.5$, found in animals like humans, dogs, cats, and pigs.

Ruminant digestive system

A digestive system featuring a large stomach divided into four compartments (rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum), found in herbivores like cattle, sheep, giraffes, and deer.

Pseudo-ruminant digestive system

A digestive system with one stomach compartment but an enlarged cecum and large intestine for microbial digestion of high-fibre cellulose diets, found in horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters.

Avian digestive system

A rapid digestive system found in birds that lacks teeth and relies on a muscular gizzard containing grit or stones to grind food.

Rumen

The first section of a ruminant stomach where solid feed is mixed, partially broken down, and fermented by millions of bacteria and microbes.

Reticulum

A small pouch on the side of the rumen in ruminants that traps foreign materials such as wire or nails.

Omasum

The third section of a ruminant stomach that produces a grinding action, removes water, and mixes feed with hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes.

Abomasum

The fourth section of a ruminant stomach, referred to as the true stomach because it functions similarly to the stomach in monogastric animals.

Gizzard

A very muscular organ in the avian digestive system containing grit or stones that function like teeth to grind food.

Cloaca

An organ in the avian digestive system where non-digestible food components and urine collect before leaving the body through the vent.

Taproot

A root structure consisting of a single, dominant root that stretches deep into the soil with smaller secondary roots extending from its sides, such as in carrots or dandelions.

Fibrous root

A root structure composed of many small roots spreading out close to the surface of the soil with no single dominant root, such as in grass or onions.

Adventitious roots

Roots that develop on vines to help plants cling to substrates other than soil, such as tree trunks.

Active transport

The transport of molecules or mineral ions against their concentration gradient from a region of low concentration to high concentration using energy from respiration.

Nitrates

Plant minerals supplying Nitrogen ($\text{N}$) needed to make amino acids for proteins and cell growth; deficiency causes poor growth and yellow leaves.

Phosphates

Plant minerals supplying Phosphorus ($\text{P}$) needed for respiration, growth, DNA, and cell membranes; deficiency causes poor root growth and discoloured leaves.

Potassium Compounds

Plant minerals supplying Potassium ($\text{K}$) needed in enzymes involved in respiration and photosynthesis; deficiency causes poor growth of fruit and flowers and discoloured leaves.

Magnesium Compounds

Plant minerals supplying Magnesium ($\text{Mg}$) needed to make chlorophyll for photosynthesis; deficiency causes yellow leaves.