Abiotic and Biotic Factors in Extremophiles and Plant Defense

This set of flashcards covers key terms and concepts related to extremophiles, abiotic factors, biotic interactions, and plant defenses as discussed during the lectures.

extremophiles

Organisms that thrive in extreme environmental conditions.

abiotic factors

Non-living components of the environment that influence ecosystems.

thermophilic archaea

A group of archaea that thrive at relatively high temperatures.

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)

A technique used to amplify DNA sequences.

chemical ecology

The study of the chemical interactions between living organisms and their environment.

chemosynthesis

A process through which organisms use chemical energy to produce food, usually in the absence of sunlight.

redox reactions

Chemical reactions that involve the transfer of electrons, important for energy production.

hydrothermal vents

Underwater ecosystems powered by geothermal energy from the Earth's crust.

H2S (Hydrogen sulfide)

A toxic compound often found in extreme environments like hydrothermal vents.

enzyme stability

The capacity of an enzyme to maintain its structure and function under varying conditions.

membrane melting

Destabilization of cellular membranes due to high temperatures.

DNA denaturing

The process by which DNA unwinds and separates into single strands.

inverse gyrase

An enzyme that introduces positive supercoils in DNA, found in hyperthermophiles.

plasmid

A small, circular piece of DNA that can replicate independently of chromosomal DNA.

homeotherm

An organism that maintains a stable internal body temperature regardless of external influence.

poikilotherm

An organism whose internal temperature varies with the external temperature.

ectotherm

An organism that relies primarily on external sources of heat.

endotherm

An organism that generates heat to maintain its body temperature independent of the environment.

convection

The transfer of heat via fluid movement.

conduction

The transfer of heat through direct contact between materials.

thermal sweating

A physiological response in mammals to promote heat loss through evaporation.

apocrine glands

Sweat glands that release products via exocytosis and are primarily active in stress situations.

eccrine glands

Sweat glands responsible for regulating body temperature through evaporation.

surface-volume ratio

The ratio of an object's surface area to its volume, affecting heat retention and loss.

vaporization

The process of turning from liquid into vapor, crucial for thermoregulation in organisms.

photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with carbon dioxide and water.

CAM metabolism

Crassulacean Acid Metabolism; an adaptation in some plants to efficiently use water and CO2.

quorum sensing

A system of stimuli and response correlated to population density in bacteria.

allomones

Chemical substances that benefit the emitter but are disadvantageous to the receiver.

kairomones

Chemical signals that benefit the receiver but are disadvantageous to the producer.

synomones

Chemical signals that benefit both the emitter and the receiver.

Müllerian mimicry

A form of mimicry where two unpalatable species evolve to resemble each other.

Batesian mimicry

A form of mimicry where a harmless species mimics the warning signals of a harmful species.

phenotypic plasticity

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

trade-offs

Balancing different evolutionary pressures, like reproduction and survival.

life history traits

Characteristics that dictate the timing and occurrence of life events in organisms.

induced defenses

Defensive traits that are stimulated in response to herbivore attack.

constitutive defenses

Defensive traits that are always present and ready in plants.

systemic acquired resistance (SAR)

A 'whole-plant' resistance response to pathogens seen after localized exposure.

evolutionary fitness

The relative contribution of an individual to the gene pool of the next generation.

trait variation

Differences in traits among individuals, shaped by genetic and environmental factors.

stress response

Physiological changes in an organism in response to adverse environmental conditions.

chemical communication

The use of chemical signals between organisms to convey information.

enantiomer

One of two mirror-image forms of a molecule that can have different effects.

olfactory receptor cells (ORCs)

Cells in the olfactory system that detect odor molecules.

signal transduction

The process by which a chemical or physical signal is transmitted through a cell.

crypotic coloration

Coloration that helps an animal avoid detection by predators.

disruptive coloration

Coloration that breaks up the outline of an animal, making it harder to see.

Aposematism

Warning coloration used by potentially harmful species to deter predators.

conspecific

Members of the same species.

escape behavior

A response demonstrated by prey to evade predation.

mobbing behavior

A group antipredator tactic where prey collectively harass a predator.

cognitive biases

Systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment.

aromatherapy

The use of aromatic plant extracts for therapeutic purposes.

allelochemicals

Chemical substances emitted by one organism that affect the growth or behavior of another.

secondary metabolites

Organic compounds produced by plants that are not directly involved in their growth, development, or reproduction.

primary metabolites

Essential compounds produced by living organisms for growth and reproduction.

induced herbivore defense

Plant response to herbivore damage that results in changes to growth or resilience.

exponential growth rate (r)

The rate of population increase under ideal conditions.

carotenoids

Plant pigments important for photosynthesis that also provide color to flowers and fruits.

nutrient cycling

The movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter.

co-evolution

The influence of closely associated species on each other in their evolution.

selection pressure

An environmental factor that can affect the reproductive success of individuals.

fitness cost

The negative impact of a trait on an organism's reproductive success.

altruistic behavior

Behavior by an individual that increases the fitness of another individual while decreasing its own.

VNO (vomeronasal organ)

A chemosensory structure found in many vertebrates to detect pheromones.

predator-prey dynamics

Interactions between predators and their prey, influencing population size and behavior.

food web

A system of interdependent food chains in an ecosystem.

reproductive strategies

Behaviors and traits that influence reproductive success in populations.

ecological niche

The role and position a species has in its environment.

trophic levels

Different levels in a food web, comprising producers, consumers, and decomposers.

genetic drift

Random fluctuations in the frequency of alleles due to chance events.

natural selection

The process by which advantageous traits become more common in successive generations.

symbiotic relationships

Close and long-term interactions between different biological species.

ecological succession

The process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.

migratory behavior

Seasonal movement of species from one region to another.

adaptation

A trait that increases an organism's fitness in a specific environment.

diversification

The process by which a species evolves into multiple species to adapt to different environments.

interspecific competition

Competition between different species for the same resources.