Evolution, Genetics, and Energy Flashcards

Flashcards for Natural Selection, Genetics, and Energy in Living Systems.

Structure-function relationships

How something is arranged allows it to perform a specific job.

Mechanism

The way by which something occurs.

Cause and effect

The reason why something takes place while the effect is the eventual outcome.

Natural Selection

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

Selective Pressures

Factors in the environment that influence the survival and reproductive success of individuals in a population.

Adaptations

Traits or behaviors that help organisms survive and reproduce in their environment.

Population

A group of organisms of the same species living in the same area and interbreeding.

Gene Pool

The collection of all the different alleles in a population.

Double Helix

DNA is composed of two strands that are twisted together.

Nucleotides

Building blocks of DNA, consisting of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Base Pairing

Adenine pairs with thymine, and guanine pairs with cytosine.

Genotype

The genetic makeup of an organism, including all the genes and alleles.

Phenotype

The observable traits of an organism, which result from the interaction between genes and the environment.

Meiosis

Cell division that produces gametes with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

Punnett Square

A diagram used to predict the possible genotypes and phenotypes of offspring from a genetic cross.

Alleles

Different forms of a gene that can occupy the same location on a chromosome.

Dominant Allele

An allele that is expressed when present in either the heterozygous or homozygous condition.

Recessive Allele

An allele that is only expressed when present in the homozygous condition.

Transcription

The process of copying a gene's DNA sequence into a complementary RNA molecule.

Translation

The process of converting the mRNA sequence into a sequence of amino acids to form a protein.

Mutations

Changes in the DNA sequence that can be caused by errors in replication, exposure to mutagens, or other factors.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose.

Cellular respiration

The process by which cells use oxygen to break down glucose and produce ATP.

Carbon Fixation

The process by which carbon from the atmosphere is converted into organic molecules by plants during photosynthesis.

Primary Production

Photosynthesis is the primary source of energy for most ecosystems, forming the basis of food webs.

Trophic Levels

Each step in a food chain.

ATP

The energy currency of cells, produced during cellular respiration fueled by the energy in glucose

The Carbon Cycle

The cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth.

Autotroph/producers

Organisms that can produce their own food through photosynthesis.

Heterotrophs/consumers

Organisms that cannot produce their own food and must consume other organisms.

Biomass

The total mass of living matter in a given area.

Food webs

Network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem.

Organic molecules

Carbon-based molecules that are essential for life.

Energy flow

The movement of energy through an ecosystem.