ACTUAL OST GOV

Evolution

The change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.

Natural Selection

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

Genotype

The genetic constitution of an individual organism.

Phenotype

The observable characteristics or traits of an organism, resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.

Allele

One of two or more forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place on a chromosome.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that may lead to changes in the phenotype.

Speciation

The process by which new distinct species evolve.

Darwinism

The theory of the evolution of species by natural selection as advocated by Charles Darwin.

Adaptation

A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.

Biodiversity

The variety of plant and animal life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Homeostasis

The ability of an organism to maintain internal stability in response to environmental changes.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can support indefinitely.

Ecological Niche

The role and position a species has in its environment, including all interactions with biotic and abiotic factors.

Biotic Factors

Living components of an ecosystem, such as plants and animals.

Abiotic Factors

Non-living components of an ecosystem, such as temperature and minerals.

Food Web

A system of interlocking and interdependent food chains.

Trophic Levels

The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, etc.

Producer

An organism that can make its own food, typically through photosynthesis.

Consumer

An organism that eats other organisms for energy.

Decomposer

An organism that breaks down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the ecosystem.

Eutrophication

The enrichment of an ecosystem with nutrients, frequently leading to excessive growth of organisms.

Climate Change

Significant and lasting changes in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods.

Carbon Cycle

The process through which carbon atoms are recycled in the environment.

Photosynthesis

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

Cell respiration

The metabolic process that converts food to energy in cells.

Biome

A large geographical biotic unit, a major community of plants and animals with similar life forms and environmental conditions.

Ecological Succession

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

Primary Succession

The colonization of barren land by communities of organisms.

Secondary Succession

Recovery of an ecosystem after a disturbance.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, providing energy to living organisms.

Proteins

Large biomolecules consisting of one or more long chains of amino acid residues, essential for all living organisms.

Lipids

Hydrophobic organic molecules, commonly referred to as fats and oils.

Nucleic Acids

Biomolecules essential for all forms of life; they carry genetic information.

Enzyme

A protein that catalyzes chemical reactions in living organisms.

pH

A measure of how acidic or basic a solution is.

Photosystem

A biochemical mechanism in plants by which chlorophyll absorbs light energy.

Chlorophyll

The green pigment found in plants that is crucial for photosynthesis.

Biogeochemical Cycle

The cycle of chemical elements and compounds moving through biotic and abiotic compartments.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living in a particular area.

Population Density

The number of individuals per unit area.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely.

Keystone Species

A species that has a disproportionate effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Invasive Species

Non-native species that spread widely in a community and disrupt ecosystem services.

Endangered Species

Species at risk of extinction.

Extinction

The end of an organism or a group of organisms.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations.

Renewable Resources

Natural resources that can be replenished naturally.

Non-renewable Resources

Resources that do not renew themselves at a sufficient rate for sustainable economic extraction.

Greenhouse Effect

The trapping of the sun's warmth in the planet's lower atmosphere.

Ozone Layer

A region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Acid Rain

Rain that has been made acidic by atmospheric pollution.

Desalination

The process of removing salt from seawater to make it suitable for drinking or irrigation.

Pollution

The introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that causes adverse change.

Bioremediation

The use of living organisms to remove or neutralize contaminants from a polluted area.

Food Chain

A linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass.

Fossil Fuels

Natural substances formed from decomposed plants and animals, used as energy sources.

Climate

The long-term average of weather patterns in a particular area.

Weather

The short-term state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place.

Ecosystem Services

The benefits humans receive from ecosystems.

Energy Flow

The transfer of energy through a food chain from primary producers to various consumers.

Habitat Fragmentation

The process by which habitats are broken into smaller, isolated patches.

Population Growth Rate

The rate at which the number of individuals in a population increases.

Carrying Capacity

The largest number of individuals of a species that an environment can support.

Ecological Footprint

A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems.

Habitat

The natural environment where an organism lives.

Trophic Cascade

An ecological phenomenon triggered by the addition or removal of top predators.

Symbiosis

A close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms.

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship where both species benefit.

Commensalism

A symbiotic relationship where one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.

Parasitism

A symbiotic relationship where one species benefits at the expense of the other.

Interspecies Competition

Competition between different species for the same resources.

Intraspecies Competition

Competition among members of the same species for resources.

Biomagnification

The increasing concentration of toxic substances in organisms at each successive level of the food chain.

Endemic Species

Species that are native to and found only within a certain geographical area.

Natural Resource

Materials or substances occurring in nature that can be exploited for economic gain.

Sustainable Agriculture

Farming methods that maintain the productivity of the land without harming the environment.

Organic Farming

A method of farming that uses natural processes and materials.

Genetic Diversity

The total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species.

Conservation

The sustainable management of natural resources.

Habitat Restoration

The process of returning a degraded environment to a stable, healthy ecosystem.

Dispersal

The movement of organisms from their place of origin to new areas.

Limiting Factors

Conditions that restrict the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or a population.

Overfishing

Depleting the number of fish in a body of water through excessive fishing.

Aquaculture

The cultivation of aquatic organisms in controlled environments.

Wildlife Management

The conservation and management of wildlife populations.

Forestry

The science of planting and taking care of trees and forests.

Soil Erosion

The removal of the top layer of soil, which is crucial for plant growth.

Destruction of Habitat

The loss of natural habitat due to various human activities.

Trophodynamics

The feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem.

Climate Change Adaptation

Adjustments in practices, processes, or structures to minimize damage from climate change.

Carbon Footprint

The total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event, or product.

Zero Waste

A philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused.

Sustainable Practices

Actions taken to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Ecosystem Resilience

The capacity of an ecosystem to respond to disturbances and maintain its functions.

Climate Mitigation

Efforts to reduce or prevent the emission of greenhouse gases.

Alternative Energy

Energy sources that are different from fossil fuels, such as wind, solar, and geothermal.

Sustainable Tourism

Tourism that respects natural and cultural environments while contributing to conservation efforts.

Agroforestry

An integrated approach of using the interactive benefits from combining trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock.

Green Building

The practice of creating structures that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient.