Bio study guide for finale

Homozygous

Having 2 of the same alleles (e.x., BB or bb).

Heterozygous

Having 2 different alleles (e.x., Bb).

Dominant

The trait that shows up when present; masks other more recessive genes, represented by capital letters.

Recessive

Only shows up when dominant genes are not present; gets hidden when dominant are present, represented by lowercase letters.

Gene

The basic physical and functional unit of heredity, made up of DNA; genes act as instructional manuals for the body.

Ecosystem

A community of different populations of species living and interacting with each other.

Producer

An organism that creates its own food/energy by using light or chemical energy.

Primary consumer

An organism that feeds directly on primary producers (like plants and algae) to obtain energy (herbivore).

Secondary consumer

Organisms that primarily feed on primary consumers to obtain energy.

Tertiary consumer

A carnivore or omnivore at the topmost level of a food chain that feeds on other carnivores (secondary consumers).

Food web

A complex, interconnected network of multiple overlapping food chains within an ecosystem.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the ecosystem.

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit.

Parasitism

A symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits while the other is harmed.

Commensalism

A symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited.

10% rule

Only 10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level; the other 90% is lost as heat.

Population

A group of organisms from the same species living in the same area at the same time.

Limiting factor

Conditions in an environment that prevent a population from growing.

Resource

Materials or conditions animals need to survive and grow.

Variation

Individuals have different traits within a population.

Competition

Occurs when two or more organisms need the same resource, but there isn't enough for all.

Descent with modification

Traits are passed on to offspring; over time, adaptations build up for better survival.

Adaptation

Specific traits that allow an organism to survive longer.

Natural selection

The fundamental process for evolution, where organisms best adapted to their environment survive longer and reproduce more.

Exponential growth

An accelerating pattern of population increase that continues indefinitely (not realistic due to limiting factors).

Codon

A 3-letter sequence of bases found in DNA.

DNA

Stores genetic information and can accurately copy itself.

Nucleotide

The fundamental building blocks of DNA and RNA, which store and transmit genetic information.

Double helix

The physical 3D shape of double-stranded DNA, resembling a twisted ladder.

Replication

The process by which a cell makes an exact copy of its genome before dividing.

average

add all the numbers together then divide by how many there are

Percent

part divided by whole times a hundred