Prokaryotes, Species Diversity, and Climate Change Effects

Bacillus

Rod-shaped bacteria.

Spiral

Spiral-shaped bacteria.

Prokaryotes

Simple, single-celled organisms without a nucleus.

Bacteria

One of the two main domains of prokaryotes.

Archaea

Second domain of prokaryotes, often extremophiles.

Extremophiles

Organisms that thrive in extreme environmental conditions.

Gram-Staining

Method to differentiate bacterial species based on cell wall.

Gram-Positive Bacteria

Bacteria with thick peptidoglycan cell wall, stain purple.

Gram-Negative Bacteria

Bacteria with thin peptidoglycan wall, stain pink.

Coccus

Spherical shape of bacteria.

Species Richness (S)

Count of different species in an ecosystem.

Species Diversity

Combination of species richness and evenness.

Shannon Index (H')

Measures species diversity using richness and evenness.

Evenness (J)

Distribution uniformity of individuals across species.

Hmax

Maximum possible Shannon Index based on species count.

Climate Change

Significant shifts in global temperatures and weather.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases trapping heat in the atmosphere, causing warming.

Ocean Acidification

Increased CO2 leads to more acidic oceans.

Phenology

Study of biological event timing in life cycles.

Data Analysis

Process of interpreting data trends and patterns.

ANOVA

Statistical method comparing means of multiple groups.

Colony Morphology

Characteristics of microbial colonies, species-specific.

Microscopy

Technique for observing small organisms.

Total Magnification

Ocular lens magnification multiplied by objective lens.

Climate Data Analysis

Examining climate metrics for changes over time.

Species Evenness

Indicates distribution uniformity among species.

Diversity Indices

Quantitative measures of species diversity.

Ecological Interactions

Relationships between species affecting ecosystem dynamics.

Plant Phenology Project

Research on plant life cycle timing changes.

Rocky Mountain Biological Lab (RMBL)

Research site for studying climate effects on plants.