Fundamentals of Marine Biology

These flashcards cover essential concepts from marine biology regarding the characteristics of life, cellular functions, reproduction, and evolutionary principles.

What are the common properties of living organisms?

Living organisms grow, metabolize, maintain homeostasis, react to the environment, reproduce, and use nucleic acids for genetic information.

Define homeostasis in the context of living organisms.

Homeostasis is the ability of an organism to maintain stable internal conditions despite changes in the external environment.

What are glycoproteins and their significance?

Glycoproteins are complex proteins bound with sugars that perform vital functions in cellular processes and are important in cellular interactions.

What are lipids and their roles in organisms?

Lipids, including fats and oils, are used for energy storage, insulation, and buoyancy in marine organisms.

What is the function of nucleic acids?

Nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, store and transmit genetic information necessary for reproduction and protein synthesis.

What is ATP and why is it important?

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the energy currency of cells, storing and transferring energy for various biological processes.

What is photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is the process by which organisms like plants and algae convert sunlight into chemical energy, producing glucose and oxygen.

What distinguishes autotrophs from heterotrophs?

Autotrophs can produce their own food through photosynthesis, whereas heterotrophs must consume other organisms for energy.

What is cellular respiration?

Cellular respiration is the process through which organisms break down glucose using oxygen to release energy, producing carbon dioxide and water.

What are the two types of reproduction?

Reproduction can be asexual (offspring are clones of the parent) or sexual (involving the fusion of gametes from two parents).

What is the biological species concept?

The biological species concept defines a species as populations that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, sharing common characteristics.

How does natural selection contribute to evolution?

Natural selection results in the survival and reproduction of individuals best adapted to their environment, leading to genetic changes in populations over time.

What role does genetic variation play in evolution?

Genetic variation within a population is crucial for natural selection to occur, allowing some individuals to survive and reproduce better than others.

What are the levels of biological organization?

Levels include organism, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere, indicating increasing complexity in biological systems.

What defines prokaryotic cells?

Prokaryotic cells are simple, single-celled organisms lacking membrane-bound organelles and a nucleus.

What defines eukaryotic cells?

Eukaryotic cells are complex cells with membrane-bound organelles, including a nucleus where the cell's DNA is housed.