Life Processes

Life processes

The basic essential activities performed by an organism to maintain life, such as nutrition, transportation, metabolism, respiration, reproduction, and excretion.

Reproduction

The biological process by which organisms produce new individuals of their own kind.

Asexual reproduction

A mode of reproduction requiring only one parent, involving no gametes or fertilization, resulting in offspring identical to the parent.

Sexual reproduction

A mode of reproduction involving male and female parents, fusion of gametes, and fertilization, producing genetically unique offspring.

Bisexual (monoecious) organisms

Organisms or flowers that possess both male and female reproductive organs in a single individual.

Unisexual organisms

Organisms or flowers that possess either male or female reproductive organs, but not both.

Pollination

The process of transferring pollen grains from an anther to the stigma of a flower.

Self-pollination

The transfer of pollen grains from an anther to the stigma of the same flower or another flower on the same plant.

Cross-pollination

The transfer of pollen grains from the anther of a flower on one plant to the stigma of a flower on a different plant of the same species.

Fertilization

The fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote.

Internal fertilization

Gamete fusion that occurs inside the parent organism's body, resulting in less gamete wastage.

External fertilization

Gamete fusion that occurs outside the body, common in aquatic species and amphibians.

Monocotyledonous seed

A seed characterized by having a single cotyledon, a single fused seed coat, and typically an endosperm.

Dicotyledonous seed

A seed characterized by having two cotyledons, two seed coats (testa and tegmen), and a large embryo.

Radicle and plumule

Embryonic structures where the radicle develops into roots and the plumule develops into shoots.

Anemochory

The dispersal of seeds away from the parent plant by air or wind.

Hydrochory

The dispersal of seeds away from the parent plant through water.

Ballochory

The dispersal of seeds through the explosive action of fruits.

Zoochory

The dispersal of seeds away from the parent plant by animals.

Parthenogenesis

The development of a new organism directly from an unfertilized egg cell.

Tissue culture

An artificial vegetative propagation method where a plant tissue sample is grown in a nutrient solution into a callus and then into plantlets.