AP psych

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.

Cellular Respiration

The biochemical process where cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Dominant Species

A species that has a large influence on its ecosystem due to its abundance or biomass.

Niche

The role and function of an organism or species within an ecosystem, including its habitat and interactions.

Biomes

Large regions characterized by specific climate conditions and distinct plants and animal communities.

Food Chain

A sequence of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food.

Energy Transfer

The movement of energy through a food chain or food web.

Carrying Capacity

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

Natural Selection

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

Eutrophication

The enrichment of water bodies with nutrients, often leading to excessive growth of algae.

Invasive Species

Non-native species that spread widely in a new habitat, often causing harm to native species and ecosystems.

Trophic Levels

The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship where both parties benefit.

Commensalism

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

Parasitism

A symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another.

Succession

The process by which ecosystems change and develop over time.

Primary Succession

The development of an ecosystem in an area that was previously devoid of life.

Secondary Succession

The recovery of an ecosystem after a disturbance, where soil and some organisms still exist.

Climate Change

Long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place.

Sustainability

The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level without depletion of resources.

Greenhouse Effect

The warming of the Earth's surface due to the trapping of heat by greenhouse gases.

Acid Rain

Rainfall that is more acidic than normal due to pollutants in the atmosphere.

Ozone Layer

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

Renewable Energy

Energy from sources that are constantly replenished, such as solar and wind power.

Non-Renewable Energy

Energy from sources that are finite and will eventually run out, such as fossil fuels.

Water Cycle

The continuous process by which water moves from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back.

Carbon Cycle

The series of processes by which carbon is cycled through the environment, including photosynthesis and respiration.

Nitrogen Cycle

The process by which nitrogen is converted between its various chemical forms.

Phosphorus Cycle

The cyclic movement of phosphorus in different chemical forms from the land to ocean and back.

Habitat Fragmentation

The process of dividing a continuous habitat into smaller, isolated patches.

Extinction

The state of a species that no longer has any living individual members.

Endangered Species

A species at risk of extinction due to a variety of factors, including habitat loss.

Conservation Biology

The study of protecting biodiversity and managing natural resources sustainably.

Marine Biology

The scientific study of organisms in the ocean and other marine bodies of water.

Microbiology

The study of microorganisms, which are microscopic organisms too small to be observed without a microscope.

Zoology

The scientific study of animals and their behavior, physiology, and classification.

Botany

The scientific study of plants, including their physiology, structure, genetics, ecology, distribution, and classification.

Genetics

The study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics.

Evolution

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

Homeostasis

The ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.

Cell Theory

The theory that all living things are composed of cells, and all cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Prokaryotic Cells

Single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Eukaryotic Cells

Cells that contain a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

Cell Membrane

The semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell.

Mitochondria

The powerhouse of the cell, responsible for producing energy through cellular respiration.

Chloroplasts

Organelles in plant cells that conduct photosynthesis.

DNA

The molecule that carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms.

RNA

A molecule that plays a crucial role in the coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes.

Chromosomes

Structures within cells that contain DNA and carry genetic information.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence of an organism's genome.

Biotechnology

The use of living systems and organisms to develop or create different products.

Ecology

The study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

Phylogenetics

The study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms.

Biogeography

The study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time.

Symbiosis

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

Adaptation

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

Biodiversity Hotspot

Regions with a high level of endemic species that are also experiencing habitat loss.

Endemic Species

Species that are native to and only found within a specific geographic area.

Biosphere

The global sum of all ecosystems, integrating all living beings and their relationships.

Trophic Cascade

A series of events in an ecosystem where a change in one trophic level causes cascading effects on other levels.

Keystone Species

A species that has a disproportionately large impact on its environment relative to its abundance.

Nutrient Cycle

The movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter.

Phototropism

The growth of an organism in response to a light stimulus.

Gravitropism

The growth of an organism in response to gravity.

Pollination

The transfer of pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma.

Ecosystem Services

The benefits that humans freely gain from the natural environment and from properly-functioning ecosystems.

Habitat

The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.

Tundra

A cold, treeless area characterized by low temperatures and short growing seasons.

Rainforest

A dense forest found in tropical areas with heavy rainfall.

Savanna

A mixed grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced.

Desert

A barren area of land where little precipitation occurs and consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life.

Temperate Forest

A forest found in temperate regions characterized by seasonal changes.

Grassland

An area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses.

Wetlands

Areas where water covers the soil for part of the year, providing a unique ecosystem.