BIO HL 2

Habitat

The natural environment in which an organism lives, providing food, shelter, and resources necessary for survival.

Organism

a living entity that interacts with its ecosystem, capable of growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli.

Species

a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, sharing common characteristics.

Population

a group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area, interacting with each other and their environment.

Community

a collection of different species living and interacting in a specific area, forming complex relationships.

Ecosystem

a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment, including both living and non-living components.

Biotic

referring to the living components of an ecosystem, including plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Abiotic

non-living chemical and physical factors in the environment, such as sunlight, temperature, water, and minerals.

Adaptations

the inherited traits that enhance the survival and reproduction of organisms in a specific environment.

Law of Tolerance

A principle stating that the existence, abundance, and distribution of a species are determined by the presence of specific environmental conditions or factors.

Optimum range

the range of environmental conditions where a species thrives best.

Zone of stress

the range of conditions under which a species can survive but not thrive, leading to decreased fitness and potential risks for the organism.

Zone of intolerance

the range of environmental conditions where a species cannot survive.

Seminatural habitat

A habitat that is partially influenced by human activity, allowing some natural processes to occur while supporting various species.

Belt transect

A sampling method used in ecology to assess the distribution of organisms across different habitats by taking measurements along a defined line or strip.

ecological niche

refers to the role and position a species has in its environment, encompassing its habitat, resource use, and interactions with other species.

Obligate anaerobes

Microorganisms that cannot survive in the presence of oxygen and rely on anaerobic processes for energy production.

facultative anaerobes

Microorganisms that can survive with or without oxygen, utilizing aerobic respiration in oxygen-rich environments and fermentation or anaerobic respiration in its absence.

Obligate aerobes

Microorganisms that require oxygen for survival and use aerobic respiration to generate energy.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy, using carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose and oxygen.

Prokaryote

A single-celled organism without a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles, including bacteria and archaea.

Autotrophic Nutrition

A mode of nutrition where organisms produce their own food using light or chemical energy, typically through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Archaea

Microorganisms that are prokaryotic and distinguishable from bacteria, often found in extreme environments.

phototrophs

Organisms that produce energy through photosynthesis by converting light energy into chemical energy.

chemolitrophs

Organisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules, using this energy to convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds.

organotrophs

Organisms that obtain energy by oxidizing organic compounds, using this energy for cellular processes.

Family hominidae

A biological family that includes great apes and humans, characterized by their larger brains and more complex behaviors.

Strangler epiphytes

Plants that grow on other plants, obtaining nutrients and moisture from the host while often harming it.

Shade tolerant plants

Plants that can grow and thrive in low light conditions, often found in understory forests.

Fundamental Niche

The range of environmental conditions and resources in which a species can survive, grow, and reproduce without any competition or predation.

Realized niche

The actual conditions and resources a species occupies in the presence of competition and predation, encompassing the aspects of its fundamental niche that it actually utilizes.

Competitive exclusion principle

Ecological theory stating that two species competing for the same resources cannot coexist indefinitely. One species will outcompete the other, leading to its local extinction.

Exclusion Venom

A type of venom that prevents or reduces the effectiveness of competing species, often used by predators to secure dominance over an ecological niche.

Mimicry

A survival strategy where an organism resembles another species to gain an advantage, often for protection from predators.

Holozoic nutrion

A mode of nutrition in which organisms obtain nutrients by ingesting other organic matter, typically encompassing animals and some protists.

heterotrophic nutrition

A type of nutrition where organisms cannot produce their own food and rely on consuming other organisms for energy and nutrients.

Mixotrophic nutriton

A nutritional strategy that combines autotrophic and heterotrophic modes, allowing organisms to produce their own food through photosynthesis while also consuming other organisms for nutrients.

obligate mixotroph

An organism that primarily relies on both autotrophic and heterotrophic sources for nutrition, unable to survive on one type alone.

lianas

Woody vines that climb or sprawl over other plants in tropical forests. They use other plants for support to access sunlight and resources.

epiphytes

Plants that grow on other plants for physical support but are not parasitic. They obtain moisture and nutrients from the air and debris around them.

facultative mixotroph

An organism that can switch between autotrophic and heterotrophic modes of nutrition depending on environmental conditions.

allelopathy

The chemical inhibition of one plant species by another, affecting growth and development through released biochemical compounds.

reproductive isolation

A mechanism that prevents different species from interbreeding, maintaining species boundaries through various barriers such as temporal, behavioral, or geographical factors.

Genome

The complete set of genetic material present in an organism, including all of its genes and non-coding sequences.

DNA bar codes

Short genetic sequences used for species identification.

Genome sequencing

The process of determining the complete DNA sequence of an organism's genome, allowing for the analysis of its genetic information and variations.

evolution

is the process by which different kinds of living organisms develop and diversify from earlier forms through changes in genetic variations over time.

natural selection

The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. It is a key mechanism of evolution.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including the diversity of species, genetic variation, and ecosystem diversity.

Mutation

is a change in the DNA sequence of an organism's genome, which can lead to variations that drive evolution.

Selection pressure

refers to environmental factors that influence the survival and reproduction of organisms, driving natural selection and evolutionary change.

phenotype

is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism, determined by both genetic makeup and environmental influences.

genotype

the genetic constitution of an individual organism, determining its traits and characteristics.

density independent factors

are environmental influences that impact population size regardless of the population density, such as natural disasters or climate conditions.

Genetic variation

refers to the diversity in gene frequencies among individuals within a population, contributing to differences in traits and characteristics.

Allele

a variant form of a gene that determines specific traits, occurring at a specific locus on a chromosome.

Gene

is a segment of DNA that contains the instructions for building proteins, which influence traits and functions in organisms.

crossing over

the exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during meiosis, leading to genetic diversity in gametes.

independent assortment

is the process by which different genes independently separate from one another when reproductive cells develop, leading to genetic variation.

Carrying capacity

is the maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other resources available.

gene pool

refers to the total collection of genes and alleles within a population, representing the genetic diversity available for inheritance.

reproductive isolation

is a mechanism that prevents different species from interbreeding and producing fertile offspring, thereby maintaining species diversity.

Geographic isolation

occurs when populations of a species are separated by physical barriers, such as mountains or rivers, leading to reproductive isolation and potentially speciation.

Neo-Darwinsim

is a modern synthesis of Darwinian evolution that incorporates genetics, emphasizing the role of natural selection and genetic drift in evolutionary processes.

Genetics

is the study of heredity and variation in organisms, focusing on genes, genetic variation, and the mechanisms of genetic inheritance.

Hardy-Weinberg equation

is a principle used to calculate the genetic variation of a population at equilibrium. It provides a mathematical model for studying allele frequencies under certain conditions.

Hardy-weinberg principle

is a fundamental concept in population genetics that describes the genetic variations in a population that remains constant from one generation to the next in the absence of evolutionary influences.