Chapter 1: Studying Life & Chapter 19: Evolution Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering core biological concepts, levels of organization, genetics, evolutionary theory, and scientific methodology based on the lecture notes.

Biology

The scientific study of organisms, living and fossil.

Homeostasis

Self-regulation to maintain a narrow range of conditions in the internal environment.

Prokaryotes

Single-celled organisms that lack membrane-enclosed organelles.

Eukarya

Organisms whose cells contain membrane-enclosed organelles and a nucleus containing genetic information.

Photosynthesis

A biological process that transforms sunlight energy into chemical energy.

Aerobic metabolism

A metabolic process requiring oxygen, which is more efficient than anaerobic metabolism.

Anaerobic metabolism

A metabolic process occurring without oxygen.

Tissues

Groups of similar cell types that develop together for specific functions.

Organs

Structures formed by different tissue types developing together to perform specific functions.

Organ systems

Groups of organs that work together to perform complex functions.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species that live and interbreed in a defined area.

Community

Populations of different species that live and interact in a defined area.

Ecosystem

Communities of organisms together with their physical environment.

Biomes

Major ecosystems that cover broad geographic areas with distinctive physical features and communities.

Biosphere

All of the biomes on planet Earth.

Genetics

The biological study of heredity, genes, and the variation of traits in organisms.

Genome

The sum total of all the DNA molecules in an organism.

Genes

Segments of DNA that encode information to build proteins.

Mutations

Changes in a nucleotide sequence that are usually harmful, but can occasionally lead to new adaptations.

Binomial

The distinct scientific name given to a species, consisting of its genus and species.

Genus

A group of species that share a recent common ancestor.

Evolution

The change in genetic composition of populations over time.

Natural selection

The differential survival and reproduction of individuals based on variation in their traits.

Adaptations

Structural, physiological, or behavioral traits that enhance an organism's chances of survival and reproduction.

Genomics

The field of biology focused on using DNA sequences to compare organisms.

Bioinformatics

The field that manages and analyzes biological sequencing data.

Phylogenetic tree

A diagram illustrating the evolutionary histories and relationships of different groups of organisms.

Root

The location on a phylogenetic tree representing the common ancestor for the group.

Node

A split in a branch on a phylogenetic tree indicating a division of one lineage into two.

Evolutionary theory

The understanding of the mechanisms of evolutionary change.

Artificial selection

The practice by humans of breeding plants and animals with desired characteristics.

Inductive logic

The use of specific observations or facts to develop a tentative answer or hypothesis.

Deductive logic

The process used to predict what facts must also be true to be compatible with a hypothesis.

Controlled experiment

An experiment that manipulates one factor while holding all other variables constant.

Comparative experiment

An experiment that compares data gathered from populations that differ in multiple ways.

Null hypothesis

A statistical premise stating that no differences exist between experimental sample groups.

Model systems

The use of one type of organism to understand the biological processes of others.