Vocab for AP Biology Final

endosymbiotic hypothesis

the idea that mitochondria and chloroplasts originated from bacteria

Evidence of endosymbiotic hypothesis

mitochondria and chloroplasts contain circular DNA genomes and ribosomes similar to those of bacteria

polyribosome

string of ribosomes simultaneously translating regions of the same mRNA strand during protein synthesis

ATP

(adenosine triphosphate) main energy source that cells use for most of their work

RNA polymerase

enzyme that links together the growing chain of RNA nucleotides during transcription using a DNA strand as a template

Nondisjunction causes...

Abnormal number of chromosomes in gametes.

Thylakoid Proton Gradient

H+ concentration used by ATP synthase to generate ATP

Retrovirus

An RNA virus that reproduces by transcribing its RNA into DNA and then inserting the DNA into a cellular chromosome; an important class of cancer-causing viruses.

Detritivore

organism that feeds on plant and animal remains and other dead matter

primary consumer

An organism that eats producers

primary producers

the first producers of energy-rich compounds that are later used by other organisms

secondary consumer

A carnivore that eats primary consumers

tertiary consumer

An organism that eats secondary consumers

Mutualism

A relationship between two species in which both species benefit

Parasitism

A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed

competition

the struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat with limited resources

Savannah

a flat grassland in tropical or subtropical regions

Taiga (Boreal Forest)

Has a short growing season, the soil quality is poor, the biodiversity is low, has conifers such a cedar, spruce, pine, and fir; it has insects, birds mainly in the summer, no amphibians or reptiles, and mammals such as rodents, rabbits, minks, raccoons, bears, and moose live there

Tundra

An extremely cold, dry biome.

competitive exclusion principle

Ecological rule that states that no two species can occupy the same exact niche in the same habitat at the same time

carrying capacity

Largest number of individuals of a population that a environment can support

logistic growth model

a growth model that describes a population whose growth is initially exponential, but slows as the population approaches the carrying capacity of the environment

exponential growth model

growth model that estimates a population's future size after a period of time based on the intrinsic growth rate and the number of reproducing individuals currently in the population

CAM plants keep stomata closed in daytime, thus reducing loss of water. They can do this because they

Store carbon dioxide as an acid

C4 plants

A plant that prefaces the Calvin cycle with reactions that incorporate CO2 into four-carbon compounds, the end product of which supplies CO2 for the Calvin cycle.

Photorespiration

A metabolic pathway that consumes oxygen, releases carbon dioxide, generates no ATP, and decreases photosynthetic output; generally occurs on hot, dry, bright days, when stomata close and the oxygen concentration in the leaf exceeds that of carbon dioxide.

nitrogen fixation

process of converting nitrogen gas into nitrogen compounds that plants can absorb and use

Fixed Action Pattern (FAP)

A sequence of behavioral acts that is essentially unchangeable and usually carried to completion once initiated.

sign stimulus

External sensory stimulus that triggers a fixed action pattern.

water potential

The physical property predicting the direction in which water will flow, governed by solute concentration and applied pressure.

phylogenetic tree

A family tree that shows the evolutionary relationships thought to exist among groups of organisms

Reinforcement

Keeps populations from interbreeding when the hybrid's are less fit

developmental homology

similarities in the development of embryos between different species that share a common ancestor

Mitosis

cell division in which the nucleus divides into nuclei containing the same number of chromosomes for growth, repair, developmental and asexual reproduction

Meiosis

Cell division that produces reproductive cells in sexually reproducing organisms and genetic recombination

ATP synthase

Large protein that uses energy from H+ ions to bind ADP and a phosphate group together to produce ATP