Biological Diversity Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering all four biological diversity study guides: ecological concepts, reproduction and development, genetics and inheritance, and biodiversity conservation.

ECOSYSTEM

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical, non-living (abiotic) environment.

POPULATION

A group of individuals of the same species living in the same geographic area at the same time.

COMMUNITY

All the populations of different species that live and interact in the same area.

GENUS

A taxonomic category ranking above species and below family, grouping closely related species.

SPECIES

A group of organisms that are closely related and can interbreed to produce fertile offspring.

KINGDOM

A major taxonomic rank used to classify organisms, ranking directly below domain.

PHYLUM

A principal taxonomic category ranking below kingdom and above class, grouping organisms based on fundamental body plans.

CLASS

A taxonomic category ranking below phylum and above order.

ORDER

A taxonomic category ranking below class and above family.

FAMILY

A taxonomic category ranking below order and above genus.

SYMBIOSIS

A close and prolonged biological interaction or relationship between two different species.

COMMESALISM

A symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed.

MUTUALISM

A symbiotic relationship in which both participating organisms benefit from the interaction.

PARASITISM

A symbiotic relationship in which one organism (the parasite) lives on or inside another (the host) and benefits at the host's expense.

INTERSPECIES COMPETITION

The interaction and struggle between individuals of two or more different species for limited resources such as food, water, or territory.

NICHE

The unique functional role and position an organism occupies within its ecological community, including how it uses resources and survives.

RESOURCE PARTITIONING

The division of limited environmental resources by different species to avoid direct competition in an ecological niche.

VARIABILITY

The differences and diversity in characteristics, traits, and genetic sequences among organisms within a population or species.

NATURAL SELECTION

The process by which organisms with traits better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more successfully.

Heritable characteristics

Traits and features passed down genetically from biological parents to their offspring.

Non-Heritable characteristics

Traits and features acquired during an organism's lifetime as a result of environmental influences or learning, which cannot be inherited.

Discrete Variation

Inherited traits that have a limited number of distinct, defined forms or phenotypes with no in-between states.

Continuous Variation

Inherited traits that exhibit an unbroken, continuous spectrum of values or phenotypes across a population.

Asexual Reproduction

A mode of reproduction requiring only one parent that produces offspring genetically identical to the parent.

Sexual Reproduction

A mode of reproduction involving the union of two specialized sex cells (gametes) from two parents to form genetically diverse offspring.

Binary Fission

A form of asexual reproduction in single-celled organisms where one parent cell duplicates its genetic material and divides into two equal daughter cells.

Budding

A type of asexual reproduction where a new individual grows as an outgrowth or bud directly from the parent organism and eventually detaches.

Spores

Single-celled reproductive structures produced asexually or sexually that can survive harsh conditions and grow into new organisms.

Vegetative reproduction

A form of asexual reproduction in plants where a new plant grows from specialized structures such as runners, tubers, cuttings, or bulbs.

Sperm cells

The male reproductive cells (gametes) that carry male genetic material to fertilize female egg cells.

Egg cells

The female reproductive cells (gametes or ova) that are fertilized by sperm cells during sexual reproduction.

Fertilization

The biological process of uniting male and female gametes to create a single zygote.

Zygote

The initial diploid single cell formed by the union and fusion of a sperm cell and an egg cell.

Cleavage

The rapid succession of early mitotic cell divisions of a fertilized egg (zygote) without an increase in overall size.

Embryo

An early stage in the development of a multicellular organism that forms from the repeated division of a zygote.

Pollen

Powdery microspores produced by seed plants that contain the male reproductive cells.

Stamen

The male reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of a pollen-bearing anther and a supporting filament.

Ovules

Structures found inside a plant's ovary that contain the female reproductive cells and develop into seeds after fertilization.

Pistil

The female reproductive organ of a flower, typically composed of the stigma, style, and ovary.

Pollination

The transfer of pollen grains from the male anther to the female receptive stigma of a flowering plant.

Anther

The terminal part of the stamen that produces and stores pollen grains.

Stigma

The sticky or receptive upper portion of the pistil that captures pollen during pollination.

Cross pollination

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

Cross-fertilization

The fertilization of an ovum or egg of one individual with the male gamete of another individual.

Style

The elongated neck or tube of the pistil that connects the stigma to the ovary.

Ovary

The enlarged basal portion of the pistil containing the ovules, which matures into a fruit after fertilization.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule found in cell nuclei that carries hereditary instructions for the growth, development, and functioning of organisms.

Genetic Code

The molecular biochemical rules that determine how sequences of nucleotide bases in DNA are translated into amino acids and proteins.

Chromosomes

Thread-like structures of tightly packed DNA and histone proteins located in the nucleus that carry genes.

Gene

A specific sequence of DNA nucleotides located at a particular locus on a chromosome that codes for a specific protein or trait.

Mitosis

A process of nuclear division in eukaryotic cells that produces two genetically identical daughter cells with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

Meiosis

A two-stage cell division process that produces four genetically unique haploid gametes with half the chromosome number of the parent cell.

Traits

Observable physical, physiological, or behavioral characteristics of an organism determined by its genes, environment, or an interaction of both.

Purebred

An organism that possesses two identical alleles for a specific trait (homozygous) and consistently breeds true when crossed with identical individuals.

Hybrid

An individual that possesses two different alleles for a trait (heterozygous), resulting from the cross of two genetically different parents.

Dominant Trait

An inherited characteristic that is phenotypically expressed whenever at least one dominant allele is present in the genotype.

Incomplete Dominance

A pattern of inheritance in which neither allele is fully dominant over the other, producing an intermediate phenotype in heterozygous individuals.

Extirpation

The localized extinction or total elimination of a species from a particular geographical area, while it continues to exist elsewhere.

Overspecialization

The evolutionary adaptation of a species to a very narrow, specific ecological niche or food source, increasing its vulnerability to environmental change.

Artificial Selection

The selective breeding of plants and animals by humans to promote desirable or beneficial phenotypic traits in future generations.

Biotechnology

The scientific application of living organisms, cells, or biological processes to develop products and technologies for agriculture, medicine, and industry.

Clone

An individual organism, cell, or DNA fragment that is an exact genetic replica of another organism or parent.

Artificial Insemination

The intentional medical or agricultural introduction of viable semen into a female reproductive tract without natural copulation.

In vitro fertilization

A reproductive technology in which egg cells are fertilized by sperm cells outside the female body in a laboratory dish or test tube.

Genetic engineering

The direct human alteration or manipulation of an organism's genetic material using biotechnology to insert, delete, or modify specific genes.

In-situ conservation

The preservation and maintenance of endangered species and genetic resources directly within their natural ecosystems and native habitats.

Ex-situ conservation

The preservation and protection of biological diversity and endangered species outside their natural habitats, such as in zoos, botanical gardens, and seed banks.