Biology Notes Review

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the biology lecture notes related to behaviors, plant processes, populations, and ecological interactions.

Behavior

Actions or reactions of an organism in response to external or internal stimuli.

Circadian rhythm

An internal clock that regulates an organism's biological processes in response to environmental changes, especially light.

Migration

A long-distance movement of species in response to environmental changes.

Imprinting

A long-lasting behavioral response established in an individual towards a particular object or individual, such as latching onto a mother.

Cooperative behavior

Behavior where animals work together, increasing survival chances for individuals and populations.

Transpiration

The process of loss of water vapor from a plant’s surface.

Xylem

The type of tissue in plants that transports water and minerals from the roots to the leaves.

Stoma

Openings in the leaf that allow water vapor to evaporate and gases to exchange.

Ecological niche

The set of biotic and abiotic resources used by an organism.

Exponential growth

Population growth that occurs when resources are unlimited, leading to a rapid increase.

Carrying capacity (K)

The maximum population size an environment can sustain.

Trophic efficiency

The percentage of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next, typically around 10%.

Mutualism

A positive interaction where both species benefit.

Commensalism

A positive interaction where one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed.

Limiting nutrient

An essential element that must be available in order for production to increase in an ecosystem.

Detritivores

Organisms that obtain energy from dead organic matter or detritus.

Primary production

The amount of light energy converted into chemical energy by autotrophs during photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Dominant species

The most abundant species in a community.

Keystone species

A species that plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of a community, despite possibly not being the most abundant.

Disturbance

An event that disrupts a community, altering resource availability and leading to changes in species composition.