glossary for all units <3 Flashcards
1
Q
absorbed
A
the light which is taken into a plant leaf by pigments
2
Q
activation energy
A
the minimum energy required by reactants to allow reaction to occur
3
Q
active site
A
the region of an enzyme molecule where the enzyme acts on the substrate
4
Q
aestivation
A
dormancy in response to high temperature or drought
5
Q
agriculture
A
the process of producing feed and other desirable products by the cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals
6
Q
allele
A
one of the different forms of a gene
7
Q
allele frequency
A
the prevalence of alternative versions of genes
8
Q
aesthetic
A
branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty and art
9
Q
anabolic
A
a reaction which requires energy and builds up molecules
10
Q
animal welfare
A
physical and psychological well-being of animals. the term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare. welfare is measured by indicators including behaviour, physiology, longevity and reproduction
11
Q
annual weed
A
plant which grows, flowers, sets seeds, and dies within the space of one year
12
Q
anthropomorphism
A
the tendency to attribute to animals human qualities such as mental, social and emotional characteristics
13
Q
anticodon
A
a triplet of exposed bases on a tRNA molecule
14
Q
antiparallel
A
running in an opposite direction
15
Q
apical meristems
A
growing points (regions of mitosis) found at the tips of plant stems or roots allowing increase in length
16
Q
archaea
A
a group of single-celled microorganisms
17
Q
artificial selection
A
intentional breeding controlled by humans for particular traits or characteristics
18
Q
ATP
A
adenosine triphosphate, coenzyme used as an energy carrier in the cells of all known organisms
19
Q
ATP synthase
A
an enzyme which produces ATP
20
Q
biodiversity
A
degree of variation of life forms within a given species, ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet
21
Q
bioinformatics
A
a process which combines computer science and statisitical analysis to study genomes
22
Q
biological catalysts
A
catalysts made of protein that are only found in living cells
23
Q
biological yield
A
total plant biomass
24
Q
blastocyst
A
an embryo that has developed for 5-6 days after fertilisation
25
bottleneck
an evolutionary event in which a significant percentage of a population or species is killed or otherwise prevented from reproducing
26
calorimeter
a piece of equipment used to measure heat generation from an organism to allow metabolic rate to be calculated
27
calvin cycle/carbon fixation
a series of biochemical reactions that takes place in the chloroplast and does not require light
28
carnivore
animal which eats meat and which derives its energy requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue whether through predation or scavenging
29
catabolic
a reaction which releases energy and breaks down molecules
30
chlorophyll
the green pigment which is found in almost all plants and green algae. it absorbs light which is essential for photosynthesis
31
chloroplast
the photosynthetic unit of a plant cell, containing all the chlorophyll
32
citric acid cycle
the second stage of respiration, where acetyl from acetyl coa and oxaloacetate join to form citrate and a series of reactions which return citrate to oxaloacetate
33
codon
a triplet of exposed bases on a length of mRNA
34
competition
an interaction or struggle between organisms or species for a source such as food, territory or mates, in which the fitness or numbers of one is reduced by the presence of another
35
competitive inhibition
competitive inhibition of enzyme activity occurs when an inhibitor, resembling the structure of the substrate, binds to the active site of the enzyme and blocks the binding of the substrate
36
cooperative hunting
animals such as lions hunt as a group to increase their chances of successfully killing prey
37
cross pollination
when pollen is delivered to a flower of a different plant
38
crossbreeding
a crossbreed, (adjective crossbred) usually refers to an animal with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. crossbreeding refers to the process of breeding such an animal, often with the intention to create offspring that share the traits of both parent lineages, or producing an animal with hybrid vigour
39
cultivar
plant or group of plants selected for a particular characteristic
40
daily torpor
a period of reduced activity in organisms with high metabolic rates
41
degradation
process by which ecosystems or habitats are broken down or fragmented
42
dehydrogenase
an enzyme which removes hydrogen ions and electrons from substrates
43
deletion
removal of a length of DNA from a chromosome
44
deletion mutation
loss of a section of DNA or a number of nucleotides
45
differentiation
the process by which cells or tissues undergo a change toward a more specialised function
46
DNA ligase
an enzyme that facilitates the process by which which fragments of DNA are joined together
47
DNA polymerase
an enzyme that synthesises DNA strands from individual nucleotides
48
dormancy
a condition of biological rest or inactivity characterised by cessation of growth or development and the suspension of many metabolic processes
49
double helix
the double helical shape of a DNA molecule
50
duplication
repetition of a series of nucleotides within a chromosome
51
economic yield
the mass of desired product
52
effector
cells, muscles, or glands which perform responses to stimuli
53
electron transport chain
the final stage of respiration where high energy electrons and hydrogen ions are used to synthesise ATP
54
endemic
an organism is unique to a defined ecological or geographical locations such as an island, nation or other zone, or habitat. for example, lemurs are endemic to madagascar; none are native elsewhere
55
ethogram
a catalogue or inventory of all behaviours or actions exhibited by an animal
56
eukaryote
an organism which possesses a membrane-bound nucleus
57
exons
the parts of the initial mRNA which are used to code for proteins
58
extinction
the complete loss of a species from the planet
59
extremophile
an organism which is able to live in exteme conditions eg high temperature
60
FAD
a co-enzyme which easily attaches to hydrogen ions, but releases them when they are required
61
feedback inhibition
regulation of enzyme activity where the first enzyme of a metabolic pathway is inhibited by the reversible binding of the final product of the pathway
62
fermentation
a type of respiration which takes place in the absence of oxygen
63
food security
the ability of human populations to access food of sufficient quality and quantity
64
fragementation
habitat fragmentation describes the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in an organism's environment (habitat), causing population fragmentation
65
fungicide
a chemical compound or biological organism used to kill or inhibit fungi or fungal spores
66
G3P
glycerate-3-phosphate, which is a substance found in the calvin cycle
67
gene pool
complete set of unique alleles in a species or population
68
genetic diversity
compromises the genetic variation represented by the number and frequency of alleles in a population
69
genetic uniformity
when the genes or alleles of a population are similar and show little variation
70
genetics
the branch of biology that deals with hereditary, especially the mechanisms of hereditary transmission and the variation of inherited traits among similar or related organisms
71
genome
the entirelty of an organism's hereditary information
72
genomics
the science of interpreting genes; the study of an organism's genome using information systems, databases, and computerised research tools
73
genotype
a statement of an organism's alleles for a particular characteristic usually given as symbols - a pea plant could have the genotype CC if it were homozygous for pink petal colour or the genotype Cc if it were heterozygous for the pink colour
74
glycolysis
the first stage of respiration where glucose is broken down into pyruvate
75
harvest index
a measure of yield, calculated by dividing the dry mass of economic yield by the dry mass of biological yield
76
herbicide
a chemical compound used to kill unwanted plants
77
herbivore
an organism adapted to eat plant-based foods, such as deer, cows and sheep
78
heterotrophic
an organim which gains energy by consuming other organisms
79
heterozygotes
having two different alleles for a characteristic - a pea plant heterozygous for petal colour has two different petal colour alleles Cc
80
hibernation
an inactive state resembling deep sleep in which certain animals living in cold climates pass the winter
81
hierachy
an organisation arranged in a graded order with member(s) at the top who are dominant over subordinate individuals
82
homozygotes
having two identical alleles for a characteristic - a pea plant homozygous for petal colour has two identical petal colour alleses, both pink CC or both white cc
83
hypothalamus
part of the brain which monitors and regulates temperature
84
immigration
movement into a country or area to take up a permanent residence
85
inbreeding
the reproduction from mating two genetically related parents
86
inbreeding depression
the reduced fitness in a given population as the result of breeding of related individuals
87
induced fit model
a model of an enzyme-substrate reaction that causes a confirmational change in the active site of the enzyme that allows the substrate to fit perfectly
88
induced fit pluripotent stem cells
adult cells reprogrammed to enter an embryonic stem cell-like state
89
insecticide
a chemical compound used to kill insects
90
insertion mutation
the addition of an extra nucleotide
91
introns
the parts of the initial mRNA which are removed before translation
92
invasive
introduced species that adversely affect the habitats they invade economically, environmentally and/or ecologically
93
inversion
the inversion (reversal) of a section of DNA within a chromosome
94
keystone species
a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance. an ecosystem may experience a dramatic shift if a keystone species is removed, even though that species was a small part of the ecosystem by measures of biomass or productivity
95
lagging strand
the strand of DNA that grows in that direction opposite to the movement of the growing fork; it is replicated in fragments
96
leading strand
the strand of DNA that is being replicated continuously
97
legume
a plant which is able to fix atmospheric nitrogen to synthesis amino acids which can then be built up to plant proteins. this is due to the symbiotic relationship with bacteria in the root nodules of the plants
98
ligase
an enzyme which joins fragments of DNA together
99
light reaction
the photosynthetic process in which solar energy is harvested and transferred into chemical bonds of ATP; can occur only in light
100
livestock
one of more domesticated animal raised in agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fibre and labour. the term does not usually involve farmed fish
101
mass extinction
a sharp decrease in the diversity and abundance of macroscopic life
102
megafauna
large or giant animals
103
meristem
a growing point in a plant, ie a place where mitosis produces new cells
104
messenger RNA
mRNA is synthesised from a DNA template, resulting in the transfer of genetic information from the DNA molecule to the messenger RNA
105
metabolites
the intermediates and products of metabolic reactions that take place in organisms
106
migration
a process which avoids metabolic adversity by expending energy to relocate to a more suitable environment
107
misdirected behaviour
abnormal behaviour which the animal directs at another object, animal or human
108
mitochondria
a structure in the cell responsible for producing energy
109
mitochondrion
a structure in the cell responsible for producing energy
110
mitosis
nuclear division
111
mitosis
nuclear division
112
mollusc
a large group of invertebrate organisms including slugs
113
monoculture
the agricultural practice of producing or growing one single crop over a wide area. it is widely used in modern agriculture and its implementation has allowed for large harvests of crops from minimal labour
114
motivation
the driving force by which humans and animals achieve their goals
115
NAD
a co-enzyme which easily attaches to hydrogen ions, but releases them when they are required
116
NADP
coenzyme used to carry hydrogen (NADPH) to chemical reactions which require a reducing agent
117
natural selection
the survival of the fittst, whereby only individuals with the most suitable genetic constitution for any set of circumstances pass their genes on
118
naturalised
any process by which a non-native organism spreads into the wild and its reproduction is sufficient to maintain its population
119
negative feedback
homeostasis; the process by which an increase in one factor causes a decrease in another factor, thereby maintaining equilibrium around a set point
120
nematode
organisms which belong to the group known as the roundworms and can be found in almost every ecological system
121
net assimilation
the conversion of nutrient into the fluid or solid substance of the body, by the processes of absorption
122
non-competitive inhibition
a molecule binds to part of the enzyme away from the active site, and causes a conformational change in the active site of the enzyme, thereby inhibiting the binding of the appropriate substrate molecule
123
nutrient medium
a mixture of nutrients (including carbon and nitrogen sources) required for growth
124
outbreeding
the practice of introducing unrelated genetic material into a breeding line
125
pecking order
a natural hierarchy in a group of birds, such as domestic fowl
126
perennial
a plant which lives for more than two years
127
persistent
chemical compounds whcih do not break down or degrade easily in the environmet
128
placatory
leading to a reduction in tension, to pacify or appease
129
plasmid
a circular, self-replicating DNA molecule that carries only a few genes
130
plastome
the genetic material that is found in plastids in plant cells (for examples in the chloroplast). it composes part of the entire genome of photosynthetic organisms
131
pluripotent stem cells
these are stem cells, with the potential to make any differentiated cell in the body
132
polyculture
