Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Biology 20 > Unit B > Flashcards

Unit B Flashcards

(71 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Definition of Ecology?

A

the study of interactions between organisms and their living and non-living environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Definition of Abiotic Factor?

A

a non-living factor that influences an organism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Definition of Biotic Factor?

A

a living factor that influences an organism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Definition of Ecotone?

A

a transition area between ecosystems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Definition of Ecological Niche?

A

an organism’s role in an ecosystem, consisting of its place in the food web, its habitat, its breeding area, and the time of day at which it is most active

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Definition of Biome?

A

a large geographical region with a specific range of temperatures and precipitation, and the organisms that are adapted to those conditions of temperature and precipitation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Definition of Permafrost?

A

permanently frozen soil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Definition of Muskeg?

A

soil above the permafrost that is swampy or boggy in summer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Definiton of Understorey?

A

below the canopy layer; usually shrubs and smaller trees

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Definition of Littoral Zone?

A

the area from the shore of a lake or pond to the point where no more plants grow in the lake bottom

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Definition of Limnetic Zone?

A

the area of a lake or pond in which there is open water and sufficient light for photosynthesis to occur

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Definition of Plankton?

A

autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms found in the limnetic zone of a lake or pond

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Definition of Profundal Zone?

A

the region of a lake beneath the limnetic zone, in which there is insufficient light for photosynthesis to occur

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Definition of Groundwater?

A

water in the soil or rock below Earth’s surface

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Definition of Epilimnion?

A

the upper level of a lake, which warms up in summer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Definition of Hypolimnion?

A

the upper level of a lake, which warms up in summer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Definition of Thermocline?

A

the zone between the epilimnion and hypolimnion, in which temperature changes rapidly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Definition of Biotic Potential?

A

the maximum number of offspring that a species could produce with unlimited resources

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Definition of Carrying Capacity?

A

the maximum number of individuals of a species that can be supported by an ecosystem

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Definition of Law of the Minimum?

A

states that the nutrient in the least supply is the one that limits growth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Definition of Law of Tolerance?

A

states that an organism can survive within a particular range of an abiotic factor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Definition of Density-Independent Factor?

A

a factor in an ecosystem that affects members of a population regardless of population density

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Definition of Density-Dependent Factor?

A

a factor in an ecosystem that affects members of a population because of the population density

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q
A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Definition of Slash-and-Burn?
the complete clearing of a forest by felling and burning the trees
26
Definition of Clear-Cutting?
the removal of all trees in an area
27
Definition of Selective Cutting?
the harvesting of only certain trees from an area
28
Definition of Prescribed Burn?
burn a controlled fire set intentionally in a designated area
29
Definition of Oligotrophic?
having low nutrient levels
30
Definition of Eutrophic?
having high nutrient levels
31
Definition of Coliform Bacteria?
a type of bacteria that occurs naturally in the intestines of humans and other animals, and indicates the presence of fecal contamination in water
32
Definition of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)
the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by decomposers to completely break down the organic matter in a water sample at 20 °C over five days
33
Definiton of Watershed?
the land that drains toward a lake or other body of water
34
Definition of Taxonomy?
the science of classification according to the inferred (presumed) relationships among organisms
35
Definition of Binomial nomenclature?
a method of naming organisms by using two names—the genus name and the species name. Scientific names are italicized.
36
Definition of Genus?
the first part of a binomial name; a genus includes several species
37
Definition of Species?
a group of organisms that look alike and can interbreed under natural conditions to produce fertile offspring
38
Definition of Taxa?
categories used to classify organisms
39
Definiton of Protista?
a kingdom originally proposed for all unicellular organisms such as the amoeba. More recently, multicellular algae have been added to the kingdom.
40
Definition of Monera?
in a five-kingdom system, a kingdom that includes organisms that lack a true nucleus
41
Definiton of Archaebacteria?
in a six-kingdom system, a kingdom consisting of prokaryotic microorganisms distinct from eubacteria that possess a cell wall not containing peptidoglycan and that live in harsh environments such as salt lakes and thermal vents
42
Definition of Eubacteria?
in a six-kingdom system, a kingdom consisting of prokaryotic microorganisms that possess a peptidoglycan cell wall
43
Definition of Phylogeny?
the history of the evolution of a species or a group of organisms
44
Definition of Dichotomous Key?
a two-part key used to identify living things.
45
Definition of Paleontology?
the study of fossils
46
Definition of Radiometric Dating?
a technique used to determine the age of a rock or fossil
47
Definition of Biogeography?
the study of the geographic distribution of life on Earth
48
Definiton of Endemic?
a term used to describe a species that is found in one location only
49
Definition of Homologous Features?
features with similar structures but different functions
50
Definition of Analogous Features?
features that are similar in appearance and function, but do not appear to have the same evolutionary origin
51
Definiton of Vestigial Features?
rudimentary structures with no useful function
52
Definition of DNA?
the molecule that makes up genetic material
53
Definition of Gene?
a segment of DNA that performs a specific function, such as coding for a particular protein
54
Definition of Artificial Selection?
the process of humans selecting and breeding individuals with the desired traits
55
Definiti9on of Spontaneous Generation?
the belief that living things arose from non-living matter
56
Definition of Inheritance of Aquired Characteristics?
the false concept of inheritance of features acquired during the life of an individual
57
Definition of Natural Selection?
the result of differential reproductive success of individuals caused by variations in their inherited characteristics.
58
Definition of Mutation?
a change in the DNA sequence in a chromosome
59
Definition of Neutral Mutation?
a mutation that has no effect on the organism
60
Definition of Fitness?
an organism’s reproductive success
61
Definition of Harmful Mutation?
a mutation that reduces an organism's fitness
62
Definition of Beneficial Mutation?
a mutation that enhances an organism's fitness
63
Definition of Asexual Reproduction?
the production of offspring from a single parent; offspring inherit the genes of that parent only
64
Definition of Siblings?
offspring from the same parent (in asexual reproduction) or parents (in sexual reproduction)
65
Definition of Sexual Reproduction?
the production of offspring by the union of sex cells from two different parents; the offspring inherit a combination of genes from both parents
66
Definition of Gene Pool?
all the genes in a certain population
67
Definition of Speciation?
the formation of new species
68
Definition of Allopatric Speciation?
speciation by reproductive isolation
69
Definition of Theory of Gradualism?
the idea that speciation takes place slowly
70
Definiton of Theory of Punctuated Equilibrium?
the idea that species evolve rapidly, followed by a period of little or no change
71
Definiton of Divergent Evolution?
evolution into many different species

Biology 20 (4 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions