chap 4 Flashcards
ecosystem
a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
biotic factors
a living organism that shapes its environment
abiotic factors
a non-living organism that shapes its environment
organism
an individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form.
species
a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding
population
a community of animals, plants, or humans among whose members interbreeding occurs.
community
a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common
habitat
the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.
natural selection
the process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
evolution
the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth
adaptation
the action or process of adapting or being adapted.
artificial selection
the process by which humans choose individual organisms with certain phenotypic trait values for breeding.
resistance
lack of sensitivity to a drug, insecticide, etc., especially as a result of continued exposure or genetic change.
archaea
microorganisms that are similar to bacteria in size and simplicity of structure but radically different in molecular organization.
bacteria
a member of a large group of unicellular microorganisms which have cell walls but lack organelles and an organized nucleus, including some which can cause disease.
fungus
any of a group of spore-producing organisms feeding on organic matter, including molds, yeast, mushrooms, and toadstools.
protist
a single-celled organism of the kingdom Protista, such as a protozoan or simple alga.
gymnosperm
oun: gymnosperm; plural noun: gymnosperms
a plant that has seeds unprotected by an ovary or fruit. Gymnosperms include the conifers, cycads, and ginkgo.
angiosperm
a plant that has flowers and produces seeds enclosed within a carpel. The angiosperms are a large group and include herbaceous plants, shrubs, grasses, and most trees
invertebrate
an animal lacking a backbone, such as an arthropod, mollusk, annelid, coelenterate, etc.
vertebrate
an animal of a large group distinguished by the possession of a backbone or spinal column, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes.
