Chapter 1- Introduction and Environmental Considerations Flashcards
Terms and Definitions
The process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product, usually proteins.
Gene Expression
Animals that are lacking a backbone and are heterogeneously assembled into
over 35 animal phyla.
Invertebrates
The process of cell division that results in two daughter cells with the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus.
Mitosis
A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, producing four gametes, each with distinct genetic combinations.
Meiosis
The process of renewal, restoration, and repair of tissue, which can lead to a complete regrowth of parts of an organism.
Regeneration
The sequence of events that have led to the development of species over time and their adaptive significance.
Evolutionary history
An iron-containing protein in red blood cells that is responsible for the transport of oxygen.
Hemoglobin
A type of steroid hormone involved in regulating molting and metamorphosis in arthropods.
Ecdysteroid
The process where male sperm and female egg unite to form a new organism.
Fertilization
The physiological process by which animals sense and respond to chemical stimuli.
Chemoreception
Electrochemical signals that are propagated along neurons, allowing messages to be transmitted throughout the nervous system.
Nerve impulses
The underlying chemical processes that contribute to the functions and behaviors of living organisms.
Biochemical basis
The ability of one genotype to produce various phenotypes in response to different environmental conditions.
Phenotypic plasticity
The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
Biodiversity
A phenomenon affecting honeybee populations in which bees abandon their hives, leading to a rapid decline in colony population.
Colony Collapse Disorder
The introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment, which can adversely affect ecosystems and living organisms.
Pollution
The effect that an event, or a series of events, has on the structure and functioning of ecological systems.
Ecological impact
The spread of non-native species into new environments, potentially disrupting existing ecosystems.
Biological invasions
The interactions between different species in an ecosystem through which energy and nutrients are transferred, impacting community structure and ecosystem health.
Food web function (FWF)
Complex networks of interactions between different genes and regulatory factors that govern the expression of genes in cells.
Gene regulatory networks (GRN)
Microscopic organisms that live in aquatic environments and are capable of photosynthesis, serving as the primary producers in marine and freshwater ecosystems.
Phytoplanktons
The process by which certain organisms convert carbon dioxide and other compounds into organic matter using energy derived from chemical reactions.
Chemosynthesis
Tiny, often microscopic animals that drift or float in water and feed on phytoplankton or other small particles.
Zooplankton
A method of feeding where organisms, such as various invertebrates, extract small particles from the water as it flows past them.
Suspension feeding
The creation of organic compounds by autotrophic organisms (like phytoplankton) in an ecosystem, primarily through the process of photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, forming the basis for food chains.
Primary production
Organisms that are anchored in place and do not move freely, typically attached to a substrate.
Sessile
A measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow, reflecting how thick or sticky the fluid is.
Viscosity
The resistance experienced by an object moving through a fluid, often resulting in a slowing effect.
Drag
A dimensionless quantity used to predict flow patterns in different fluid flow situations, indicating whether the flow will be laminar or turbulent based on the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces.
Reynolds numbers
Referring to an organism’s internal fluids having a higher solute concentration than the external environment, leading to the tendency for water to flow into the organism.
Hypoosmotic
A state where the concentration of solute is balanced on both sides of a membrane, preventing the net movement of water across the membrane.
Osmotic equilibrium
Traits or characteristics that evolve in a species that allow them to exploit new habitats or ecological niches when they become available.
Preadaptations
