Chapter 5 Flashcards
Cline
A gradual change in some phenotypic characteristic from one population to the next
Life history
the timing and details of growth events and development events from conception through senescence and death
Stressors
Any factor that can cause stress in an organism potentially affect the body’s proper functioning and its homeostasis
Intraterine
Refers to the area within the uterus
Growth Velocity
The speed with which an organism grows in size, often measured as the amount of growth per year
Deciduous dentition
Also known as baby teeth or milk teeth, this is the first set of teeth, which form in utero and erupt shortly after birth
Weaning
the process of substituting other foods for the milk produced by the mother
Motor skills
refers to the performance of complex movements and actions that require the control of nerves and muscles
Cognitive abilities
Refers to the capacity of the brain to perceive, process, and judge information from the surrounding environment
Menarche
refers to the onset of menstruation in an adolescent female
Sexual dimorphism
A difference in a physical attribute between the males and females of a species
Epiphyses
The end portions of long bones; once they fuse to the diaphyses, the bones stop growing longer
Diaphyses
The main midsection, or shaft, portions of long bones; each contains a medullary cavity
Nonmineralized
Refers to bone reduced to its organic component.
Hypothermia
A condition in which an organism’s body temperature falls below the normal range, which may lead to the loss of proper body functions and eventually, death
SecularTrend
A phenotyic change due to multiple factors, Such trends can be positive (e.g. increased height) or negative (e.g. decreased height)
Aging
The process of maturation
Senescence
Refers to an organism’s biological changes in later adulthood
Homeostasis
The maintenance of the internal environment of an organism within an acceptable range
Menopause
the cessation of the menstrual cycle, signifying the end of a female’s ability to bear children
Osteoporosis
The loss of bone mass often due to age, causing the bones to become porous, brittle, and easily fractured
Anthropemetry
Measurement of the human body
Functional adaptations
Biological changes that occur during an individual’s lifetime, increasing the individual’s life fitness in the given environment
Homeothermic
Refers to an organism’s ability to maintain a constant body temperature despite great variations in environmental temperature
Vasodilation
the increase in blood vessels’ diameter due to the action of a nerve or of a drug: it can also occur in response to hot temperatures
Bergmann’s Rule
The priniciple that an animal’s size is heat-related; limbs are longer in hot environments and larger bodies are adapted to cold environments
Allen’s Rule
The principle that an animal’s limb lengths are heat-related; limbs are longer in hot environments and shorter in cold environments
Vasoconstriction
The decrease in blood vessels’ diameter due to the action of a nerve or of a drug; it can also occur i response to cold temperatures
Basal Metabolic rate (BMR)
The rate at which an organism, while at rest, expends energy to maintain basic bodily functions; measured by the amount of heat given off per kilogram of body weight.
Skin reflectance
Refers to the amount of light reflected from the skin that can be measured and used to assess skin color
Melanocytes
Melanin-producing cells located in the skin’s epidermis
Melanin
A brown pigment that determines the darkness or lightness of a human’s skin color due to is concentration in the skin
Sun protection factor (SPF)
The rating calculated by comparing the length of time needed for protected skin to burn to the length of time needed for unprotected skin to burn
Hypoxia
Less than usual sea-level amount of oxygen in the air or in the body
Basal Metabolic Requirement
The needed minimum amount of energy needed to keep an organism alive
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)
The number of calories used by an organism’s body during a 24-hour period
Macronutrients
Essential chemical nutrients, including fat, carbohydrates, and protein, that a body needs to live and to function normally
Micronutrients
Essential substances, such as minerals or vitamins, needed in very small amounts to maintain normal body functioning
Hypercholesterolemia
The presence of high levels of cholesterol in an organism’s blood; this condition may result from the dietary consumption of foods that promote high cholesterol or through the inheritance of genetic disorder
Type 2 Diabetes
A disease in which the body does not produce sufficient amounts of insulin or the cells do not use available insulin, causing a buildup of glucose in the cells
