Ecology, Biogeography, Taxonomy Flashcards
retention in an adult organism of juvenile features of its evolutionary ancestors
Paedomorphosis
is when an organism reproduces before reaching physical maturity. This can include reproduction by larvae or juveniles, or by sexually mature larvae.
Paedogenesis
variation in the relative rates of growth of various parts of the body, which helps to shape the organism
Allometric growth
a tissue found in many vascular plants as a part of the epidermis. It is one of the many layers of bark, between the cork and primary phloem.
Cork cambium
is also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone. It’s located between the latitudes of five degrees north and five degrees south. It has the following characteristics:
Low atmospheric pressure
Little to no wind
Cloudy and rainy weather
doldrums
an area classified according to the species that live in that location.
biome
the study of organisms and how they interact with the environment around them.
ecology
the study of the geographic distribution of plants, animals, and other forms of life.
biogeography
the most complex of all communities, located near the equator where rainfall is abundant and harboring more species of plants and animals than any other ecosystem in the world
Tropical rain forest
woody vines that are rooted in the ground and have long, flexible stems. They are also known as climbing plants, climbers, or vines
lianas
a tropical grassland biome with scattered individual trees, large herbivores, and three distinct seasons based primarily on rainfall, maintained by occasional fires, and droughts
savannah
a scrubland biome of dense, spiny evergreen shrubs found at mid-latitudes along coasts where cold ocean currents circulate offshore, characterized by mild, rainy winters and long, hot, dry summers
chaparral
mixed grassy woodland ecosystems.
Temperate Savannah
a biome located throughout mid-latitude regions where there is sufficient moisture to support the growth of large trees which are mostly of the broad-leaved deciduous type
Temperate Forest
a biome at the northernmost limits of plant growth and at high altitudes, where plant forms are limited to low shrubby or matlike vegetation
Tundra
portion of the ocean floor where light does not penetrate
abyssal zone
emergence of numerous species from a common ancestor introduced to an environment presetting a diversity of new opportunities and problems
adaptive radiation
jawless class of vertebrates represented today by the lampreys and hagfishes
agnathans
mode of speciation induced when the ancestral population becomes segregated by a geographical barrier
allopatric speciation
aiding of another individual at one’s own risk or expense
altruistic behavior
pattern of evolutionary change involving the transformation of an entire population
anagenesis
organisms that need only carbon dioxide as a carbon source but which obtain their energy by oxidizing inorganic substances
chemoautotrophs
is a self-defense mechanism where an animal sheds or discards one or more of its own appendages.
Autotomy
pattern of evolutionary change that produces biological diversity by budding one or more new species from a parent species that continues to exist.
cladogenesis
a taxonomic approach that classifies organisms according to the order in time that branches arise along a phylogenetic tree without considering the degree of morphological divergence
cladistics
the stem reptiles
cotylosaurs
plant species that has staminate and carpellate flowers on separate plants
dioecious
steroid hormone that triggers molting in arthopods
ecdysone
animals such as reptiles, fishes, and amphibians, that must use environmental energy and behavioral adaptations to regulate their body temperature
ectotherms
animals that use metabolic energy to maintain a constant body temperature. the birds and mammals
endotherms
plant that nourishes itself, but grows on the surface of another plant for support, usually on the branches or trunks of tropical trees
epiphyte
A physiological state characterized by slow metabolism and inactivity, which permits survival during long periods of elevated temperature and diminished water supplies
estivation
the limited period of heat or sexual receptivity that occurs around ovulation in female mammals having estrous cycles
estrus
study of how animals behave in their natural environments
ethology
aquatic heterotrophs, like clams and oysters, that sift small food particles from the water
filter-feeders
reproductive organs of bryophytes
gametangia
predators that use tentacles, pincers, claws, or jaws to kill their prey or tear off pieces of meat or vegetation
holotrophs
shallow zone of the ocean where land meets water
intertidal zone or littoral zone
the jellylike substance between 2 layers of the body wall of a sponge or cnidarian
mesoglea
process in arthropods in which the exoskeleton is shed at intervals to allow growth by secretion of a larger exoskeleton
molting
in plants, possessing both staminate and carpellate flowers on the same individual
monoecious
a group of egg-laying mammals, represented by the platypus and echidnas
monotremes
a serpentine excretory tube in earthworms immersed in the fluid of the coelom
nephridium/nephridia
the embryonic development of an organism
ontogeny
adaptations to control water balance in organisms living in hypertonic, hypotonic, or terrestrial environments
osmoregulation
extinct agnathans that were fishlike creatures encased in an armor of bony plates
ostracoderms
a special case of polymorphism based on the distinction between secondary sexual characteristics of males and females
sexual dimorphism
the aerial portion of a plant body, consisting of stems, leaves, and flowers
shoot system
the central vascular cylinder in roots where xylem and phloem are located
stele
process of nuclear union during fertilization
syngamy
branch of biology that studies the diversity of life
systematics
a coniferous or boreal forest biome characterized by snow, harsh winters, short summers, and evergreen trees
taiga
a movement toward or away from some stimulus
taxis
vertebrates possessing 2 pairs of limbs, such as amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals
tetrapods
the directional growth of a plant in relation to touch
thigmotropism
Harmless organism copies the pattern of a dangerous organism to get protection
Batesian mimicry
the directional movement of an animal in response to chemicals in the environment
chemotaxis
interaction/relationship between 2 animal or plant species that live together in which one species benefits from the association while the other is not significantly affected
Commensalism
all plants and animals living in a defined area
community
the interaction/relationship between 2 or more organisms, pop, or spe that share some environmental resource when this is in short supply. Both organisms are harmed
competition
a social structure in which each animal has a relative position of dominance
complex hierarchy
where members of a group combine their strengths to defend against predators
cooperative defence
animals that are most active at dawn and dusk
crepuscular animals
a plant in which flowering can occur irrespective of the day length
day neutral plants
the directional movement of an animal in response to gravity
geotaxis
is a method of camouflage in which an animal’s coloration is darker on the top or upper side and lighter on the underside
countershading or Thayer’s law,
the directional growth of plant organs in response to gravity
geotropism
ability of an organism to find its way back to a specific area
homing
the non-directional movement of an organism in response to a stimulus in which rate of movement depends on the intensity of the stimulus rather than direction
Kinesis
the seasonal mass movement of organisms from one area to another and back
migration
2 or more poisonous species have similar colouration therefore get protection
Mullerian mimicry
relationship where 2 species benefit from the relationship
mutualism
non-directional movements of plant in response to external stimuli
nastic movements
a plant growth response away from a stimulus
negative tropism
form of exploitation where one species lives on another to obtain food
parasitism
the directional movement of an animal in response to light
phototaxis
the environmental agent that resets the biological clock e.g. light, temperature
Zeitgeber
