INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY Flashcards
Biology
the scientific study of all forms of life
Organism
any individual living thing
Biosphere
all living things and the part of Earth & the atmosphere where
they exist
Biodiversity
variety of life
Species
one particular type of living organism that can reproduce by
interbreeding and produce fertile offspring
Cell
the basic unit of life
List the 4 Characteristics All Organisms Share
- Cells
- Need for energy
- Response to environment
- Reproduction and development
Energy
the ability to cause a change or do work
Metabolism
all of the chemical processes that build up or break down
materials
Autotrophs (producers)
organisms that get their energy from nonliving
resources
Heterotrophs (consumers)
organisms that get their energy by eating
other living or once-living resources
Stimulus
something that causes a physiological response
Reproduction
a process that makes new organisms from parent
organisms
List the 4 Unifying Themes of Biology
- All levels of life have systems of related parts
- Structure and function are related in biology
- Organisms must maintain homeostasis to survive in diverse environments
- Evolution explains the unity and diversity of life
Ecosystem
all the living organisms and nonliving components (climate,
soil, water, rocks, etc.) in a particular geographic area
Community
a group of different species that live together in the same
geographic area
Population
a group of individuals of the same species living in the same
geographic area
Homeostasis
is the maintenance of constant internal conditions in an
organism
Evolution
the change in living things over time
Adaptation
a beneficial inherited trait that is passed to future generations
