Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

National 5 Biology Keywords- life of earth > Life on earth > Flashcards

Life on earth Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

abiotic factors

A

non-living factors present in an ecosystem such as temperature, soil moisture, light intensity and pH

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

abundance

A

the quantity of species in an area

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

acclimatise

A

adjust or become accustomed to new surroundings- for example when using a choice chamber it is important to allow time for the organism to acclimatise before recording results

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

adaptation

A

is an inherited characteristic (physical, physiological r behavioural) of an organism which enables it to survive successfully in its habitat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

advantageous mutation

A

a random change to an organism’s genetic material that is beneficial and increases the organism’s chance of success

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

algal bloom

A

rapid growth of algae (simple, aquatic plants) in water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

allege

A

each of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)

A

adenosine molecule with three phosphate groups attached which can release energy when one phosphate group is removed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

atypical

A

unusual results- usually the result of not taking enough samples, for example when throwing quadrats

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

bioaccumulation

A

the build-up of toxic substances in living organisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

biodiversity

A

total variation in an ecosystem including the variety that exists within a species and between different species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

biological control

A

the control of a pest by the introduction of a natural enemy or predator

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

biotic factors

A

factors affecting a species that are directly related to, or are the result of, activities of living things

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

by-product

A

a substance made when another substance is being produced e.g. oxygen is a by-product of photosynthesis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

carbohydrate

A

a molecule made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen e.g. glucose, starch, cellulose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

carbon fixation

A

the second stage of photosynthesis in which ATP, hydrogen and carbon dioxide are used to produce glucose (and oxygen)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

carnivore

A

organism which only eats other consumers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

cellulose

A

structural carbohydrate of which plant cell walls are composed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

chlorophyll

A

green pigment in chloroplasts that absorb light energy for the process of photosynthesis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

chloroplast

A

organelle containing chlorophyll; the site of photosynthesis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

community

A

all the populations of all species in a habitat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

competition

A

when two organisms require the same resource and that resource is in short supply

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

consumer

A

an organism that eats other organisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

DDT

A

example of pesticide which can build up in the body f pests. its concentration increases as it is passed along the food chain leading to lethal concentrations in top predators

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

decomposers

A

organisms (mainly bacteria fungi) which obtain energy by decomposing (breaking down) waste materials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

disadvantageous mutation

A

a random change to an organism’s genetic material that us harmful and decreases the organism’s chance of success

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

distribution

A

the way in which something is spread over an area

28
Q

ecosystem

A

( ecosystem = community + habitat). a natural unit made up of one or more habitats and the community or communities of plants and animals there

29
Q

energy flow

A

the transfer of energy through food chain

30
Q

environment

A

the sum total of all surroundings of a living organism

31
Q

evolution

A

the change in genetic makeup of a population over successive generations, which may be caused by natural selection

32
Q

fauna

A

animal life

33
Q

fertiliser

A

a chemical or natural substance, containing nitrogen that is added to soil to increase crop yield

34
Q

food chain

A

diagram which shows how energy is passed from organism to organism

35
Q

food web

A

a network of food chains

36
Q

glucose (C6H12O6)

A

simple sugar used as the respiratory substrate in respiration and produced by photosynthesis

37
Q

GM crops

A

genetically modified plants which have had foreign genes (genes from other plants or animals) inserted into their genetic codes by genetic engineering to improve their characteristics

38
Q

grazing

A

when animals eat green plant material where only part of the (plant) structure is removed e.g. horse/cow/sheep eating grass

39
Q

habitat

A

the place where organisms live

40
Q

herbivore

A

organism which only eats plants

41
Q

humidity

A

the quantity of water vapour present

42
Q

indicator species

A

species that by their presence or absence or abundance indicate environmental quantity/ levels of pollution in an ecosystem

43
Q

interbreed

A

to sexually reproduce

44
Q

interspecific competition

A

occurs between organisms of different species competing for the same resource (which has limited supply)

45
Q

intraspecific competition

A

occurs between organisms of the same species competing for the same resource (which has a limited supply)

46
Q

leaching

A

when fertilisers are washed out of the soil by rainwater

47
Q

light intensity

A

a measurement of the brightness of light

48
Q

light meter

A

an instrument used to measure light intensity

49
Q

light reactions

A

first stage of photosynthesis (also known as photolysis) which needs light to occur. water is split into hydrogen and oxygen during this stage

50
Q

limiting factor

A

a variable that, when in short supply, can limit the rate of a chemical reaction

51
Q

moisture meter

A

an instrument used to measure the level of moisture

52
Q

mutagenic agent

A

are things (such as radiation) which can increase the frequency of mutations

53
Q

natural selection

A

a process where organisms possessing certain characteristics that make them better suited to a environment are selected and survive to reproduce. therefore, they pass on their advantageous characteristics to their offspring

54
Q

neutral mutation

A

a random change to an organism’s genetic material that does not affect the survival of an organism

55
Q

niche

A

the niche of a species is its role in its habitat

56
Q

nitrate

A

nitrogen compounds which are taken by plants

57
Q

omnivore

A

organism which consumes both plants and animals (to obtain energy)

58
Q

paired key

A

a set of statements which cane be used to identify an organism

59
Q

pesticides

A

a chemical used to kill pests (organisms-insects/animals/plants- which damage crops)

60
Q

pitfall trap

A

a device used to trap invertebrates which are active on the ground surface

61
Q

pollution

A

the introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects. it can affect the air, fresh water, sea and land.

62
Q

population

A

the total number of living things of one species living in a a habitat

63
Q

predation

A

when one organism (predator) hunts and eats another (prey) as food

64
Q

predator

A

organisms which hunts and eats another animal

65
Q

prey

A

organisms which is hunted and eaten by predators

66
Q

producer

A

organisms which produce their own food (usually green plants by photosynthesis)

67
Q

protein

A

compound containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen which are an essential part of living organisms

National 5 Biology Keywords- life of earth (1 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions