Living Environments Flashcards
Regents Review
What is an ecosystem?
All living and nonliving things that interact in a specific area.
Define biotic factors.
Living parts of the ecosystem (plants, animals)
What are abiotic factors?
Nonliving parts of the ecosystem (water, sunlight, soil).
What is biodiversity?
The variety of life on Earth, essential for ecosystem resilience.
What are producers in an ecosystem?
Organisms that make their own food, usually through photosynthesis.
Define consumers.
Organisms that eat other organisms to obtain energy.
What are decomposers?
Organisms that break down dead material for energy (bacteria, fungi).
What is a food chain?
A series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten.
Define a food web.
A network of interrelated food chains in an ecosystem.
What is carrying capacity?
The maximum population size that an environment can sustain.
Describe ecological succession.
The process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.
What is a niche?
The role and position a species has in its environment.
What are invasive species?
Non-native species that spread widely and cause harm to the environment.
Define habitat destruction.
The process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species.
What is conservation biology?
The study and practice of protecting biodiversity and natural resources.
What are keystone species?
Species that have a disproportionately large impact on their environment.
What is an observation in scientific terms?
What is seen or measured.
Define inference.
A conclusion based on observation or evidence.
What is a hypothesis?
An untested prediction that states both cause and effect (“If-then” statement).
What constitutes a theory?
A broad explanation of natural events supported by strong evidence.
What is the purpose of a controlled experiment?
To compare the results between two or more groups.
Define the experimental group in an experiment.
The group being tested or receiving treatment.
What is a control group?
The “normal” group identical to the experimental group except it does not receive the treatment.
What is a placebo?
A fake treatment given to the control group to mimic the experimental conditions.
Where is the independent variable plotted on a graph?
On the X axis.
Where is the dependent variable plotted on a graph?
On the Y axis.
What is diffusion?
Movement of molecules from high to low concentrations without energy.
Define osmosis.
The diffusion of water into or out of a cell.
What is aerobic respiration?
Respiration that requires oxygen and produces more ATP.
What happens during anaerobic respiration in humans?
Lactic acid is produced, causing muscle fatigue.
What are the main components of the immune system?
White blood cells.
What is the function of antibodies?
To attack specific antigens.
How does genetic engineering typically alter organisms?
By inserting genes from one organism into another.
What is the function of ribosomes?
Ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis in the cell.
What is an enzyme?
An enzyme is a protein that speeds up chemical reactions in the body without being consumed by the reaction.
What is homeostasis?
Homeostasis is the maintenance of a stable internal environment within an organism.
What are nucleic acids?
Nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are molecules that store and transmit genetic information.
What is osmosis?
Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to high solute concentration.
What is genetic drift?
Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution involving random changes in allele frequencies within a population.
What is the role of chlorophyll in photosynthesis?
Chlorophyll is a pigment that absorbs light energy for photosynthesis.
What is an allele?
An allele is a variant form of a gene.
What is the difference between a genotype and a phenotype?
A genotype is the genetic makeup of an organism, while a phenotype is the physical expression of the genotype.
What is mutualism?
Mutualism is a type of symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit from the interaction.
What is transcription in biology?
Transcription is the process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA.
What is translation in biology?
Translation is the process by which ribosomes synthesize proteins using the mRNA transcript.
What is a food web?
A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem.
What is ecological succession?
Ecological succession is the process by which the structure of a biological community evolves over time.
What role do centrioles play in animal cells?
Centrioles help organize the assembly of microtubules during cell division.
What is the significance of the cell wall in plant cells?
The cell wall provides structural support, protection, and shape to plant cells.
What is a trophic level in an ecosystem?
A trophic level is a step in a food chain or food web, representing the flow of energy from primary producers to various consumers.
What is respiration?
Organisms get energy by breaking the bonds of sugar molecules. The released
energy is used to make a molecule of ATP, which gives all organisms their energy
What is diffusion?
movement of molecules from high concentrations to low concentrations.
Requires no energy (passive transport)
