Semester 2 Flashcards
carnivorous plant
A plant that digests insects and other small prey ABy feeding on insects, carnivorous plants receive nutrients they can’t get from soil.
Cell
The smallest unit of life. All living things are made of cells. Most cells are too small to see with the naked eye.
chlorophyll
The green substance in plant cells that absorbs sunlight. Chlorophyll is located in chloroplasts and it traps the energy needed for photosynthesis.
cuticle
The waxy layer on the top of a leaf that reduces water loss. The cuticle also prevents the invasion of intruders, such as bacteria, into the leaf.
Epidermis cell
Any cell located in the outer layer of a plant. There are three main types of epidermis cells -pavement cells, guard cells and root hair cells.
Guard cell
A cell that controls the entry of gases in and out of stomata. If a plant is low on water, pairs of guard cells close the stomata to prevent water vapour escaping.
palisade mesophyll
A layer of cells specialized in trapping sunlight for photosynthesis. Palisade cells contain many chloroplasts as it is where photosynthesis occur
pavement cell
A cell that helps form a plant’s protective outer layer. Pavement cells have irregular shapes that lock together to form a strong outer layer.
phloem
A tube that transports sugars through a plant. The phloem forms part of the vascular bundle, together with the xylem.
photosynthesis
The process, plants utilise to convert water and carbon dioxide into food.
plant cell
A cell that typically has a cell wall and a large vacuole.
Unlike animal cells, plant cells have cell walls, large vacuoles and often chloroplasts.
root hair cell
A cell that increases the surface area for absorption of water. These cells have ‘hairs’ that extend out to absorb water from a greater volume of soil.
spongy mesophyll
A layer of cells in leaves with a lot of space between them. The space between cells in the spongy mesophyll allows gases to move easily through the leaf.
stoma/stomata
A pore in a leaf that allows gases to enter and leave.
Stomata allow carbon dioxide into the leaf and release waste products - oxygen and water vapour.
vascular bundle
A network of tubes that transport sugar and water through a plant. The vascular bundle is made up of the xylem and phloem.
Main organs of the plant
Roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits.
Roots - 3 main functions
- They anchor and support the plant as it grows.
- They absorb water and nutrients from the soil, like an underground network of straws.
- They stores food and nutrients.
Taxonomy
the science of naming, describing and classifying organisms.
Niche
a way of life for a species
Range
a distribution map of a species
Community
members of different species that share one habitat.
Types of environment factors and what are they?
Abiotic factors (Non-living things affecting it’s environment)
Biotic factors (Living things affecting it’s environment)
Transect
a line set across the area need to be studied
Quadrats
square areas of known size and are often subdivided into smaller units.
Mark-Recapture
technique used to estimate the size of a population that is impractical to count every individual.
Stamen
The male plant reproductive organ, consisting of anther (produces pollen) and filamen.
Xylem
transports water and nutrients from roots to the plant.