Terms Flashcards
Hypothesis
Prediction of a relationship between independent and dependent variables.
Null hypothesis
Easy to test prediction that there is no relationship between the independent and dependent variable.
Peer review
Appraisal of a piece of work or a specific report by an independent expert in the relevant field.
Plagiarism
Copying the work of others without acknowledgment.
Reduction
Lowering the numbers of an organism used in a study in order to minimise harm to species.
Refinement
The consideration and adoption of methods to minimise harm to a species, including improved animal accommodation and veterinary provision.
Replacement
Use of an alternative to whole organisms in a study to minimise harm to a species.
Replication
Repeating an experiment either within the study or independently to improve reliability.
Review article
Expert report that summarises all that is known about an area of interest.
Accuracy
The degree of closeness to the true, actual value of measurement.
Causation
A link between variables in which one variable is known to be directly affecting the other.
Confounding variables
Factors that influence the results of an experiment and cause mistaken associations between the independent and dependent variable to be made.
Continuous variable
Variable that can be measured and from which infinite values exist.
Correlation
A relationship between two variables that does not imply causation.
Dependant variable
Factor that is measured to obtain experimental data.
Discrete variable
Variable that must fall into clear-cut variables.
In vitro
Experimental procedure carried out in laboratory conditions using parts of organisms such as cells or tissues.
In vivo
Procedures carried out in laboratory or field conditions using entire, living organisms.
Independent data sets
Repeated data sets that are collected in different labs by different workers and at different times but under the same general conditions.
Independent variable
Experimental variable that is purposely altered by the investigator.
Multifactorial
An experiment situation in which there is more that one dependant variable.
Negative control
An experimental aspect in which the independent variable is set at zero, or at no treatment, with the aim of producing a negative result.
Observational studies
Work that is usually carried out in the field or in vivo, and usually produces qualitative data.
Pilot study
A small-scale study conducted to refine values for independent and controlled variables prior to conducting an experiment.
Placebos
Negative controls used in drug and vaccine trials that do not contain the active ingredient being tested.
Positive control
An experimental aspect set up to show that a system is capable of detecting a positive result should it occur.
Precision
The closeness of repeated measurements of a variable.
Random sampling
Sampling in such a way as to ensure that all individuals have an equal chance of being selected in order to to obtain a statistically representative sample.
Randomised block design
Experimental protocol in which the effects of potentially confounding variables can be reduced.
Range
The difference between the two extremes of a set of numerical data.
Reliability
The degree of confidence that an experimental procedure can produce consistent values.
Representative sample
A sample that shares the same mean and same degree of variation about the mean as the population as a whole.
Stratified sample
Dividing a population into groups or strata before carrying out the sampling to take account of a gradient, such as a slope, tidal cycle or seasonal changes.
Validity
Refers to the control of variables to produce fair testing.
Variable
Factor in an experiment that is changeable or can change.
Box plot
Graph showing a data set arranged into numerical order and divided into an upper quartile, an interquartile range and a lower quartile.
Error bar
Line through a data point drawn parallel to an axis showing the variation in the data for that point or the extent of the data for which there is 95% expectation that the true mean lies along it.
Line of best fit
Straight line drawn through a scatter plot that indicates the trend shown by the data.
Mean
Measure of central tendency obtained by summing data and diving by the number of individual items of data.
Median
Measure of central tendency obtained by identifying the middle value of a data set.
Mode
Measure of central tendency obtained by identifying the most common value in a data set.
Qualitative data
Data with descriptive values.
Quantitative data
Data with numerical data.
Ranked data
Data that has been transformed into arbitrary groups.
Standard deviation
Value given for the spread or variation in data.
Standard error of the mean
Value for the standard deviation of sample means to the overall mean of a data set.
Abstract
A brief outline of the aims and findings of an investigation.
Aim
Statement that links the independent and dependent variables.
Anomalous result
Result data that clearly does not fit in with the remainder of the data obtained; it may be discarded if sufficient doubt about it exists.
Citations
A brief statement of the origin or source of a statement or of data.
Discussion
Consideration of the findings of an investigation, including placing results into context and against existing knowledge.
Evaluation
Consideration of methods and results leading to statements regarding possible errors and including suggested improvements.
Chiasmata
A point at which paired chromosmes remain in contact during the first metaphase of meiosis, and at which crossing over and excahnge of genetic material occurs between the strands.
Crossing over
The exchange of genetic material between non-sister cromatids of two homologous chromosomes that result in recombinant chromosomes during meiosis.
Cytokinesis
The physical process of cell division, which divides the cytoplasm of a parent cell into daughter cells.
Hermophrodites
Species that have functioning male and female reproductive organs in each individual.
Heterogametic
Dissimilar sex chromosomes, e.g. XY
Homogametic
Sex chromosomes that do not differ in morphology, resulting in only one kind of gamete, e.g. XX
Homologous pair
A pair of chromosomes of the same size, centromere position and sequence of gene - one from each parent.
Horizontal gene transfer
Inheritance of genetic information within a generation.
Independent assortment
Formation of random combinations of chromsomes in meiosis.
Linked genes
Genes located on the same chromosome.
Meiosis
The division of the nucleus that results in the formation of hapliod gametes from a dipliod gameyocyte.
Parthenogenesis
Development of an offspring from a female gamete without fertilisation.
Recombination
The establishment of new combinations of alleles following crossing over.
Vegatative cloning
Any form of asexual reproduction occuring in plants which a new plant grows from a fragment of the parent plant or a specialised reproductive structure.
X chromosome inactivation
Random inactivation of one x-chromosome to prevent a double dose.
Absolute fitness
The ratio between the number of individuals of a particular genotype after selction to those before selection.
Bottleneck effect
A sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events or human activities.
Co-evolution
The process by which two or more species evolve in response to slection pressures imposed by each other.
Commensalism
Symbiosis in which only one of the species benefit (+/0).
Evolution
The change over time in the proportion of individuals in a population differing in one or more inherited traits.
Female choice
A mechanism of sexual selection in which females access males’ fitness and choose the males with which they will mate.
Fitness
A measure of the tendency of some organisms to produce more surviving offspring than competing members of the same species.
Founder effects
When the gene pool of a new population is not representative of that in the original gene pool; occurs through the isolation of a few members of a population from a larger population.
Gene pool
The total number of genes and their alleles in a population of one species.
Genetic drift
The random increase or decrease in frequncy of DNA sequences from one generation to the next (particularly in small populations).
Hardy-Weinberg principle
In the absence of evolutionary influcneces, allele and genotype frequncies in a population will remain constant over the generations.
Male-male rivarly
A mechanism of sexual selection in which males fight for females, often using weaponary such as antlers and tusks.
Mutualism
Both species in the interaction are interdependent on each other for resources or other services; as both organisms gain from the relationship, the interaction is (+/+).
Natural selection
The non-random increase in the frequncy of advantageous alleles and the non-random decrease in the frequncy of deleterious alleles.
Parasitism
Symbiosis in which the parasite benefits in terms of energy or nutrients and the host is harmed as the result of the loss of these resources (+/-).
Red Queen Hypothesis
States that, in a co-evoltionary reltionship, change in the traits of one species can act as a slection pressure on the other species.
Relative fitness
The ratio of the number of surviving offspring per individual of a particular genotype to the number of surviving offspring per individual of the most successful genotype.
Slection pressures
The environmental factors that influcence which individuals in a population pass on their alleles.
Sexual dimorphism
Females are generally inconspicuous; males usually have more conspicuous markings, structures and behaviours.
Sexual selection
The non-random process involving the selection of alleles that increase the individuals chances of mating and producing offspring.
Symbiosis
Co-evolved intimate relationship between members of two differnt species.
Fixed action patterns
Species-species sequence of behaviours in which one behaviour leads to the next.
Honest signals
Characteristics that can indicate fitness and favourable alleles that increase the chances of survival of offspring or a low parasite burden, suggesting a healthy individual.
K-selected
Breeding strategy in species that are larger, live longer and produce relatively few, larger offspring - high parental care and high probability of surviving to adulthood.
Lek
A communal area in which two or more amles of a lekking species perform courtship displays called lekking.
Male-male rivarly
Males will fight for domainance and access to females for mating through real or ritualised conflict.