Unit 12: Diversity Of Life Flashcards
Acid rain
Rainfall made sufficiently acidic by atmospheric pollution that it causes environmental harm, typically to forests and lakes.
Air pollution
The presence of a substance in the air that has harmful or poisonous effects.
Algal bloom
A rapid growth of microscopic algae in water ending up in a colored scum on the surface of the water.
Archaea
Archaea is a large group of small microorganisms. They are unicellular and prokarvotic.
Archaebacteria
Archaebacteria is an early stage microorganisr that lives in severe environments like for example a place that is very hot. It also is unicellular.
Bacteria
A biological cell and are contained in prokaryotic microorganisms that have cell walls but lack organelles and a nucleus.
Binomial nomenclature
A naming system in which two names are used: the first indicates the genus, and the second indicates the species.
Carolus Linnaeus
This man was well known for his work in Taxonomy, the naming and classifying of organisms.
Cladogram
A branching diagram showing the cladistic relationship between a number of species.
Class
Class is a taxonomic rank. It fits in between phylum and order.
Classification
When animals and plants are categorized by physical similarities including their class, order, genus, family and soecies.
Dead zone
A place or period of time in which nothing occurs or no life is existent.
Dichotomous key
This key is a tool that allows the user to determine the identity of items in the natural world, like trees and animals.
Classification system
A system used to classify groups of similar things.
Domain
Domain is a taxon of the highest ranking. Organisms can be classified in any of the three domains: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.
Eubacteria
A bacteria of a large group having simple cells with rigid cell walls and often have a flagella for movement.
Eukarya
One of three domains of living organisms; species with membrane-bound structures and a true nucleus; many are multi-cellular; includes animals, plants, fungi, and algae
Fungi
Organisms feeding on other organic matter including mold or yeast.
Genus
A group of species that are related; a taxonomic rank below the level of family and above species.
Global warming
The increase of temperature of Earth’s climate system/ atmosphere generally caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
Greenhouse effect
Warming of air due to gases that cause less heat to be reflected than absorbed.
Habitat loss
A habitat that is damaged to such a severe extent that it is no longer able to support the species of animals that live there.
Hierarchical system
The hierarchal system is a system of grouping things into levels and orders, kingdom being at the top and species at the bottom.
Kingdom
The second highest rank in the classification of organisms.
Linnaean classification
The Linnaean classification is a way of organizing living things.
Scientists now classify animals. according to the structure of their body.
Linnaeus
He was a Swedish botanist who created the Linnaean classification. He was the founder of the taxonomy system.
Monera
A kingdom that has unicellular organism with a prokaryotic cell organization. Ex. Bacteria
Natural recourses
A substance or material like water, forests, and minerals that occur in nature.
Nonrenewable source
A nonrenewable resource is a natural resource like coal, gas and oil that once used up cannot be replaced.
Order
It is a taxonomic rank. This one fits in between class and family.
Phylum
A taxonomic category that stands above class and below kingdom.
Protists
A single celled organism in the Protista kingdom.
Renewable source
A resource that can be used repeatedly and does not run out because it is naturally replaced.
Soil
The upper layer of Earth which helps plants grow including organic material.
Species
A group of living organisms that consist of similar individuals capable of interbreeding.
Sustainable use
Sustainable use means the use of components that can be maintained and does not lead to a long-term decline in biological diversity.
Taxon
It is a group of any rank, such as a species, family, or class.
Taxonomist
A taxonomist is a biologist that groups organisms into categories.
Taxonomy
The branch of science that includes classification of many things such as species.
