Diversity Unit Test

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Abby

Cards (153)

Species 
All organisms capable of breeding freely with each other under natural conditions
Biodiversity 
The number and variety of species and ecosystems on Earth
Hybridization 
The cross-breeding of two different species
Morphology 
The physical appearance and characteristics of an organism; also the science of the study of these physical characteristics
Evolutionary change 
A change that occurs in an entire population; usually occurs over a long period of time
Genetic diversity 
The genetic variability among organisms; usually referring to individuals of the same species
Heterotroph 
An organism that maintains energy-rich nutrients by consuming living or dead organisms
Autotroph 
An organism that uses sources of energy to produce nutrients from water, gases, and/or minerals
Species diversity 
A measure of diversity that takes into account the quantity of each species present, as well as the variety of each species present
Structural diversity 
The range of physical shapes and sizes within a habitat or ecosystem
Biological classification 
The systematic grouping of organisms into biological categories based on physical and evolutionary relationships
Taxonomy 
The science of classifying all organisms; taxonomists classify both living and fossil species
Botanist 
A scientist specializing in the study of plants; also called a plant biologist
Genus 
A taxonomic level containing a group of similar species
Binomial nomenclature 
The formal system of naming species whereby each species is assigned a genus name followed by a specific name; the two words taken together form the species name
Taxon 
A category used to classify organisms
Kingdom 
The highest taxonomic level of the traditional Linnaean system of classification
Dichotomous key 
A series of branching, two-part statements used to identify organisms (or objects)
Phylogeny 
The study of the evolutionary relatedness between, and among, species
Phylogenetic tree 
A diagram depicting the evolutionary relationships between different species or groups
Clade 
A taxonomic group that includes a single common ancestor and all its descendants
Prokaryote 
A single-celled organism that does not contain membrane-bound organelles
Eukaryote 
Any organism whose cells contain organelles; some eukaryotic organisms are single-celled, while others are multicellular
Domain 
The highest taxonomic level; there are 3 domains of life
Pathogen 
A disease-causing agent, often a virus or microorganism
Mutualism 
A relationship between two species that live in very close association with each other, whereby each benefits from the association
Antibiotic 
A substance that can kill or weaken microorganisms; natural antibiotics are produced by bacteria or fungi, whereas synthetic antibiotics are manufactured
Plasmid 
A small loop of DNA often found in prokaryotic cells; usually contains a small number of genes
Capsule 
An outer layer on some bacteria; provides some protection for the cell
Coccus 
A round bacterial cell
Bacillus 
A rod-shaped bacterial cell
Spirillum 
A spiral or corkscrew-shaped bacterial cell
Inorganic chemical 
A chemical that has an abiotic origin; some simple substances that are produced by organisms are also classified as inorganic
Organic chemical 
In biology, any chemical that contains carbon and is produced by living things; carbon dioxide is an exception - it is produced during cellular respiration but is classified as inorganic
Obligate aerobe 
An organism that cannot survive without oxygen
Facultative aerobe 
An organism that can live with or without oxygen
Fermentation 
An anaerobic process that releases chemical energy from food
Obligate anaerobe 
An organism that cannot survive without oxygen
Binary fission 
The division of one parent cell into two genetically identical daughter cells; a form of asexual reproduction
Conjugation 
A form of sexual reproduction in which two cells join to exchange genetic information