Science

• Biological Diversity


  Diversity between and within ecosystems and species
• Population


  A group of organisms of the same species living in the same area
• Community


  All the populations of different species living in the same area
• Classifying biological diversity


  Most general and diverse categories to most specific, less diverse categories (Kingdom-Phylum-Subphylum-Class-Order-Genus-Species)
• Interdependence


  The dependence of organisms on each other and their environment
• Examples of interdependence


  • Predator-prey relationships, symbiosis
• Symbiotic relationships


  Mutualism, commensalism, parasitism
• Niche


  The role an organism plays in its ecosystem
• Interspecies competition


  Competition between organisms of different species for the same resources
• Resource partitioning


  When organisms use different resources to avoid competition
• Heritable characteristics


  Characteristics that can be passed on to offspring
• Non-heritable characteristics


  Characteristics that cannot be passed on to offspring
• Discrete characteristics


  Characteristics that have distinct categories (e.g. blood type)
• Continuous characteristics


  Characteristics that vary along a spectrum (e.g. height)
• Asexual reproduction


  Reproduction that involves only one parent and produces genetically identical offspring
• Sexual reproduction


  Reproduction that involves two parents and produces genetically diverse offspring
• Forms of asexual reproduction


  • Binary fission, budding, spore production, vegetative production
• Zygote


  The cell formed by the union of an egg and a sperm
• Embryo


  The early stage of development of a multicellular organism
• Fertilization


  The fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote
• Pollination


  The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma
• Cross-pollination


  Pollination between different plants of the same species
• Cross-fertilization


  Fertilization between gametes from different individuals
• DNA


  The molecule that carries the genetic information in living organisms
• Chromosome


  A structure in the cell nucleus that contains the genetic material
• Gene


  A unit of heredity that is transferred from a parent to offspring
• Allele


  One of two or more alternative forms of a gene
• Mitosis


  The process of cell division that produces two genetically identical daughter cells
• Meiosis


  The process of cell division that produces four genetically distinct daughter cells
• Purebred


  An organism that is homozygous for a particular trait
• Hybrid


  An organism that is heterozygous for a particular trait
• Dominant trait


  A trait that is expressed when at least one copy of the gene is present
• Recessive trait


  A trait that is only expressed when two copies of the gene are present
• Incomplete dominance


  A situation where the phenotype of the offspring is a blend of the two parental phenotypes
• Environmental factors can impact inheritance
• Extinction


  The complete disappearance of a species from Earth
• Extirpation


  The local disappearance of a species from a particular area
• Overspecialization


  When a species becomes highly adapted to a specific environment or niche
• Biotechnologies that impact diversity within species

  • Artificial selection, cloning, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, genetic engineering
• Strategies to conserve biological diversity

  • Protected areas, restoration of ecosystems and species, resource use policies, controlling spread of introduced species, ex-situ and in-situ conservation of genetic resources