ENVS 150-Chapter 1

atoms

the smallest functional units of elements and the simplest level of biological organization; cannot be broken down further into other substances by ordinary chemical or physical means.

sexual reproduction

union of the gametes produced by two individuals produces offspring that are genetically different from their parents.

inductive reasoning

generates a unifying explanation or general principle after carefully evaluating specific studies; begins with specific studies and ends with a general principle.

nonvascular plants

group of plants that has no vascular tissues, true roots, true stems, or true leaves; has gametophytes that are dominant and sporophytes that are small and dependent on gametophytes for survival; includes liverworts, hornworts, and mosses.

vascular seedless plants

group of plants that have vascular tissues, true roots and stems; use spores for dispersal; have sporophytes that are dominant and gametophytes that are small but independent from sporophytes; includes club mosses, ferns, and their relatives.

vascular seed plants

group of plants that have vascular tissues, true roots, true stems, and true leaves; use seeds for dispersal; have sporophytes that are dominant and gametophytes that are small and dependent on sporophytes for survival; includes gymnosperms and angiosperms.

angiosperms

group of vascular seed plants that produce seeds and their seeds are enclosed within a fruit, which is a mature or ripened ovary. Angeion in greek means "vessel" and sperma means "seed".

gymnosperms

group of vascular seed plants that produce seeds and their seeds are not enclosed within a fruit (gymnos in greek means "naked" and sperma means "seed"; includes cycads, ginkgo, gnetophytes, and conifers.

tissues

group(s) of cells coming together to perform specific functions.

organs

group(s) of tissues that come together to perform specific functions.

indeterminate growth

growth continues throughout an organism's life.

development

includes both growth and differentiation.

macromolecules

large organic molecules that are made by living organisms; the four major classes are proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids.

deductive reasonsing

makes a specific prediction from a general principle and then tests it; begins with a general principle and ends with specific studies.

independent variable

one variable, condition, or factor being manipulated and tested in an experiment

prokaryote

organism that is made up of a prokaryotic cell (cell without a nucleus).

eukaryote

organism that is made up of one or more eukaryotic cells (cells with a nucleus).

autotrophs

organisms that are able to make their own food using photosynthesis.

multicellular

organisms that are made up of many cells (multi in Latin means "many").

heterotrophs

organisms that cannot produce their own food but have to depend on other organisms for food.

community

populations of all organisms that live and interact in the same area.

differentiation

process when cells take on different shape and form, allowing them to perform different functions.

dependent variable

response to the independent variable that is being measured.

asexual reproduction

Does not involve gametes from two individuals and produces offspring that are genetically different from their parent.

pneumatophores

Roots growing above the water level to allow for oxygen uptake.

population

all individuals of the same species that live and interact in the same area.

biosphere

all the ecosystems on Earth; the highest and most complex level of organization in the biological world.

chemoautotrophs

autotrophic organisms that use chemical energy for food production; compare with photoautotrophs.

photoautotrophs

autotrophic organisms that use solar energy for food production; compare with chemoautotrophs.

embryophytes or land plants

autotrophic organisms the embryos of which depend on material protection and resources for their development.

domestication

selection of particular plant characteristics for cultivation that eventually leads to morphological and physiological changes in a crop plant.

metabolic process

series of chemical reactions carried out by living organisms to build or break down organic molecules and to store or release energy to power life.

systematics

study of biological diversity and evolutionary relationships among organisms

taxonomy

study of describing, naming, and grouping of organisms

unicellular

(uni-in Latin means "one") organisms that are made up of just one cell.

deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

"blueprint" of life that is responsible for the storage, expression, and transmission of genetic information.

hypothesis testing

This is often done in a series of steps leading to the rejection or acceptance of a hypothesis. The steps of ________ _____ are often referred to as the scientific method.

determinate growth

after an organism reaches a certain size, growth stops.

cell

basic unit of life; makes up all living organisms; where all life-sustaining processes take place and where the genetic blueprint, DNA, resides.

discovery-based science

collection and analysis of data without any preconceived hypothesis or expectation; generally leads to hypothesis testing.

ecosystem

community and its physical environment in a particular area.

biome

community of animals, plants, and other organisms living in an environment classified by the type of vegetation and adaptations of organisms to the environment.

cellular respiration

complex metabolic process that all organisms use to break down organic molecules and release the stored energy to sustain life.

photosynthesis

complex metabolic process that green organisms use to capture solar energy and convert it into chemical energy of organic molecules such as glucose or food.

organism

different organs come together to make up a distinct living entity.