Module 7 Vocab

Abiotic
(definition)
An adjective that describes materials that are considered nonliving. Rocks,
air, and ice are abiotic.
Atom
(definition)
The basic unit of matter that cannot be further broken down without losing
its unique properties. One atom consists of a dense nucleus surrounded by
a cloud of electrons. The diagram below represents an atom of carbon.

Biology
(definition)
The scientific study of life. Biology is a vast subject divided into many
branches or subdivisions representing areas of specialization. Branches of
biology include: anatomy, biochemistry, ecology, evolution, genetics,
immunology, physiology, and many more.
Biosphere
(definition)
All areas on, within, and around the planet Earth that are capable of
supporting life.

Biotic
(definition)
An adjective that describes living organisms or their remains. Common
characteristics of biotic (living) things are that they use energy and raw
materials to grow, sense and respond to changing environments; they
reproduce; and they consist of one or more cells.
Cell
(definition)
The smallest fundamental unit of structure and function in life. Cells are
fluid-filled spaces bound by a membrane. When first formed, all cells
include DNA and other macromolecules and are organized to grow,
reproduce, and respond to changes in the external environment.
Chemistry
(definition)
The study of matter and its structure, properties, and reactions.
Understanding the basic principles of chemistry is vitally important in
studying biology, as many biological interactions involve chemistry.
Community
(definition)
All of the populations interacting with each other within a specified area.
Ecosystem
(definition)
All the living things in a particular area together with the abiotic
(nonliving) materials and conditions in that area.
Emergent Properties
(definition)
Characteristics of a system that do not appear in any one of its component
parts alone, but that appear when all parts are combined.
Macromolecule
(definition)
A large and complex molecule formed from combining smaller subunits,
and consisting of many atoms. There are four main types of
macromolecules that you will be learning about in this course:
carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins.


Microorganism
(definition)
A life form that cannot be seen with the naked eye; also called a microbe.
Microorganisms include bacteria, many single-celled eukaryotes (plants,
animals, fungi, and small creatures called protists), and even some
multicellular life forms.
Molecule
(definition)
Two or more atoms held together by a chemical bond. The diagram below
illustrates a molecule of methane (CH4), in which four hydrogen (H) atoms
are covalently bonded to one carbon (C) atom.

Organ
(definition)
A collection of tissues grouped together based on a common general
function. Some common organs in the human body are the heart, lungs,
and kidneys.
Organelle
(definition)
A compartment inside the cells of eukaryotes that contain specific groups
of macromolecules and carry out specific cellular functions.
Organism
(definition)
An organism is an individual living entity that survives and reproduces as a
unit. Examples include a single bacterial cell, a plant grown from a single
seed, or youas an individual human being.
Organ System
(definition)
Functionally-related organs that work together to carry out a function
throughout an organisms body. Your body is made up of many organ
systems, including the skeletal, digestive, and circulatory systems.

Population
(definition)
All the individuals of a single species living within a specified area.
Tissue
(definition)
A group of similar cells carrying out the same detailed function within an
organism. In the lung, for instance, the lining of airways comprises one
type of tissue: a layer of similar cells that forms a sealed surface.
Modules 50 and 51 Vocab
Community Interaction
(definition)
How populations of different species interact with and effect each other
within a defined area constituting an ecological community.
Competition
(definition)
A type of interspecific interaction where both species are harmed.
Ecological Community
(definition)
The collection of all interacting species populations within some defined
area.
Foundation Species
(definition)
A species that are physically dominant (largest and/or most abundant) in
communities.
Indirect Interaction
(definition)
A type of community interaction where the effect of one species on another
is exerted through one or more additional species acting as intermediaries.
This is sometimes referred to as the "ripple effect".
Interspecific Interaction
(definition)
An effect of one population on another in a community; any interaction
between members of different species. This is a type of community
interaction and has three subtypes: mutualism, predation, and
competition.
Keystone Species
(definition)
A species that has an unexpectedly strong effect on the stability or diversity
of a community that is much larger than its abundance or biomass would
suggest.
Mutualism
(definition)
A type of interspecific interaction where both species benefit.
Predation
(definition)
A type of interspecific interaction where one species (predator) kills and
eats the other species (prey).
Species Richness
(definition)
The number of different species of organisms present in a given area. This
is a statistic used to describe an ecological community.
Symbiosis
(definition)
A type of direct community interaction between pairs of species that are
intimately and physically connected, with a smaller species (symbiont)
living in or on the body of a larger species (host). These direct interactions
are described using the term symbiosis, which translates to together
living.