Biological Organization and Data Interpretation

Levels of Biological Organization

• Organisms are sorted into hierarchical levels, from cells to the biosphere.

Characteristics of Life

• Living organisms share traits like growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli. These are not characteristics of non-living things.

Graphing Data Sets

• Used in math to represent data visually.

Interpreting Graphs

• Interpreting mathematical data expressed on graphs.

Mean, Median, Mode

• Mean: The average of a set of numbers.
  • Add all numbers and divide by the count of numbers.
• Median: The middle number when the data is ordered.
• Mode: The most frequent number in a set.

Metric System

• A decimal-based system of measurement (meters, liters, grams). It simplifies calculations compared to the American system.

Microscopes

• Tools used to magnify tiny objects not visible to the naked eye.

Independent Variable

• The variable deliberately changed in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

• The variable measured in response to the independent variable.

Control Variable

• Factors held constant in an experiment to isolate the effect of the independent variable.

Scientific Method

• A structured approach to investigation, involving observation, experimentation, and concluding based on evidence.

Structure and Function

• Biological structures are designed to perform specific functions based on their shape.

Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

• Inductive: Deriving general principles from specific observations.
• Deductive: Predicting specific outcomes from established general principles.

Carbon

• An essential element forming the backbone of organic molecules.

Carbohydrates

• Energy-providing organic molecules of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Monosaccharides

• Simple sugars that serve as the building blocks of carbohydrates.

Disaccharides

• Carbohydrates made of two monosaccharides joined together.

Polysaccharides

• Complex carbohydrates composed of many monosaccharides, used for storage or structure.

Glucose

• A simple sugar that is a primary energy source for cells.

Simple Sugars

• Basic carbohydrates like glucose and fructose.

Isomers

• Molecules with the same molecular formula but different structures.

Starch

• A polysaccharide energy storage molecule in plants.

Glycogen

• A polysaccharide energy storage molecule in animals.

Cellulose

• A polysaccharide providing structural support in plant cell walls.

Chitin

• A polysaccharide offering structural support in fungi and arthropods.

Lipids

• Energy-storage molecules like fats and oils that form biological membranes.

Saturated Fat

• Fats with no double bonds in their fatty acid chains.

Unsaturated Fat

• Fats with one or more double bonds in their fatty acid chains.

Polyunsaturated Fat

• Fats with multiple double bonds in their fatty acid chains.

Trans Fat

• Unhealthy fats formed through the hydrogenation of unsaturated fats.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• Essential fats that are beneficial for heart health.

Steroids

• Lipids with a structure of four fused rings, including hormones.

Electron

• A negatively charged subatomic particle.

Ion

• An atom or molecule with a net electric charge.

Cation

• A positively charged ion.

Anion

• A negatively charged ion.

Energy

• The capacity to do work or cause change; fundamental for life processes.

Temperature

• A measure of average kinetic energy of particles; indicates the "hotness" or "coldness" of an object.

Physical Change

• Alters the form of a substance but not its chemical composition.

Chemical Change

• Transforms a substance into a different substance with a different chemical composition.

Bond

• A connection or link between atoms in a molecule.

Compound

• A substance made of two or more elements chemically combined.

Molecule

• A group of atoms bonded together.

Polar

• Molecules with an uneven charge distribution.

Nonpolar

• Molecules with an even charge distribution.

Hydrogen Bond

• A relatively weak bond between a hydrogen atom and a highly electronegative atom (often oxygen or nitrogen).

Endangered Species

• Species at risk of extinction due to environmental or human factors.

Keystone Species

• Species that have a large impact on their ecosystem.

Population

• A group of the same species living in a specific area.

Population Size

• The total number of individuals in a population.

Population Density

• The number of individuals per unit area or volume.

Food Chain

• A sequence illustrating the flow of energy between organisms in an ecosystem.

Food Web

• A network showing interconnecting food chains.

Random Sampling

• A technique to estimate population size by sampling random areas or locations.

Mark and Recapture

• A technique to estimate animal populations using marking and re-measurements.

Population Growth

• The change in population number over time.

Exponential Growth

• Population growth under ideal conditions without resource limitations.

Logistic Growth

• Population growth with a slowing down as the population reaches its carrying capacity.

Carrying Capacity

• The maximum population size an environment can indefinitely support.

Abiotic

• Non-living parts of the environment, like sunlight, water, and temperature.

Biotic

• Living parts of the environment—plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Predator

• An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.

Carnivore

• An animal that primarily eats meat.

Herbivore

• An animal that primarily eats plants.

Omnivore

• An animal that eats both plants and animals.

Scavenger

• An animal that feeds on dead or decaying organic matter.

Producer/Autotroph

• Organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Consumer/Heterotroph

• Organisms that obtain energy by consuming other organisms.

Decomposer

• Organisms (fungi and bacteria) that break down organic matter into simpler substances.

Ecological Pyramid

• A diagram representing the energy flow or biomass distribution at different trophic levels.

Trophic Level

• The organism's position in the food chain or food web.

Energy Flow

• The transfer of energy between organisms in an ecosystem.

Symbiosis

• A close, long-term relationship between two different species.

Parasitism

• A symbiotic relationship where one species benefits, and the other is harmed.

Mutualism

• A symbiotic relationship where both species benefit.

Commensalism

• A symbiotic relationship where one species benefits, and the other is neither harmed nor helped.

Climate

• The average weather patterns of a particular region over a long period.

Weather

• The day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere in a region.

Biome

• A large ecosystem classified by its characteristic climate, plants, and animals.

Tundra

• A cold, treeless biome with permafrost.

Deciduous Forest

• A biome with trees that shed their leaves annually in a temperate climate.

Desert

• A biome characterized by extremely low precipitation and sparse vegetation.

Biodiversity

• The variety of life in a particular place.

Savanna

• A tropical grassland biome with scattered trees.

Grassland

• A biome primarily composed of grasses with few trees and moderate rainfall.

Coniferous Forest

• A cold biome with evergreen trees.

Chaparral

• A biome with shrubs and a Mediterranean climate.

Tropical Rainforest

• A warm, wet biome with high biodiversity.

Vertical Biome

• Different ecosystems layered in a mountain system.

Succession

• The process of change in an ecosystem over time.

Primary Succession

• Ecological succession occurring in a lifeless area.

Secondary Succession

• Ecological succession occurring in an area that was previously an ecosystem.

Pioneer Species

• The organisms that initially colonize a lifeless or previously colonized area at the start of succession.

Climax Species

• Stable, long-lasting species that dominate an ecosystem nearing the end of succession.

Greenhouse Gases

• Gases in the atmosphere that trap heat.

Climate Change

• Long-term alteration in global or regional climate patterns.

Fossil Fuels

• Non-renewable energy sources derived from ancient organic matter, e.g., coal, oil.

Carbon Cycle

• The continuous movement of carbon through living and non-living parts of the Earth.

Habitat Fragmentation

• The division of a habitat into smaller, isolated parts.

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

• A system where consumers pay farmers for a share of their harvest.

Cell Theory

• All living organisms are made of cells, and cells are the fundamental units of life.

Prokaryotes

• Simple, single-celled organisms without a nucleus.

Eukaryotes

• Cells with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

DNA

• The molecule carrying genetic instructions for growth, development, and reproduction.

Plasma membrane

• The outer boundary of a cell that controls the passage of substances in and out.

Ribosomes

• Cellular structures responsible for protein synthesis.

Cytoplasm

• The jelly-like substance inside a cell that holds the organelles.

Nucleoid

• The region where DNA is located in prokaryotic cells.

Bacteria

• Single-celled prokaryotic organisms found in a wide variety of environments.

Archaea

• Prokaryotic organisms often inhabiting extreme environments.

Nucleus

• The control center of a eukaryotic cell, containing DNA.

Chromatin

• DNA combined with proteins (histones) within the nucleus.

Chromosomes

• Condensed structures of DNA containing genetic information.

Mitochondria

• Organelles performing cellular respiration to produce energy (ATP).

Rough ER

• A network of membranes in the cytoplasm with ribosomes, essential for protein synthesis.

Smooth ER

• A network of membranes in the cytoplasm without ribosomes, involved in lipid synthesis.

Golgi Apparatus

• A cellular organelle that modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids.

Lysosomes

• Organelles containing enzymes that break down cellular waste and debris.

Vacuole

• A storage organelle in cells that contains water, nutrients, or waste.

Chloroplast

• Organelles in plant cells performing photosynthesis.

Oxidative stress

• Cellular damage resulting from an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants.

Telomere shortening

• The gradual loss of DNA from chromosome ends during cell division.

Protein misfolding

• Errors in protein folding that can lead to cellular dysfunction.

Autotroph

• Organisms producing their own food from sunlight or inorganic chemicals (e.g., plants, some bacteria).

Heterotroph

• Organisms that obtain energy by consuming other organisms (e.g., animals, fungi, most bacteria).

Chlorophyll

• The green pigment in chloroplasts that absorbs light for photosynthesis.

Thylakoids

• Membrane-bound sacs inside chloroplasts where light-dependent reactions occur.

Stroma

• The fluid surrounding the thylakoids in chloroplasts where the Calvin cycle occurs.

Light-dependent reactions

• The first stage of photosynthesis converting light energy to chemical energy.

Calvin cycle

• The second stage of photosynthesis, using chemical energy to produce glucose from carbon dioxide.

Photosynthesis

• The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of sugars.

Urban farming

• Cultivating, processing, and distributing food in urban areas.

Calorie

• A unit of energy equal to the amount of energy to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C.

Kilocalorie

• A unit of energy equal to 1,000 calories; used to measure the energy content of food.

Glycolysis

• The initial stage of cellular respiration, breaking down glucose into pyruvate.

Krebs cycle (citric acid cycle)

• A metabolic pathway in cellular respiration producing electron carriers.

Electron transport chain

• A series of proteins in the mitochondria producing ATP (energy) during cellular respiration.

NADPH

• An electron carrier involved in photosynthesis.

FADH2

• An electron carrier involved in cellular respiration.

Alcohol fermentation

• A metabolic process yielding ethanol and carbon dioxide from glucose under anaerobic conditions.

Lactic acid fermentation

• A metabolic process producing lactic acid from glucose under anaerobic conditions.

Anaerobic respiration

• Energy production without oxygen.

Aerobic respiration

• Energy production using oxygen, yielding a greater amount of ATP.