Biology Chapter on Ecology and Biomolecules

Biomolecules

• Biomolecules are complex organic molecules vital for life, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
• These molecules provide structure, energy, and information storage in cells.
• Carbohydrates are the main energy source for organisms.
• Lipids are important for insulation, protection, and energy storage.
• Proteins perform diverse functions, including enzymatic reactions, cell signaling, and structural support.
• Nucleic acids store and transmit genetic information and are essential for protein synthesis.

Controlled Variable

• A controlled variable, also known as a constant variable, is a factor that remains unchanged throughout an experiment.
• It's crucial to control variables to accurately measure the effect of the independent variable.
• Examples include temperature, time, and the amount of light.

Dependent Variable

• The dependent variable is the factor that changes in response to the independent variable.
• It's the outcome being measured in an experiment, reflecting the effect of the independent variable.

Ecology

• Ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and their natural environment, encompassing both abiotic and biotic aspects.
• It focuses on energy flow, nutrient cycling, biodiversity, and population dynamics.

Food Chain

• A food chain illustrates the interdependence of organisms for nutrients, showing how energy and matter flow from producers to consumers.
• Each level is a trophic level, starting with producers (usually plants).

Food Web

• A food web represents the complex interconnected feeding relationships within an ecosystem.
• It displays the flow of energy and nutrients through multiple predator-prey interactions.
• Organisms are categorized by trophic levels based on their dietary habits.

Independent Variable

• The independent variable is the factor that is purposely changed or manipulated in an experiment.
• It is also known as the manipulated variable and is typically plotted on the x-axis of a graph.
• By controlling the independent variable, researchers ensure that observed changes in the dependent variable are due to the manipulation.

Active Transport

• Active transport moves molecules across cell membranes against their concentration gradient, requiring energy (typically ATP).
• It involves carrier proteins to facilitate the movement of ions or molecules.
• Types include primary, using ATP directly, and secondary, using electrochemical gradients.

Aerobic

• Aerobic processes require oxygen to generate energy from food fuels.
• Aerobic respiration is the most efficient energy production process occurring in the presence of oxygen.

Amino Acids

• Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, consisting of an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a side chain (R-group).
• They are essential for many cellular functions, either essential or nonessential depending on whether the body produces them.

Anaerobic

• Anaerobic processes occur in the absence of oxygen.
• Anaerobic metabolism produces energy through processes like fermentation.

ATP

• ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is a molecule that stores and transfers energy within cells.
• Often referred to as the energy currency of the cell, it provides energy for cellular processes like muscle contraction and nerve impulse propagation.

ATP Synthase

• ATP synthase is an enzyme found in the inner mitochondrial membrane that catalyzes the synthesis of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate.

Autotroph

• Autotrophs are organisms that produce their own food through processes like photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.
• They are also known as primary producers and form the base of food chains.

Biodiversity

• Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth, including species, ecosystems, and genetic material.
• It is essential for maintaining ecological balance and providing ecosystem services.

Biomass

• Biomass refers to the total mass of living organisms in a given area or ecosystem.
• It's an indicator of ecosystem health and productivity, often used in assessing environmental impact.

Biome

• A biome is a major ecological community characterized by specific climate patterns, vegetation types, and major animal species.

Biosphere

• The biosphere encompasses all living organisms and their interactions with the lithosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere on Earth.

Calorie

• A calorie is a unit of energy, defined as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius.

Calvin Cycle

• The Calvin cycle is a metabolic pathway in the stroma of chloroplasts, converting carbon dioxide into glucose using energy from light-dependent reactions.

Carbon Cycle

• The carbon cycle describes the continuous exchange of carbon atoms between the atmosphere, oceans, biosphere, and geosphere, through processes like photosynthesis, respiration, and combustion.

Carnivore

• A carnivore is an animal that primarily eats other animals.
• Carnivores have adaptations like sharp teeth and claws for hunting and consuming prey.

Carrying Capacity

• Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a population that an ecosystem can support sustainably, based on available resources.

Cell Membrane

• The cell membrane is a semi-permeable barrier surrounding cells, regulating the passage of molecules and maintaining a stable internal environment.

Cells

• Cells are the fundamental units of life, performing various metabolic functions, growth, and reproduction.

Cellular Respiration

• Cellular respiration is a process that converts glucose into ATP (energy) in the presence of oxygen.
• It involves three stages: glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.

Cell Wall

• The cell wall is a rigid outer layer found in plant cells, fungi, and some prokaryotes, providing structural support and protection.

Chlorophyll

• Chlorophyll is a pigment found in plants and algae that is crucial for capturing light energy during photosynthesis.

Chloroplasts

• Specialized organelles in plant cells, containing chlorophyll, enabling photosynthesis.

Commensalism

• Commensalism is a symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits while the other is neither harmed nor helped.

Community

• A community refers to a group of populations of different species interacting in a specific geographical area.

Cytoplasm

• The cytoplasm is the fluid-like substance filling the cell, excluding the nucleus, supporting cell structure and housing cellular functions.

Decomposer

• Decomposers are organisms that break down dead organisms into simpler organic substances, thus recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Dependent Logistic Growth

• Dependent logistic growth describes population growth that slows as it approaches carrying capacity due to limited resources.

Detritivore

• A detritivore is an organism that feeds on decomposing organic matter, breaking down dead organisms and recycling nutrients.

Diffusion

• Diffusion occurs when molecules spread from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration, until equilibrium is reached, a passive transport mechanism.

Ecology Footprint

• An ecological footprint quantifies human demand on Earth's ecosystems, considering resource consumption and waste production.

Ecosystem

• An ecosystem encompasses interaction of living organisms and their physical environment, demonstrating nutrient cycling and energy flow.

Electron Transport Chain

• The electron transport chain is a series of protein complexes in the mitochondria involved in the final stage of cellular respiration, where electrons from NADH and FADH2 are transferred to create a proton gradient to produce ATP.

Emigration

• Emigration is the movement of individuals out of a population or habitat.

Endocytosis

• Endocytosis is a process where cells absorb substances from outside the cell by engulfing them within vesicles, formed from the cell membrane.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

• The endoplasmic reticulum is a network of membranes within eukaryotic cells.
• Smooth ER is involved in lipid metabolism and detoxification, while rough ER is involved in protein synthesis.

Eukaryotes

• Eukaryotic cells contain a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, distinguishing them from prokaryotic cells.

Exocytosis

• Exocytosis is the process where materials are expelled from the cell via vesicles fusing with and releasing their contents into the cell membrane.

Exponential Growth

• Exponential growth describes a population's increase where the rate of increase is proportional to the current size of the population.

Facilitated Diffusion

• Facilitated diffusion is a type of passive transport that uses membrane proteins to move molecules across membranes down their concentration gradients.

Fermentation

• Fermentation is an anaerobic metabolic process where organisms produce energy by breaking down organic molecules without the use of oxygen.

Glycolysis

• Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway that breaks down glucose into pyruvate, releasing a small amount of ATP energy during cellular respiration.

Golgi Apparatus

• The Golgi apparatus is an organelle in eukaryotic cells involved in processing, packaging, and modifying proteins and lipids.

Growth Rate

• Growth rate represents the rate at which an organism increases in size, number, or mass over a specific period.

Habitat

• A habitat is the specific area where an organism lives, encompassing its physical environment and resources.

Habitat Destruction

• Habitat destruction involves the alteration or removal of natural habitats, significantly impacting the populations and species living in them.

Herbivore

• A herbivore is an organism that primarily consumes plants and other producers.

Heterotroph

• Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot produce their own food, relying on consuming other organisms for energy and nutrients.

Homeostasis

• Homeostasis refers to the ability of organisms to maintain relatively stable internal conditions despite changes in the external environment.

Hydrophilic

• Hydrophilic molecules are attracted to water and tend to dissolve readily in it.

Hydrophobic

• Hydrophobic molecules repel water and tend not to dissolve in it.

Hypertonic

• A hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration compared to another solution, resulting in water moving out of a cell to equilibrate the solute concentration.

Immigration

• Immigration is the movement of individuals or populations into a new geographic area or population.

Independent Logistic Growth

• Independent logistic growth describes population growth that levels off as it approaches carrying capacity.

Invasive Species

• An invasive species is a non-native organism that is introduced to an ecosystem, causing harm and disrupting the ecological balance.

Isotonic

• Isotonic refers to a solution that has the same solute concentration as another solution, leading to no net movement of water across the cell membrane.

Keystone Species

• Keystone species significantly influence the structure and function of their ecosystem by their abundance, roles, actions, or relationships.

Krebs Cycle

• The Krebs cycle, also called the citric acid cycle, is a metabolic pathway that forms part of cellular respiration, oxidizing acetyl CoA to produce ATP and carbon dioxide.

Light-dependent Reactions

• Light-dependent reactions are the first stage of photosynthesis using light energy to produce ATP and NADPH, crucial for the next stage of photosynthesis.

Light-independent Reactions

• The light-independent reactions, or Calvin cycle, is the stage of photosynthesis that involves the use of ATP and NADPH from light reactions to convert carbon dioxide into glucose.

Limiting Factor

• A limiting factor is an environmental constraint that restricts the growth, abundance, or distribution of organisms or populations within an ecosystem.

Lipids

• Lipids are a diverse group of organic compounds that are insoluble in water but soluble in non-polar solvents, playing a vital role in energy storage, insulation, and structural components of cells.

Lysosome

• Lysosomes are organelles in eukaryotic cells containing enzymes that break down waste materials and cellular debris.

Matrix

• The matrix is a complex substance where cells, tissues, or organs reside and offering structural support.

Microscopes

• Microscopes are scientific instruments used to magnify small objects allowing detailed observation.

Mitochondria

• Mitochondria are organelles in eukaryotic cells that produce ATP (energy) through cellular respiration.

Mutualism

• Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both species benefit from the interaction.

NADH

• NADH is a key coenzyme involved in cellular respiration, transferring electrons and contributing to ATP production by the electron transport chain.

NADP+

• NADP+ is a coenzyme involved in anabolic reactions, often in photosynthesis.

Niche

• A niche is the role or function of an organism within its ecological community, accounting for its interactions and adaptations.

Nucleus

• The nucleus is the central organelle in eukaryotic cells, containing the cell's genetic material (DNA), controlling cellular activities.

Omnivore

• Omnivores are organisms that consume both plants and animals for their dietary needs.

Organism

• An organism is a complex entity with interdependent systems performing life functions.

Osmosis

• Osmosis is a passive transport process that facilitates the movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.

Overexploitation

• Overexploitation occurs when the use of a natural resource or species is excessive, often resulting in drastically reduced populations or extinction.

Parasitism

• Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship where one organism (the parasite) benefits at the expense of the host organism.

Passive Transport

• Passive transport involves movement of substances across membranes without using cellular energy, driven by concentration gradients.

Photosynthesis

• Photosynthesis is the process plants use to convert light energy into chemical energy, producing glucose from carbon dioxide and water, releasing oxygen.

Photosystem

• Photosystems are protein complexes in chloroplasts crucial for capturing light energy and converting it into chemical energy using chlorophyll, during photosynthesis.

Pigment

• Pigments are molecules that absorb specific wavelengths of light and reflect others, contributing to organism color and impacting processes like photosynthesis.

Pollution

• Pollution refers to the introduction of harmful substances into the environment, negatively impacting organisms and ecosystems.

Population

• A population is a collective of individuals of the same species living in a defined geographic area.

Predator

• A predator is an organism that hunts, kills, and consumes other organisms for sustenance.

Prey

• Prey is an organism that is hunted and consumed by predators.

Primary Consumer

• A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers (plants or algae).

Producer

• A producer is an organism that can produce its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Prokaryotes

• Prokaryotes are single-celled organisms that do not have a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles.

Proteins

• Proteins are complex molecules composed of chains of amino acids, crucial for various functions in living organisms.

Ribosomes

• Ribosomes are organelles responsible for protein synthesis within cells, either prokaryotic or eukaryotic.

Secondary Consumer

• A secondary consumer consumes primary consumers (herbivores or other producers).

Solitude

• Solitude is the state of being alone or isolated, often having both positive and negative effects on living organisms.

Solute

• A solute is a substance that is dissolved in a solvent to form a solution.

Solvent

• A solvent is a substance in which a solute dissolves, creating a solution.

Stroma

• The stroma is the fluid-filled space surrounding the thylakoid membranes within chloroplasts in plant cells. It contains enzymes essential for light-independent reactions of photosynthesis

Symbiosis

• Symbiosis refers to interactions between organisms of different species, often involving close associations, including mutualistic, commensalistic, and parasitic relationships.

Tertiary Consumer

• Tertiary consumers primarily eat secondary consumers in a food chain/food web.

Thylakoid

• Thylakoids are membrane-bound compartments inside chloroplasts where light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis occur.

Trophic Level

• A trophic level specifies an organism's position within a food chain or ecosystem, reflecting the transfer of energy through feeding relationships.

Vacuole

• A vacuole is a membrane-bound sac in plant and animal cells, playing roles in storing materials, controlling turgor pressure (in plants), and aiding in cellular processes.