Biology Chapter on Malaria and Taxonomy

Organisms composed of only one cell, which carries out all life functions.

Many unicellular organisms living together without any specific division of labor.

Organisms with cells organized into tissues, organs, and organ systems.

A green alga that exhibits colonial organization.

Plant parts involved in growth and basic life support but not reproduction.

Plant parts involved in sexual reproduction, producing fruits and seeds.

A multicellular organism, important for its leafy vegetables and oil-rich seeds.

A multicellular organism with a body organized into organ systems.

A question about living organisms, either posed by someone else or by a biologist themselves.

The first step in solving a biological problem, involving using senses and previous studies to collect data. Observations can be qualitative or quantitative.

A description of something without using numbers. Example: "The flower is red."

A measurement of something (using numbers). Example: "The flower is 10cm tall."

A proposed explanation for a biological problem that can be tested.

Logical conclusions drawn from a hypothesis.

Testing a hypothesis by conducting controlled experiments.

Organizing experimental data into tables, charts, or graphs to understand it and make conclusions easier.

A type of tree whose bark was initially believed to cure fevers but later found to be ineffective.

A tree whose bark, containing quinine, proved to be an effective treatment for malaria.

A compound found in cinchona bark that is effective in treating malaria.

A disease caused by a parasite, Plasmodium, spread through mosquito bites.

A parasite that causes malaria and is found in the blood of infected individuals.

A French army physician who discovered Plasmodium, the cause of malaria.

A group of closely related species sharing common characteristics.

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

A system of classifying organisms into increasingly specific groups, from kingdom to species.

A sterile offspring resulting from a cross between a male donkey and a female horse.

Organisms from different but closely related species can interbreed in controlled environments but not in nature.

Reproduction without the involvement of sex cells or fertilization.

Organisms belonging to the kingdom Fungi, characterized by heterotrophic nutrition and cell walls made of chitin.

Single-celled prokaryotic organisms belonging to the kingdom Bacteria, often found in diverse environments.

Malaria is spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes, specifically of the Anopheles species. The mosquito carries the Plasmodium parasite, which enters the human bloodstream during the bite.

Ronald Ross conducted experiments to confirm the hypothesis of malaria transmission by mosquitoes. He allowed infected mosquitoes to bite birds and then observed the spread of Plasmodium in their blood.

The control group in an experiment is a group that does not receive the treatment under investigation. In a malaria study, the control group would be individuals who were not exposed to infected mosquitoes.

Testing a hypothesis involves designing experiments to support or refute the proposed explanation. Scientists use control groups and experimental groups to observe and measure the effects of a treatment.

The Plasmodium parasite undergoes a complex lifecycle involving both human and mosquito hosts. In humans, it invades red blood cells, causing malaria symptoms. In mosquitoes, it multiplies and concentrates in the salivary glands.

When mosquitoes become infected with Plasmodium, the parasite multiplies and moves to the mosquito's salivary glands. This is crucial because when the infected mosquito bites a human, it transmits the parasite through its saliva.

The final confirmation of malaria transmission by mosquitoes involved human experiments. Scientists allowed infected mosquitoes to bite a healthy person, who later developed malaria.

The branch of biology that deals with classifying organisms based on their characteristics and evolutionary relationships.

A broader field of study that incorporates taxonomy, tracing the evolutionary history and relationships of organisms.

The largest and broadest taxonomic group, containing diverse organisms.

A group of related classes, used for classifying plants, animals, and fungi.

A group of related orders, containing organisms with more shared characteristics.

A group of related families, further narrowing down the characteristics of organisms.

A group of related genera, containing organisms with very close similarities.