Start Alphabetical order Unit One The Study of Life DEFINTIONS Start Alphabetical order Go to Index These definitions are the work of practising teachers - not the SEC - and may have to be adjusted depending on the precise wording of an exam question. E&OE

INDEX 1.1 1.3 All 1.2 1.4 – 1.5 Scientific Method Food Ecology Characteristics of Life 1.4 – 1.5 Ecology Back to Start

1.1 Scientific Method Biology Control Data Double blind Hypothesis Placebo Principle or Law Replicate(s) Theory Back to Start

1.2 Characteristics of Life Anabolism Catabolism Cell Continuity of life Egestion Excretion Life[characteristics of] Metabolism Nutrition Reproduction Response Back to Start

1.3 Food Anabolism See Unit 1.2 Catabolism See Unit 1.2 Go to Unit 1.2 Index Back to Start

1.4 1.5 Ecology Abiotic Factor Biosphere Biotic Factor Carnivore Climatic Factor Competition* Conservation Contest Competition* Decomposition Denitrification Ecology Ecosystem Edaphic Factor Food Web Grazing Food Chain Habitat Herbivore Niche Nitrification Nitrogen fixing Omnivore Parasitism Pollution Population* Predation Predator Prey * Primary Consumer Producer Pyramid of Numbers Qualitative survey Quantitative survey Scramble competition* Secondary Consumer Symbiosis * Tertiary Consumer Trophic Level Back to Start

All Back to Start Abiotic Factor Anabolism Biology Biosphere Carnivore Catabolism Cell Climatic Factor Competition* Conservation Contest Competition* Continuity of life Control Data Decomposition Denitrification Double blind Ecology Ecosystem Edaphic Factor Egestion Excretion Food Web Grazing Food Chain Habitat Herbivore Hypothesis Life[characteristics of] Metabolism Niche Nitrification Nitrogen fixing Nutrition Omnivore Parasitism Placebo Pollution Population Predation* Predator Prey * Primary Consumer Principle or Law Producer Pyramid of Numbers Qualitative survey Quantitative survey Replicate(s) Reproduction Response Scramble competition* Secondary Consumer Symbiosis * Tertiary Consumer Theory Trophic Level All Back to Start

Abiotic Factor A non - living factor Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Anabolism Chemical reaction where smaller molecules are joined together to form larger molecules Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The Study of living things (organisms) Biology The Study of living things (organisms) Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

the part of the planet where life occurs Biosphere the part of the planet where life occurs Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Biotic Factor A living factor Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

An animal that feeds on animals only Carnivore An animal that feeds on animals only Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Chemical reaction where larger molecules are broken down to Catabolism Chemical reaction where larger molecules are broken down to smaller molecules Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Basic structural unit of an organism (that possesses its Cell Basic structural unit of an organism (that possesses its characteristics) Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Climatic Factor Factors relating to long term weather conditions [which affects the distribution of organisms in an ecosystem] Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

When 2 or more organisms fight for a resource that is in short supply. Competition* When 2 or more organisms fight for a resource that is in short supply. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The wise management of the environment or organisms Conservation The wise management of the environment or organisms Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Contest Competition* An active physical confrontation between 2 organisms in which only one wins the resource Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The ability of organisms to exist from one generation to the next Continuity of life The ability of organisms to exist from one generation to the next Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Standard for comparison Control Standard for comparison Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Data Measurements or observations or information gathered from an experiment Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The decaying of a dead organism Decomposition The decaying of a dead organism Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The conversion of nitrates into atmospheric nitrogen Denitrification The conversion of nitrates into atmospheric nitrogen Back to Full Index Back to Index subsection

Double blind Neither the tester nor the person being tested knows which is the real pill and which is the placebo. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Ecology Study of the interaction between organisms themselves and their environment. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Ecosystem A community of living organisms interacting with one another and their environment Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Edaphic Factor Factors relating to the soil [which affects the distribution of organisms in a (terrestrial) ecosystem] Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Removal of unabsorbed material from the body Egestion Removal of unabsorbed material from the body Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Removal of the waste products of metabolisms Excretion Removal of the waste products of metabolisms Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Two or more interconnected food chains Food Web Two or more interconnected food chains Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Feeding relationship between organisms in which energy is transferred. Grazing Food Chain Feeding relationship between organisms in which energy is transferred. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The place where an organism lives. Habitat The place where an organism lives. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

An animal that feeds on plants only. Herbivore An animal that feeds on plants only. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Educated guess based on observation Hypothesis Educated guess based on observation Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Life [characteristics of] Common features that separate living things from non-living things (organisation, nutrition, excretion, response & reproduction). Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

All the chemical reactions taking place in living organisms Metabolism All the chemical reactions taking place in living organisms Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The functional role of an organism (in an ecosystem) Niche The functional role of an organism (in an ecosystem) Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Nitrification The process of converting ammonia into nitrites and/or nitrites to nitrates Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The conversion of nitrogen into nitrates. Nitrogen fixing The conversion of nitrogen into nitrates. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Ability of living organisms to obtain food (energy) Nutrition Ability of living organisms to obtain food (energy) Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

An animal that eats both animals and plants. Omnivore An animal that eats both animals and plants. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

An organism which lives in or on another causing it harm. Parasitism An organism which lives in or on another causing it harm. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Control used in drug testing Placebo Control used in drug testing Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The harmful addition to the environment (by humans) Pollution The harmful addition to the environment (by humans) Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The numbers of a particular species [in a particular ecosystem] Population The numbers of a particular species [in a particular ecosystem] Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The act of killing and eating another animal ( or organism) for food. Predation* The act of killing and eating another animal ( or organism) for food. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Predator An animal (or organism ) which kills and eats an animal (or organism or prey) Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The animal hunted and killed [by its prey] Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

An organism which feeds on the producer. Primary Consumer An organism which feeds on the producer. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Principle or Law A proven theory Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

An organism which makes its own food Producer An organism which makes its own food Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The numbers of organisms at each trophic level. Pyramid of Numbers The numbers of organisms at each trophic level. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

A survey which indicates if a species is present or not Qualitative survey A survey which indicates if a species is present or not Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Quantitative survey A survey which records or estimates the numbers of a species (in a particular ecosystem). Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Make a duplicate(s) of an experiment or procedure Replicate(s) Make a duplicate(s) of an experiment or procedure Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Reproduction Ability of an organism to create new individuals of its own kind (by either sexual or asexual means). Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Ability of an organism to react to stimuli Response Ability of an organism to react to stimuli Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Scramble competition* A confrontation which results in each organism getting some of the resource Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

An organism which feeds on the primary consumer. Secondary Consumer An organism which feeds on the primary consumer. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Symbiosis * A relationship between 2 species living in close proximity involving benefit to one or both Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

An organism which feeds on the secondary consumer. Tertiary Consumer An organism which feeds on the secondary consumer. Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

Theory A proven hypothesis Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The position of an organism in a food chain Trophic Level The position of an organism in a food chain Back to Index subsection Back to Full Index

The End Back to Start