Life Science

root the part of the plant that grows downward to hold the plant in place, absorb water and mineral foods, and to store food material

stem the main part of a plant that supports the branches, leaves, flowers, or fruit of the plant

xylem narrow tubes that carry water, minerals, and food upward from the roots to the leaves

phloem tubes that carry food made in the leaves to other parts of the plant

leaf the food factory of the plant that uses water, minerals, carbon dioxide, and energy from sunlight to make food

chlorophyll the green color, or pigment, in plants that help plants use light energy to produce foods (sugar)

photosynthesis the process in which plants use chlorophyll to make food

producer an organism (plant) that makes its own food

consumer all organisms (except plants) that must eat to get the energy they need

food chain the way organisms in an ecosystem interact with one another according to what they eat

herbivores organisms and animals that eat plants

carnivores organisms and animals that eat meat

omnivores organisms and animals that eat plants and meat

decomposers organisms like mushrooms and bacteria that break down tissues of dead organisms

food web shows the relationship between many different food chains in a single ecosystem

energy pyramid shows the amount of energy available to pass from one level of a food chain to the next

individual a single organism in an environment

population all the individuals of the same kind living in the same environment

community all the populations of organisms living together in an environment

ecosystem a community and its physical environment together

habitat a place in an ecosystem where a population lives

niche the role each population has in its habitat

biome a large-scale ecosystem (a biome includes the climate and the plants and animals adapted to living in that climate)

nitrogen cycle the cycle in which nitrogen gas is changed into forms of nitrogen that plants can use

carbon dioxide-oxygen cycle the process in which carbon dioxide and oxygen cycle (move) among plants, animas, and the environment

water cycle the cycle in which Earth’s water moves through the environment

evaporation heat from the sun changes water on Earth’s surface to water vapor

condensation water vapor changes back into liquid water

precipitation any form of water that falls from the clouds

transpiration the process in which plants give off water through their stomata

life cycle the series of distinct stages of life that most organisms grow and mature through

direct development a kind of growth where organisms keep the same body features as they grow larger (ex. humans)

metamorphosis a change in the shape or characteristics of an organism’s body as it grows (ex. insects and frogs)

incomplete metamorphosis a kind of growth that includes only 3 stages of development: egg, nymph, and adult

Life Cycle of the Meal Worm (Darkling Beetle)

molting the process of shedding the outer skeleton, giving an insect room to grow

complete metamorphosis a kind of growth that has 4 distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult

Life Cycle of an Ant

Plant Life Cycle

Seeds Seeds are easily stored, compact and are usually dark brown.

Germination With water, the right temperature and the right location (soil) the seed begins to make a new plant.

Stems & Roots Stems put up towards the light, leaves unfold to take more sunlight, and branches appear. Roots push down to anchor the new plants while they take up minerals and water from the soil.

Flowers Part of plant which produces seeds and is usually colorful

Pollination Flowers are pollinated in various ways – by bees, and other animals or even by the wind. At the base of each flower, seeds are formed.

inherited trait a characteristic that is passed from parent to offspring

dominant trait a strong trait (can be seen when passed to the offspring by one or both parents)

recessive trait a weak trait (can be seen only if both parents pass the factor for it to the offspring)

gene structures on a chromosome that contains the DNA code for a trait an organism inherits

competition the contest among organisms for the limited resources of an ecosystem

camouflage patterns of body color that help animals compete for limited food resources

predator an animal that hunts another animal for food

prey an animal that is hunted or seized for food by another animal

instinct a behavior that an organism inherits (ex. Behaviors for building shelters, finding mates, instinct to hunt, migration)

learned behaviors behaviors that organisms have learned from their parents, not inherited from them (ex. A lion cub learning hunting skills, a bird knowing what kind of nest to build)