Absorbed
the light which is taken into a plant leaf by pigments
Activation energy
the minimum energy required by reactants to allow reaction to occur
Active site
the region of an enzyme molecule where the enzyme acts on the substrate
Aesthetic
branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty and art
Aestivation
dormancy in response to high temperature or drought
Agriculture
the process of producing feed and other desirable products by the cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals
Allele
one of the different forms of a gene
Allele frequency
the prevalence of alternative versions of genes
Anabolic
a reaction which requires energy and builds up molecules
Animal welfare
physical and psychological well-being of animals. The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare. Welfare is measured by indicators including behaviour, physiology, longevity, and reproduction
Annual weed
plant which grows, flowers, set seeds and dies within the space of one year
Anthropomorphism
the tendency to attribute to animals human qualities such as mental, social and emotional characteristics
Anticodon
a triplet of exposed bases on a tRNA molecule
Antiparallel
running in an opposite direction
Apical meristems
growing points (regions of mitosis) found at the tips of plant stems or roots allowing increase in length
Archaea
a group of single-celled microorganisms
Artificial selection
intentional breeding controlled by humans for particular traits or characteristics
ATP
adenosine triphosphate, coenzyme used as an energy carrier in the cells of all known organisms
ATP synthase
an enzyme which produces ATP
Biodiversity
degree of variation of life forms within a given species, ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet
Bioinformatics
a process which combines computer science and statistical analysis to study genomes
Biological catalysts
catalysts made of protein that are only found in living cells
Biological yield
total plant biomass
Biomass
the total mass of living matter within a given unit of environmental area
Blastocyst
an embryo that has developed for 5 to 6 days after fertilisation
Bottleneck
an evolutionary event in which a significant percentage of a population or species is killed or otherwise prevented from reproducing
Calorimeter
a piece of equipment used to measure heat generation from an organism to allow metabolic rate to be calculate
Calvin cycle
a series of biochemical reactions that takes place in the chloroplast and does not require light
Carnivore
animal which eats meat and which derives its energy requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue whether through predation or scavenging
Catabolic
a reaction which releases energy and breaks down molecules
Chlorophyll
the green pigment which is found in almost all plants and green algae. It absorbs light which is essential for photosynthesis
Chloroplast
the photosynthetic unit of a plant cell, containing all the chlorophyll
Citric acid cycle
the second stage of respiration, where acetyl CoA and oxaloacetate join to form citrate and a series of reactions which return citrate to oxaloacetate
Codon
a triplet of exposed bases on a length of mRNA
Colonial
relating to a colony
Competition
an interaction or struggle between organisms or species for a resource such as food, territory or mates, in which the fitness or numbers of one is reduced by the presence of another
Competitive inhibition
competitive inhibition of enzyme activity occurs when an inhibitor, resembling the structure of the substrate, binds to the active site of the enzyme and blocks the binding of the substrate
Cooperative hunting
animals such as lions hunt as a group to increase their chances of successfully killing prey
Cross pollination
when pollen is delivered to a flower of a different plant
Crossbreeding
a crossbreed (adjective crossbred) usually refers to an animal with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. Crossbreeding refers to the process of breeding such an animal, often with the intention to create offspring that share the traits of both parent lineages, or producing an animal with hybrid vigour
Cultivar
plant or group of plants selected for a particular characteristic
Daily torpor
a period of reduced activity in organisms with high metabolic rates
Degradation
process by which ecosystems or habitats are broken down or fragmented
Dehydrogenase
an enzyme which removes hydrogen ions and electrons from substrates
Deletion
removal of a length of DNA from a chromosome
Deletion mutation
loss of a section of DNA or a number of nucleotides
Differentiation
the process by which cells or tissues undergo a change towards a more specialised function
DNA ligase
an enzyme that facilitates the process by which fragments of DNA are joined together
DNA polymerase
an enzyme that synthesises DNA strands from individual nucleotides
Dormancy
a condition of biological rest or inactivity characterised by cessation of growth or development and the suspension of many metabolic processes
Double helix
the double helical shape of a DNA molecule
Duplication
repetition of a series of nucleotides within a chromosome
Economic yield
the mass of desired product
Effector
cells, muscles or glands which perform responses to stimuli
Electron transport chain
the final stage of respiration where high energy electrons and hydrogen ions are used to synthesise ATP
Endemic
an organism is unique to a defined ecological or geographical location such as an island, nation or other zone, or habitat. For example, lemurs are endemic to Madagascar; none are native elsewhere
Ethogram
a catalogue or inventory of all behaviours or actions exhibited by an animal
Eukaryote
an organism which possesses a membrane-bound nucleus
Exons
the parts of the initial mRNA which are used to code for proteins
Extinction
the complete loss of a species from the planet
Extremophile
an organism which is able to live in extreme conditions e.g. high temperature
FAD
a co-enzyme which easily attaches to hydrogen ions, but releases them when they are required
Feedback inhibition
regulation of enzyme activity where the first enzyme of a metabolic pathway is inhibited by the reversible binding of the final product of the pathway
Fermentation
a type of respiration which takes place in the absence of oxygen
Food security
the ability of human populations to access food of sufficient quality and quantity
Fragmentation
habitat fragmentation describes the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in an organism’s environment (habitat), causing population fragmentation
Fungicide
a chemical compound or biological organism used to kill or inhibit fungi or fungal spores
G-3-P
glycerate-3-phosphate, which is a substance found in the Calvin cycle
Gene pool
complete set of unique alleles in a species or population
Genetic diversity
comprises the genetic variation represented by the number and frequency of alleles in a population
Genetic uniformity
when the genes or alleles of a population are similar and show little variation
Genetics
the branch of biology that deals with heredity, especially the mechanisms of hereditary transmission and the variation of inherited traits among similar or related organisms
Genome
the entirety of an organism’s hereditary information
Genomics
the science of interpreting genes; the study of an organism’s genome using information systems, databases and computerised research tools
Genotype
a statement of an organism’s alleles for a particular characteristic usually given as symbols – a pea plant could have the genotype CC if it were homozygous for pink petal colour or the genotype Cc if it were heterozygous for pink colour
Glycolysis
the first stage of respiration where glucose is broken down into pyruvate
Harvest index
a measure of yield, calculated by dividing the dry mass of economic yield by the dry mass of biological yield
Herbicide
a chemical compound used to kill unwanted plants
Herbivore
an organism adapted to eat plant-based foods, such as deer, cows and sheep
Heterotrophic
an organism which gains energy by consuming other organisms
Heterozygotes
having two different alleles for a characteristic – a pea plant heterozygous for petal colour has two different petal colour alleles Cc
Hibernation
an inactive state resembling deep sleep in which certain animals living in cold climates pass the winter
Hierarchy
an organisation arranged in a graded order with member(s) at the top who are dominant over subordinate individuals
Homozygotes
having two identical alleles for a characteristic – a pea plant homozygous for petal colour has two identical petal colour alleles, both pink (CC) or both white (cc)
Hypothalamus
part of the brain which monitors and regulates temperature
Immigration
movement into a country or area to take up permanent residence
Inbreeding
the reproduction from mating two genetically related parents
Inbreeding depression
the reduced fitness in a given population as the result of breeding of related individuals
Induced fit model
a model of an enzyme-substrate reaction that causes a conformational change in the active site of the enzyme that allows the substrate to fit perfectly
Induced pluripotent stem cells
somatic (adult) cells reprogrammed to enter an embryonic stem cell-like state
Insecticide
a chemical compound used to kill insects
Insertion mutation
the addition of an extra nucleotide
Introns
the parts of the initial mRNA which are removed before translation
Invasive
introduced species (also called “non-indigenous” or “non-native”) that adversely affect the habitats they invade economically, environmentally, and/or ecologically
Inversion
the inversion (reversal) of a section of DNA within a chromosome
Keystone species
a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance. An ecosystem may experience a dramatic shift if a keystone species is removed, even though that species was a small part of the ecosystem by measures of biomass or productivity
Lagging strand
the strand of DNA that grows in the direction opposite to the movement of the growing fork; it is replicated in fragments
Leading strand
the strand of DNA that is being replicated continuously
Legume
a plant which is able to fix atmospheric nitrogen to synthesis amino acids which can then be built up to plant proteins. This is due to the symbiotic relationship with bacteria in the root nodules of these plants
Ligase
an enzyme which joins fragments of DNA together
Light reaction
the photosynthetic process in which solar energy is harvested and transferred into the chemical bonds of ATP; can occur only in light
Livestock
one or more domesticated animal raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fibre and labour. The term does not usually involve farmed fish
Mass extinction
a sharp decrease in the diversity and abundance of macroscopic life
Megafauna
large or giant animals
Meristem
a growing point in a plant, i.e. a place where mitosis produces new cells
Messenger RNA
(mRNA) is synthesised from a DNA template, resulting in the transfer of genetic information from the DNA molecule to the messenger RNA
Metabolites
the intermediates and products of metabolic reactions that take place in organisms
Migration
a process which avoids metabolic adversity by expending energy to relocate to a more suitable environment
Misdirected behaviour
abnormal behaviour which the animal directs at another object, animal or human
Mitochondria
a structure in the cell responsible for producing energy
Mitochondrion
a structure in the cell responsible for producing energy
Mitosis
nuclear division
Mollusc
a large group of invertebrate organisms including slugs
Monoculture
the agricultural practice of producing or growing one single crop over a wide area. It is widely used in modern agriculture and its implementation has allowed for large harvests of crops from minimal labour
Motivation
the driving force by which humans and animals achieve their goals
NAD
a co-enzyme which easily attaches to hydrogen ions, but releases them when they are required
NADP
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate is a coenzyme which is used to carry hydrogen (NADPH) to chemical reactions which require a reducing agent
Natural selection
the survival of the fittest, whereby only individuals with the most suitable genetic constitution for any set of circumstances pass their genes on
Naturalised
any process by which a non-native organism spreads into the wild and its reproduction is sufficient to maintain its population
Negative feedback
homeostasis; the process by which an increase in one factor causes a decrease in another factor, thereby maintaining equilibrium around a set point (norm)
Nematode
organisms which belong to the group known as the roundworms and can be found in almost every ecological system
Net assimilation
the conversion of nutrient into the fluid or solid substance of the body, by the processes of absorption
Non-competitive inhibition
a molecule binds to part of the enzyme away from the active site, and causes a conformational change in the active site of the enzyme, thereby inhibiting the binding of the appropriate substrate molecule
Nutrient medium
a mixture of nutrients (including carbon and nitrogen sources) required for growth
Outbreeding
the practice of introducing unrelated genetic material into a breeding line
Pecking order
a natural hierarchy in a group of birds, such as domestic fowl
Perennial
a plant which lives for more than two years
Persistent
chemical compounds which do not break down or degrade easily in the environment
Placatory
leading to a reduction in tension, to pacify or appease
Plasmid
a circular, self-replicating DNA molecule that carries only a few genes
Plastome
the genetic material that is found in plastids in plant cells (for example in the chloroplast). It composes part of the entire genome of photosynthetic organisms
Pluripotent stem cells
these are stem cells, with the potential to make any differentiated cell in the body
Polyculture
agriculture using multiple crops in the same space
Precipitation
any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapour that falls under gravity, i.e. rain
Predator
an organism that feeds on another organism
Preference test
allow animals to choose between conditions which are conducive to the same behaviour
Primer
a strand of nucleic acid that serves as a starting point for DNA
Producer
an organism which uses light energy (green plants) or chemical energy (some bacteria) to manufacture the organic compounds it needs as nutrients from simple inorganic compounds obtained from its environment
Productivity
the rate of generation of biomass in an ecosystem. It is usually expressed in units of mass per unit surface (or volume) per unit time, for instance grams per square metre per day
Prokaryote
an organism which lacks a membrane-bound nucleus
Receptor
cells which monitor changes in environment
Reflected light
light which is bounced off a leaf and does not get absorbed and is not available for photosynthesis
Respirometer
a piece of equipment used to measure the rate of respiration
Restriction endonuclease
an enzyme that cuts specific target sequences of DNA
Ribosomal RNA
(rRNA) is the RNA that is a permanent structural part of a ribosome
Ribosomes
structures found in the cytoplasm where protein synthesis occurs
RNA splicing
a process which removes introns from a primary mRNA transcript
RuBisCO
ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase, is an enzyme involved in the Calvin cycle that catalyzes the first major step of carbon fixation, a process by which the atoms of atmospheric carbon dioxide are made available to organisms in the form of energy-rich molecules such as carbohydrates
RuBP
ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate is an organic substance that is involved in photosynthesis
Sanitation
the removal of crop residues and unharvestable (perhaps pest-infected) plants that might harbour pest insects from outside the crop area
Selectively permeable
a property of a membrane which means that substances do not freely pass through it; the membrane allows the passage of certain small molecules, but excludes many other molecules
Self renewal
a property displayed by stem cells which allows them to divide to produce more stem cells
Sexual selection
the non-random increase in frequency of DNA sequences that increase reproduction
Speciation
the formation of a new species
Species
group of organisms which can interbreed to produce fertile, viable offspring
Stereotypic behaviour
repetitive or ritualistic movement, posture, or utterance, found in animals with welfare problems
Stroma
part of the chloroplast where the Calvin cycle / Carbon fixation takes place
Substitution mutation
the replacement of one nucleotide by another
Sustainable
a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come
Symbiosis
close and often long-term interaction between different biological species
Synthesis
the building up of complex molecules from simpler ones
Taxonomic group
the classification of organisms into sets based on similarities of structure, origin etc.
Transcription
the production of mRNA from a DNA template
Transfer RNA
(tRNA) is a short strand of RNA that is twisted on itself to expose three bases, and which carries a specific amino acid to a ribosome
Translation
the sequencing of amino acids at ribosomes, based on the sequence of nucleotides in mRNA
Translocation
transposition of a length of DNA onto another chromosome
Transmitted light
transmitted light is light which passes right though the leaf
Trophic level
the position or stage an organism occupies in a food chain. Trophic levels can be represented by numbers, starting at level 1 (or A) for plants
Vasoconstriction
contraction in diameter of a blood vessel, thus reducing blood flow
Vasodilation
enlargement in diameter of a blood vessel, thus increasing blood flow
VO 2 max
the maximum rate at which the body is able to take up and use oxygen
Weed
a plant that is considered to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens
Wild-type
describes the phenotype of the typical form of a species as it occurs in nature

(Glossary from SCHOLAR)