Here are the meanings of the listed vocabulary terms:
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Biology: The scientific study of life and living organisms, encompassing various fields such as evolution, genetics, and ecology.
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Prokaryotic cell: A type of cell that lacks a membrane-bound nucleus and other organelles. Prokaryotic cells are typically unicellular and are found in organisms such as bacteria and archaea.
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Eukaryotic Cell: A type of cell that has a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles. Eukaryotic cells can be unicellular or multicellular, and are found in organisms such as plants, animals, fungi, and protists.
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Co-Dominance: A genetic scenario in which both alleles in a heterozygous individual are fully expressed, resulting in a phenotype that is neither dominant nor recessive. For example, in a flower, red and white alleles may produce flowers with both colors.
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Incomplete Dominance: A genetic phenomenon where the phenotype of a heterozygous individual is intermediate between the phenotypes of the two homozygous parents. For example, crossing red and white flowers may produce pink flowers.
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Enzyme: A protein that acts as a catalyst in biochemical reactions, speeding up the reaction without being consumed in the process.
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Osmosis: The movement of water molecules from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration across a semi-permeable membrane.
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Diffusion: The process by which molecules spread from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration until equilibrium is reached.
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DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid): The molecule that carries the genetic instructions for life, composed of two strands that coil into a double helix.
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RNA (Ribonucleic Acid): A single-stranded molecule that plays a role in the synthesis of proteins and the transmission of genetic information. RNA is crucial for translating DNA instructions into functional proteins.
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Crossing over: The exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during meiosis, which leads to genetic variation in gametes.
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Genotype: The genetic constitution or allele combination of an individual organism, often represented by letters (e.g., AA, Aa, or aa).
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Phenotype: The observable physical and physiological traits of an organism, which result from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
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Homozygous: A genetic condition in which an individual has two identical alleles for a particular gene (e.g., AA or aa).
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Heterozygous: A genetic condition in which an individual has two different alleles for a particular gene (e.g., Aa).
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Phylogenetic tree: A diagram that represents the evolutionary relationships among various biological species or entities based on their genetic or physical characteristics.
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Common ancestry: The idea that different species share a common ancestor from which they have evolved over time.
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Carrying capacity: The maximum number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can sustainably support, considering available resources.
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Limiting factors: Environmental conditions that limit the growth, abundance, or distribution of organisms, such as food availability, water supply, habitat space, and competition.
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Analogous: Referring to structures in different species that perform similar functions but do not have a common evolutionary origin (e.g., wings of birds and wings of insects).
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Homologous: Referring to structures in different species that share a common ancestry and have similar developmental origins, even if they may serve different functions (e.g., human arm and whale flipper).
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Mitosis: A process of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell, used for growth and repair.
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Meiosis: A specialized type of cell division that results in four genetically diverse gametes, each with half the chromosome number of the parent cell, important for sexual reproduction.
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Decomposer: An organism, such as bacteria or fungi, that breaks down dead organic matter and recycles nutrients back into the ecosystem.
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Autotroph: An organism that produces its own food from inorganic substances, typically through photosynthesis (e.g., plants) or chemosynthesis (e.g., certain bacteria).
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Heterotroph: An organism that cannot produce its own food and relies on consuming other organisms or organic matter for energy and nutrients (e.g., animals, fungi).
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Natural Selection: The process by which individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to the gradual evolution of species over time.
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Primary Succession: The series of ecological changes that occur in an ecosystem following a disturbance that removes all soil and life, such as lava flow or glacial retreat.
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Secondary Succession: The process of ecological recovery that occurs after a disturbance that leaves the soil intact, such as fire or flooding, allowing for a faster return to a stable ecosystem.
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Human Impact: The effect that human activities have on the environment, including habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss.