Glossary

Abiotic - physical rather than biological; not derived from living organisms.

Abundance - the quantity or amount of something present in a particular area

Acidic - pH level below 7

Adaptation - the process of changing in order to suit different conditions, can be caused by environmental pressures

Alkaline - pH level above 7

Asexual - not involving the fusion of gametes.

Behavioral adaptation - things organisms do in order to survive, includes defense and attack mechanics

Biotic - relating to or resulting to living organisms

Branch - a stick with leaves on it

Convergent evolution - when organisms that live in similar environments have the same selective pressures applied to them, in which their adaptation then suit that pressure

Decomposer - a decomposer is an organism that decomposes or breaks down organic material such as the remains of dead organisms

Defense mechanism - an automatic reaction of the body against conflict or anxiety.

Divergent evolution - when a new area is colonised by organisms which adapt their features to suit their new environment

Equilibrium - condition in which balanced situation results are achieved

Frass - the excrement of insect larvae

Genetics - the study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics.

Genus - a taxonomic category in the hierarchy of biology, that sits above 'species' and below 'family'.

Gradualism - evolving of a new species slowly over time

Homeostasis - stable equilibrium between interdependent elements

Host plant - a plant upon which an organism lives and sustains itself

Humid - marked by a relatively high level of water vapour in the atmosphere

Instar - a phase between two periods of moulting in the development of an insect of an insect larva or other invertebrate organism.

Moult - to shed old feathers hair or skin to make way for new growth.

Nymph - an immature form of an insect that does not change greatly as it grows

Parthenogenetically - the natural form of reproducing asexually ( with out a mate/without fertilization of the ovum)

pH - a figure/measurement that determines the acidity or alkalinity of a substance

Physiological adaptation - internal systematic responses to external stimuli in order to allow the organism to maintain homeostasis

Prediction - a forecast

Primary - belonging to or directly derived from the first stage of development or growth

Producers - an autotrophic organism that serves as a source of food for other organisms in a food chain

Punctured equilibrium - the appearance of a new species "suddenly" when an environmental pressure changes rapidly

Reproduce - produce an offspring by a sexual or asexual process.

Secondary - a carnivore that feeds only upon herbivores

Species - a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.

Structural adaptation - physical features of an organism that enable it to fit well with its natural environment

Tertiary - a carnivore at the topmost level in a food chain that feeds on other carnivores an animal that feeds only on secondary consumers

All definitions taken from Google.