BIOLOGY
# Term Definition
1 What is an environment? The wider surroundings of an organism
including the plants, animals and microbes with
which it interacts.
2 What is a habitat? Refers to the specific environmental conditions
where the organism lives.
3 What are biotic and abiotic Biotic and abiotic factors are environmental
factors? factors that affect an organism. Biotic are living
and abiotic are non-living.
4 What is an adaptation and what An adaptation is an inherited feature of an
are the 3 types? organism that enables it to better survive and
reproduce. Are the end result of the
evolutionary changes over time. Structural = A
physical characteristic. Behavioural = Innate or
inherited behavioural pattern Physiological =
Internal body chemistry
5 What is an adaptive advantage? Is a characteristic of an organism that enables it
to survive and reproduce better than other
organisms in a given environment.
6 What is Gause’s Competitive If two species, with the exact same niche,
Exclusion Principle? coexist in the same ecosystem, then one will be
excluded from the community due to intense
competition.
7 8 responses to the environment Light = photo Water = hydro Gravity = gravi
Temperature = thermo Current = rheo
Chemicals = chemo Touch = thigmo Food =
Tropho
8 What is a taxes response? A taxis is a movement of an organism
towards/positive or away from/negative a
stimulus.
9 What is a kinesis? The direction of movement is random, bearing
no relation to the direction of the stimulus. The
rate of activity is determined by the intensity of
the stimulus. Two kinds – orthokinesis and
klinokinesis.
, BIOLOGY
# Term Definition
10 What is orthokinesis? The stimulus intensity governs the speed of
movement
11 What is klinokinesis? The stimulus intensity determines the rate of
turning.
12 What is migration? The regular mass movement of animals from
one location to another to avoid some adverse
environmental conditions. Involves a return
journey.
13 Why do species migrate? 1. In response to adverse environmental stimuli
2. feeding 3. Mating 4. Breeding
14 How do species know when to Climatic conditions such as wind and
migrate? temperature. Atmospheric and electricity are
also important. Day length – photoperiod.
15 What are the advantages to Move to favourable environmental conditions
migration? for constant food supply, better breeding
conditions, reduced predator/ parasites/
disease and can lead to the colonisation of a
new area.
16 What are the disadvantages of It is a huge investment of energy. Species may
migration? get caught in weather, eaten by a predator or
may lead to exhaustion or starvation and
therefore death. The benefits have to outweigh
the costs otherwise the behaviour wouldn’t
continue.
17 What is homing? Is the ability of an animal to find its way home,
usually over unfamiliar territory.
18 What is navigation? Involves the animal finding its way over
unknown territory to a known destination. The
animal must know where it is in relation to its
destination.
19 How do animals find their way They must have a sense of direction and a sense
home? of location. Use different cues to help
them:Sunlight, stars, smell and magnetic fields.
# Term Definition
1 What is an environment? The wider surroundings of an organism
including the plants, animals and microbes with
which it interacts.
2 What is a habitat? Refers to the specific environmental conditions
where the organism lives.
3 What are biotic and abiotic Biotic and abiotic factors are environmental
factors? factors that affect an organism. Biotic are living
and abiotic are non-living.
4 What is an adaptation and what An adaptation is an inherited feature of an
are the 3 types? organism that enables it to better survive and
reproduce. Are the end result of the
evolutionary changes over time. Structural = A
physical characteristic. Behavioural = Innate or
inherited behavioural pattern Physiological =
Internal body chemistry
5 What is an adaptive advantage? Is a characteristic of an organism that enables it
to survive and reproduce better than other
organisms in a given environment.
6 What is Gause’s Competitive If two species, with the exact same niche,
Exclusion Principle? coexist in the same ecosystem, then one will be
excluded from the community due to intense
competition.
7 8 responses to the environment Light = photo Water = hydro Gravity = gravi
Temperature = thermo Current = rheo
Chemicals = chemo Touch = thigmo Food =
Tropho
8 What is a taxes response? A taxis is a movement of an organism
towards/positive or away from/negative a
stimulus.
9 What is a kinesis? The direction of movement is random, bearing
no relation to the direction of the stimulus. The
rate of activity is determined by the intensity of
the stimulus. Two kinds – orthokinesis and
klinokinesis.
, BIOLOGY
# Term Definition
10 What is orthokinesis? The stimulus intensity governs the speed of
movement
11 What is klinokinesis? The stimulus intensity determines the rate of
turning.
12 What is migration? The regular mass movement of animals from
one location to another to avoid some adverse
environmental conditions. Involves a return
journey.
13 Why do species migrate? 1. In response to adverse environmental stimuli
2. feeding 3. Mating 4. Breeding
14 How do species know when to Climatic conditions such as wind and
migrate? temperature. Atmospheric and electricity are
also important. Day length – photoperiod.
15 What are the advantages to Move to favourable environmental conditions
migration? for constant food supply, better breeding
conditions, reduced predator/ parasites/
disease and can lead to the colonisation of a
new area.
16 What are the disadvantages of It is a huge investment of energy. Species may
migration? get caught in weather, eaten by a predator or
may lead to exhaustion or starvation and
therefore death. The benefits have to outweigh
the costs otherwise the behaviour wouldn’t
continue.
17 What is homing? Is the ability of an animal to find its way home,
usually over unfamiliar territory.
18 What is navigation? Involves the animal finding its way over
unknown territory to a known destination. The
animal must know where it is in relation to its
destination.
19 How do animals find their way They must have a sense of direction and a sense
home? of location. Use different cues to help
them:Sunlight, stars, smell and magnetic fields.
