Download File - NCEA Level 3 Biology

Timaru Girls’ High School
Level 3 Biology
External
5 Credits
Keywords for AS91603 – Demonstrate
understanding of the responses of plants
and animals to their environment.
Abscisic acid
A naturally occurring plant growth substance that promotes leaf ageing, leaf
fall and apical dominance and induces dormancy in seeds and buds.
Aggressive
behaviour
Behaviour aimed at intimidating or injuring another animal of the same or a
competing species.
Agonistic behaviour
Any form of behaviour associated with aggression, including threat, attack,
appeasement or flight.
Altitudinal zonation
change in species composition with altitude
Altruism
Behaviour in an animal that decreases its chances of survival or
reproduction while increasing those of another member of the same species.
Eg. Mother defending her young.
Annual
A plant that completes its life cycle in one year.
Antibiosis
The interaction that occurs between two animal or plant species in which
one species is harmed while the other is not significantly affected. Eg. Large
animals stepping on and squashing small insects or trampling vegetation.
Appeasement
Behaviour that inhibits aggression from another animal of the same species,
frequently taking the form of a special posture or display emphasising the
weakness of the performer. Eg. Dog cowering.
Auxins
Any of a group of plant growth hormones that promote growth by cell
enlargement, the maintenance of apical dominance and the initiation of root
formation in cuttings.
Biennial
A plant that requires two growing seasons to complete its life cycle.
Biological clock
The mechanism that produces regular periodic changes in behaviour or
physiology.
Biological rhythm
A roughly periodic change in the behaviour or physiology of an organism
that is generated and maintained by a biological clock.
Canopy layer
top layer of foliage covering other layers
Caste system
A division of labour found in social insects, such as ants, bees, wasps and
the termites, in which the individuals are structurally and physiologically
specialised to perform a particular function. Eg. in honeybees there are
queens (fertile females), workers (sterile females) and drones (males).
Chemotaxis
The directional movement of an animal in response to chemicals in the
environment - eg. Female mosquitos follow a carbon dioxide gradient
towards their prey.
Circa lunar rhythm
29½ day periodicity in the behaviour or physiology of animals or plants
which approximates the cycle of a lunar month.
Circa tidal rhythm
12½ hour periodicity in the behaviour or physiology of animals or plants
which approximates the cycle the tides.
Circadian rhythm
24 hour periodicity in the behaviour or physiology of animals or plants which
approximates the cycle of a solar day.
Circannual rhythm
365¼ day periodicity in the behaviour or physiology of animals or plants
which approximates the cycle of a solar year.
Climax community
a mature community that is self-maintaining
Coexistence
species living together over the long term
Commensal
species living with another without harming it
Commensalism
An interaction between two animal or plant species that habitually live
together in which one species benefits from the association while the other
is not significantly affected. Eg. E. coli in the human gut.
Community
all plants and animals living in a defined area
Community structure arrangement of species within a community
Competition
The interaction between two or more organisms, populations, or species that
share some environmental resource when this is in short supply.
Complex hierarchy
A kind of hierarchy where groups of individuals hold the top rank. Eg. In wolf
packs, relatives of the alpha male and female hold a higher rank than other
wolves which may actually be stronger than them, but are restrained by the
alpha male and female.
Cooperative
breeding
A breeding system in which members of an extended family (usually older
offspring from the same parents) all help in the rearing of offspring. Eg.
Pukekos nest in communal groups where other pukekos help parents raise
the young.
Cooperative defence
Where members of a group combine their strengths to defend against
predators. Eg. Siberian musk ox, form a protective circle around their young
when threatened by predators.
Courtship behaviour
Behaviour in animals that plays a part in the initial attraction of a mate or as
a prelude to mating.
Crepuscular animals
Animals that are most active at dawn and dusk.
Cytokinin
One of a group of plant growth hormones that promote cell division but,
unlike auxins, promote lateral growth.
Day neutral plants
A plant in which flowering can occur irrespective of the day length.
Diapause
A period of suspended development or growth occurring in some insects
during which metabolism is greatly decreased.
Display
Stereotyped movement or posture that serves to influence the behaviour of
another animal. Eg. Peacock tail display to attract hens.
Dominance
Behaviour shown by an individual that is higher in a hierarchy than the
individual it is relating with.
Dominant species
the species that affects other species the most
Dormancy
An inactive period of life of an animal or plant during which growth slows or
completely ceases.
Endogenous
Describing a substance, stimulus, organ etc. that originates from within an
organism.
Entrainment
The resetting of the biological clock on a regular basis, forcing it to take up
the period of the environmental cycle.
Environmental cues
A change in the external environment that triggers a change in behaviour or
physiology.
Environmental
gradient
a gradually changing environmental factor
Ethylene
A colourless hydrocarbon gas, C2H4, that occurs naturally in many plants
and acts as a growth substance. It is often used to ripen fruit commercially.
Exploitation
An interaction between species in which one benefits by using the other as a
source of food or shelter.
Food chain
path of food from one species to another
Food web
linked food chains within a community
Free running period
The period of a biological rhythm in the absence of external environmental
cues.
Geotaxis
The directional movement of an animal in response to gravity - eg. Shellfish
such as toheroa that burrow downwards into the sand exhibit positive
geotaxis.
Geotropism
The directional growth of plant organs in response to gravity.
Gibberellin
Any of a group of plant growth substances chemically related to gibberellic
acid, which promote shoot elongation in certain plants, often overcoming
genetic dwarfism.
Hibernation
A sleep-like state in which some animals pass the winter months as a way of
surviving food scarcity and cold weather.
Homing
The ability of an organism to find its way back to a specific area - eg.
Salmon returning to the river in which they were born for spawning.
Host species
a species which provides food or shelter
Hydrotaxis
The directional movement of an animal in response to water in the
environment.
Hydrotropism
The directional growth of plant organs in response to water in the
environment.
Indoleacetic acid
A naturally occurring auxin, synthesised in the shoot tips and responsible for
cell elongation in the plant stem.
Interspecific
interactions between different species
Intraspecific
interactions between members of the same species
Kinesis
The directional movement of a cell or organism in response to a stimulus in
which rate of movement depends on the intensity (rather than the direction)
of the stimulus - eg. A slater moves slowly in a damp atmosphere and
quickly in a dry one.
Life-history strategy
number of young produced and care provided
Long day plants
A plant in which flowering can be induced or enhanced by long days (short
nights), usually with more than 12 hours of daylight.
Lunar month
29½-day astronomical cycle based on the time it takes for the moon to
complete one orbit around the Earth.
Migration
The seasonal movement of complete populations of animals to a more
favourable environment. It is usually a response to lower temperatures
resulting in a reduced food supply and is often triggered by a change in day
length.
Mutualism
two species benefit from the relationship
Nastic movements
Movements of plant organs in response to external stimuli that are
independent of the direction of the stimuli - eg. Opening of tulip and crocus
flowers in response to increasing temperatures.
Negative tropism
A plant growth response away from a stimulus.
Niche exclusion
one species forces another out of a habitat
Nocturnal animal
Animals that are active at night.
Parasitism
one species lives on another to obtain food
Perennial
A plant that lives for a number of years.
Photoperiodism
The response of an organism to changes in day length (photoperiod).
Phototaxis
The directional movement of an animal in response to light - eg. Certain
algae can detect light using a sensitive eyespot and move to regions of
higher light to enhance photosynthesis.
Phototropism
The directional growth of plant organs in response to light. Shoots usually
grow towards light.
Positive tropism
A plant growth response towards a stimulus.
Predation
hunting another animal species for food
Saprophytism
when bacteria and fungi feed on dead matter
Scavenger
species that feed on predators' left over food
Senescence
The change that occurs in an organism (or organ) between maturity and
death - ie. ageing.
Short day plants
A plant in which flowering can be induced or enhanced by short days (long
nights), usually with less than 12 hours of daylight.
Social behaviour
working together to ensure mutual survival
Social hierarchy
order of importance in a population
Solar year
365¼-day astronomical cycle based on the time it takes for the Earth to
complete one orbit around the sun.
Species composition
the species that make up a community
Stable community
a community that changes little over time
Strata
layers within a forest community
Stratification
changes in community structure with height
Succession
changing community composition over time
Taxes
Directional movements of animals in response to external stimuli.
Territory
area which organisms utilise and defend
Thermotaxis
The directional movement of an animal in response to heat - eg. Female
mosquitos can sense infra-red light and use it to find their prey.
Thigmotaxis
The directional movement of an animal in response to touch - eg. When
snails are touched, they withdraw into their shell.
Thigmotropism
The growth of an aerial plant organ in response to localised physical contact
- eg. Bean tendrils twining around a support.
Transect line
line across a community used for sampling
Tropisms
Directional plant growth responses in response to external stimuli.
Unstable community
a community that changes rapidly
Zeitgeber
The environmental agent that resets the biological clock.
Zonation
changing community structure across landscape