Download OUTDOOR SCIENCE SCHOOL VOC (#1 – Test)

OUTDOOR SCIENCE SCHOOL VOC (#5 – Test)
[Terms in BLUE were previously defined]
1. (1-5 Pg 6) ORGANISM – any living thing, plant or animal (unicellular or multicellular)
(a) also an agent of mechanical and chemical weathering
(b) (e.g.) mechanical weathering: plant roots, burrowing animals
(e.g.) chemical weathering: lichen, moss
2. (1/5 Pg 6) INTERACTION – a mutual or reciprocal (opposite) action or influence
(a) (e.g.) mutual influence: any “mutualism” relationship
(b) (e.g.) reciprocal influence: “parasitism” relationship where the host is
harmed, predation (predator/prey relationship)
(c) “3” types of interaction: competition, predation and symbiosis
3. (1-3/5 Pg 6) ENVIRONMENT – ALL the various living organisms (biotic) and the
nonliving conditions (abiotic factors) that affect the lives
of those organisms at any point during their life cycle
4. (5 Pg 6) ECOLOGY – the scientific study of the relationship between organisms and
their environment
5. (1-5 Pg 6) BIOTIC – pertaining to life and living things
(a) synonym = organism; organic
(b) antonym = abiotic
(c) (e.g.) in soil  the decayed plant and animal remains
6. (5 Pg 6) COMPETITION – the interaction resulting from several organisms sharing
an environmental resource usually in short supply
(a) (e.g.) water, space, a mate, and food
7. (1-5 Pg 7) ROCK – a non-living (abiotic) material composed of one or more minerals
(a) “3” types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic
8. (1/2/4-5 Pg 7) ABIOTIC – the non-living factors in the environment
(a) synonym = inorganic
(b) antonym = biotic
(c) (e.g.) in soil  the finely divided rock materials and minerals
(e.g.) water, sunlight, temperature, nutrients, wind
9. (2/5 Pg 7) NUTRIENTS – are the minerals and vitamins needed by living things
(a) positive “leaching” is the process that carries nutrients from
upper horizon layers to the lower ones
(b) negative “leaching” removes vital nutrients from the soil due to
same crop planting or lack of fertilizing
10. (1/2/5 Pg 7) SOIL – finely divided rock material (abiotic) mixed with decayed plant
and animal material (biotic)
(a) soil is the medium in which plants grow
11. (1/4-5 Pg 7) SUN – the yellow star which is the center of our solar system
(a) 4.6 billion years old (middle aged) [5.5 billion years left]
(b) scientific name = “sol”
(c) composition: H = 92%; He = 7.8%; O = 0.06%; C = 0.03%
(d) nuclear fusion is its form of energy [created by the bombardment
of hydrogen [H] atoms with each other creating helium [He] atoms
12. (1-5 Pg 7) PRECIPITATION – a water cycle term referring to water being
“deposited” on Earth in various forms
(a) (e.g.) rain, snow, sleet, hail or mist
13. (5 Pg 7) SUGAR – a colorless, sweet substance forming compounds of carbon
(C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O)
(a) synonym = glucose [C6H12O6]
(b) complex sugar = table sugar [C12H22O11]
(c) manufactured by producers (green plants/autotrophs) during photosynthesis
14. (5 Pg 7) TERRESTRIAL INSECT – an insect that lives only on the land
(a) (e.g.) fireflies, bees, cicadas and fleas
15. (3/4-5 Pg 7) AQUATIC – living or growing in or on water
(a) “substrate” is H2O
16. (1-4-5 Pg 7) OXYGEN [O] – is a colorless, odorless, gaseous element found in our
atmosphere
(a) 21% of the gas making up our air is oxygen [O]
(b) O2 allows aerobic (oxygenated environment) organisms to
efficiently convert food into energy (through cellular
respiration)
(c) O2 is a chemical agent of weathering
17. (5 Pg 9) COMMUNITY – the collection of organisms that live together, interact with
one another, and depend on one another in an area
(a) communities are defined by the vegetation they support
(b) organism  population (a group of the same species of organism) 
community  ecosystem (collection of organisms and abiotic factors) 
biome (a collection of ecosystem with similar climate )
18. (2/4-5 Pg 9) NATURAL RESOURCE – materials found in nature that are used by
humans
(a) (e.g.) sunlight, air, water, soil, minerals, rocks, forest, wildlife
19. (5 Pg 9) RENEWABLE RESOURCE – living resources which have the capacity to
reproduce themselves or resources that can
regenerate themselves quickly
(a) (biotic – e.g.) plants and animals
(b) (abiotic – e.g.) rocks, soil, water (cycles)
(c) (e.g. - energy) solar, geothermal, wind, biomass and hydropower
20. (5 Pg 9) NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE – resources which do not regenerate
themselves or cannot reproduce quickly enough
(a) when once used up they cannot be replaced in this geological age
(b) (e.g.) oil, gas, fossil fuels, some minerals
21. (5 Pg 9) ECOSYSTEM – an environment of any size with interaction and
interdependence of all organisms and abiotic factors
(a) organism  population (a group of the same species of organism) 
community  ecosystem  biome (a collection of ecosystem with
similar climate )
22. (5 Pg 9) FOREST – a complex community of interacting plants and animals in which
trees (deciduous and conifers) are the most conspicuous and
dominant members
23. (1-5 Pg 10) CLIMATE – the average weather conditions of an area over a long
period of time
(a) California’s climate = “mediterranean”
24. (5 Pg 10) DECIDUOUS – term used to describe plants which shed all their leaves
seasonally
(a) (e.g.) maple, ash, hickory, etc…
(b) antonym = evergreen
25. (3/5 Pg 11) ADAPTATION – a change in structure or habit of an organism that
produces better adjustment to the environment
26. (1/5 Pg 11) HUMIDITY – the content of moisture in the atmosphere at a given time
27. (3/4-5 Pg 11) MAMMAL – a warm-blooded vertebrate, vertebrate with lungs and
hair/fur where the female nurses the young
(a) (e.g.) humans, bears, wolves, whales, etc…
28. (1/5 Pg 11) PREDATOR – an animal that hunts and kills other animals for food
(a) antonym = prey
(b) the interaction or relationship between predator and prey = predation
29. (3/5 Pg 12) HABITAT – a region where a plant or animal naturally lives, which
includes food, water, shelter and space suitable to the
organism’s needs
30. (1/5 Pg 12) PREY – an animal hunted by another animal
(a) antonym = predator
(b) the interaction or relationship between predator and prey = predation
31. (1/3/5 Pg 20) PRODUCER – an organism, usually a green plant, which produces its
own organic compound (glucose) through the process of photosynthesis
(a) synonym = autotroph
(b) antonym = consumer (heterotroph)
(c) (e.g.) grass, trees, algae
32. (4/5 Pg 20) PHOTOSYNTHESIS – the process producers (green plants/autotrophs)
use to manufacture their own food of carbohydrates and simple sugar
(glucose) from carbon dioxide [CO2], water [H2O], and sunlight
(a) PHOTOSYNTHESIS Chemical Equation:
6 H2O + 6 CO2 + energy from sun  C6H12O6 + 6 O2
(b) cellular respiration : the process consumers (heterotrophs) use to
convert food and oxygen into caron cioxide [CO2], water [H2O] and
energy for plants and animals
(c) CELLULAR RESPIRATION Chemical Equation:
C6H12O6 + 6 O2  6 H2O + 6 CO2 + energy
33. (1/4-5 Pg 20) ALGAE (singular: alga) – a simple plant living in water and contains
chlorophyll
(a) alga (singular) lacks true: roots, stems, and leaves
(b) algae is a member of the protist kingdom
34. (1/2/5 Pg 20) BACTERIA – (singular bacterium) – are single-celled (unicellular),
microscopic organisms that lack chlorophyll and belong to the
moneran kingdom
(a) bacteria are helpful (decomposers) & harmful (cause disease/pollution)
(b) bacteria form and live in colonies
(c) one of the “major” groups of decomposers
35. (2/3/5 Pg 20) DECOMPOSER – a plant or animal which feeds on dead material
causing its breakdown into a simpler form
(a) F B I: (mnemonic device) for the 3 largest groups of decomposers:
F = fungus; B = bacteria; I = invertebrate/insects
36. (2/5 Pg 20) FUNGUS (plural fungi) – an organism that looks like a plant, but cannot
do photosynthesis and therefore is parasitic; has an
excellent root structure; and is one of the partners in the
symbiotic relationship forming “lichen”
(a) fungi are one of the largest groups of decomposers
(b) fungi reproduce using spores (type of “asexual” reproduction)
37. (5 Pg 20) TRANSPIRATION – the process by which water evaporates from plant
tissue from openings on the underside of the leaf
called stomata (singular = stoma)
(a) (mnemonic device) TRee / TRanspiration
38. (1/3/5 Pg 21) CONSUMER – an organism, that preys on and ingests (eats) other
organisms
(a) synonym = heterotroph
(b) antonym = producer; autotroph
(c) “4” types: herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and insectivores
(d) (e.g.) rabbit, hawk, humans, spiders
(e) 1st level consumer = producers [(e.g.) grasses]
2nd level consumer = eats a 1st level consumer [(e.g.) herbivore]
tertiary consumer = eats a 2nd level consumer [(e.g.) carnivore]
39. (1/4/5 Pg 21) HERBIVORE – a type of consumer (heterotroph) that primarily ingest
plants (autotrophs)
(a) antonym = carnivore (heterotroph)
(b) (e.g.) deer, rabbit, cattle, caterpillar
40. (5 Pg 21) CARNIVORE – any chiefly “flesh-eating” organism, including some types
of plants
(a) antonym = herbivore
(b) (e.g. - consumer) wolf, coyote, lion
(c) (e.g. - producer) Venus flytrap, pitcher plants, sundew
41. (5 Pg 21) OMNIVORE – an organism feeding on plants AND animals
(a) (e.g.) bears, humans
42. (3/5 Pg 21) SCAVENGER – an organism which ingests (eats) dead (carrion / carcass)
animals
(a) (e.g.) vulture, buzzard, condor, jackal, hyenas, catfish
44. (4/5 Pg 23) FOOD CHAIN – is the transfer of food energy from one source to the
next through a series of eating (ingesting) and being eaten (digestion)
(a) (e.g.)
SUN  GRASSES CATERPILLAR  BIRD  SNAKE RAPTOR (hawk) DECOMPOSER
44. (5 Pg 23) RECYCLE – is the reprocessing and salvage of used materials into useful,
new products
(a) (e.g.) plastic, paper, metals, glass, cloth, water
45. (5 Pg 23) RAPTOR – a bird of prey
(a) (e.g.) owl, hawk, eagle, falcon
(b) carnivore species of birds
46. (3/5 Pg 23) REPTILE – a cold-blooded (ectothermic), air breathing (has lungs)
vertebrate (with a backbone) covered with scales or boney
plates (reduces water loss)
(a) (e.g.) snakes, alligators, lizards, turtles, chameleons
47. (5 Pg 23) INSECTIVORE – a special type of consumer (carnivore) in the food web
responsible for ingesting insects as its primary food source
(a) (e.g.) spiders, birds, frogs, lizards, preying mantis and other insects
48. (4/5 Pg 24) FOOD WEB – a totality of interacting food chains in an ecological
community
49. (5 Pg 24) SUBSTRATE – the “medium” on or in which an organism lives
(a) (e.g.) water [H2O], host (organism), land (terrestrial)
(b) an area were an organism establishes its niche (its specific role/job)
50. (3/5 Pg 26) INSECT – an invertebrate (no backbone) with 3 body segments (head,
thorax, and abdomen), 3 pairs of legs and usually wings once
it reaches adulthood
(a) the kind of organism whose life cycle consists of an egg, larva, pupa
and adult stages in complete metamorphosis OR egg, nymph and
adult stages in incomplete/simple metamorphosis
(b) insects are the most numerous animal on Earth
(c) insects/invertebrates are one of the largest groups of decomposers
51. (2/5 Pg 26) LARVA (plural larvae) – the feeding stage in the insect life cycle of
complete metamorphosis
(a) (synonyms) “caterpillar” = butterflies / moths
“maggots” = flies
“mealworm” = beetles
52. (5 Pg 26) EGG – the reproductive body (round or oval) from which the young hatches
(a) it is the 1st stage of development in the metamorphosis process for both
complete and simple/incomplete metamorphosis
53. (5 Pg 32) FRUIT – the edible, pulpy mass covering of the seeds of various plants
(a) fruit forms when pollen fertilizes the egg; from the fertilized egg a
seed forms and the ovary around the seed swells and ripens
(b) “2” types of fruit: “fleshy” (e.g. apple); “dry” (e.g. nuts)
(c) the purpose of fruit is for the protection and dispersal of the seeds
54. (5 Pg 34) CARRYING CAPACITY – the largest population of a species an area can
support at any given time without depleting the
resources available
(a) natural limiting factors restricting population growth: amount of
available food; space availability; weather conditions (drought,
fire, earthquakes, flood); seasons (winter vs summer) and predation
(b) necessary to maintain “balance of nature”
55. (5 Pg 36) LIMITING FACTOR – the physical factor(s) that is most responsible
for restricting animals or plants in that environment
(a) aquatic organisms: limiting factor = water
(b) plant growth: limiting factors = type of soil; amt of rainfall; climate
(c) an environmental factor which controls the overpopulation of
organisms by reaching the “carrying capacity” for food/space or by
severe weather
56. (3/5 Pg 37) AMPHIBIAN – a cold-blooded, vertebrate without scales, feathers, fur
or hair which has gills in the early stages of development;
living partly in aquatic habitats and partly on dry land
(a) (e.g.) frog, salamander
57. (5 Pg 46) SYMBIOSIS – is a special relationship between 2 organisms which are
unrelated to each other
(a) 3 types of symbiosis: mutualism, parasitism, commensalism
58. (5 Pg 46) MUTUALISM – is a type of symbiosis where each organism derives
benefit from the other
(a) (e.g.) BACTERIA  get the nutrients they need from the tubeworms
TUBEWORMS  get the necessary sulfides they need from the bacteria
(b) (e.g.) BEES  get the nutrients from the nectar of the flowers
FLOWERING PLANTS  distribute pollen to other plants
59. (5 Pg 46) FLOWER – part of a seed plant comprising the reproductive organs
(stamen [male reproductive organ containing the pollen],
pollen [the male reproductive dust], and pistil [the female
reproductive organ]) and their coverings
(a) Comprised of: sepal (protects the unopened flower and supports it
when opened)
petals (colorful, most visible part of the flower
attracting insects and birds for pollination)
corolla (all the petals together)
60. (5 Pg 46) POLLEN – the male reproductive dust from the stamen of a flowering plant
61. (5 Pg 46) POLLINATION – the transfer of pollen from the stamen to the pistil
(a) this “fertilization” of plants allow it to produce seeds
(b) methods of transferring pollen: wind, insects and birds
62. (5 Pg 46) REPRODUCTION – the process by which living things produce more of
their own kind to keep their species alive
(a) 2 types:
Asexual Reproduction: “1” parent cell
produce genetically “identical” offspring
types: binary fission, budding, regeneration,
conjugation and spores
(e.g.) protozoa, yeast, starfish, algae, fungus
Sexual Reproduction: “2” parent cells
produce genetically “similar” offspring
(e.g.) multi-cellular organisms, flowers
63. (5 Pg 46) COMMENSALISM – is a type of symbiosis where one organism benefits,
but the other is neither helped nor harmed
(a) (e.g.) RED TAIL HAWK  a place to build its nest
SAGUARO CACTUS  not affected by hawk’s interaction with it
64. (5 Pg 46) BARK – the outside layer of a tree which protects the cambium (living part
of the tree) from injury, insects, and disease
(a) Comes in a variety of colors, textures, scents (sometimes vanilla) and
shapes (e.g. = puzzle bark)
65. (5 Pg 46) CAMBIUM – the growth layer between the bark and wood on a tree
(a) the “living” portion of the wood
(b) the cambium closest to the bark becomes new bark and the
cambium closest to the wood becomes new wood
66. (2/5 Pg 46) LICHEN – a plant that combines fungi with algae in a mutualism,
symbiotic relationship
(a) lichens get their “structure” from the fungi and their ability to do
“photosynthesis” from the algae
(b) (e.g.) organism agent for “chemical” weathering
67. (5 Pg 46) PARASITISM – a type of symbiosis where one species benefits usually at
the expense of another
(a) organism that benefits = parasite (e.g. wasp larva – feeds on caterpillar
or flea takes nutrients from blood of the dog)
(b) organism usually harmed = host (e.g. caterpillar or dog is the host)
68. (5 Pg 46) PARASITE – a plant or animal which takes its food from another living
thing (the host); usually being harmful to the host
(a) (e.g.) mistletoe, bacteria, fungus, protozoans, tapeworm, etc...
69. (5 Pg 46) HOST – the organism in or on which a parasite lives
70. (3/5 Pg 49) SCAT – animal droppings or feces
(a) Scatology is the study of animal diet through the examination of scat