Vocabulary - Life Science

Biotic

• currently living or used to be living

• non-living components of the environment

• elements that are always inanimate

• factors that do not affect ecosystems

Symbiosis

• a close relationship between two different organisms where at least one benefits

• a type of competition between two species for resources

• a process of evolution where species become more similar over time

• a method of communication between different species

Ingestion

• when animals ‘take in’ (eat) food

• the process of digestion in the stomach

• the act of breathing in oxygen

• the absorption of nutrients in the intestines

Cell

• the smallest unit of life

• a type of tissue

• a group of organs

• the largest structure in the body

Parasite

• an organism that lives on or in another organism (the host) and benefits at the host's expense

• a type of bacteria that helps in digestion

• a virus that causes diseases in plants

• a symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit

Reproduction

• the process by which living things produce new individuals of the same kind

• a method of storing energy in living organisms

• the process of breaking down food for energy

• the way in which organisms adapt to their environment

Organ System

• a group of organs that work together to perform a specific function in an organism

• a collection of tissues that perform a similar function

• a single organ that performs multiple functions

• a system that regulates body temperature

Habitat

• the natural environment where an organism lives and grows

• a type of food that organisms consume

• a method of reproduction in animals

• a place where organisms are kept in captivity

Organism

• a living thing; can be a plant, animal, fungus, or single-celled

• a non-living thing that can grow

• a type of chemical compound

• a process of photosynthesis

Digestion

• the process of breaking down food into smaller pieces

• when food is changed to a form an organism can use

• the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream

• the elimination of waste from the body