Xylem

This is a photo of a white clover. A white clover demonstrates xylem. Xylem is vascular plant tissue that acts as transportation for water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant. Xylem contains cells called tracheids and vessel members. The xylem is made of a system of tubes and the cells that act as the passage way for water and nutrients. The roots grab the water and nutrients then the xylem transports it up to the top of the vascular plant. The xylem in the white clover is located in its stem. When the white clover's roots extract water and nutrients from the ground, the xylem sends these substances to the top of the white clover where its petals, reproductive parts, and other parts of the flower receive these substances. Without the xylem, flowers and other xylem-containing organisms would not be able to survive because they would lack water and nutrients.




Andrew Rader Studios. “Vascular Systems of Plants.” Biology4Kids.Com: Cell Structure: Cell Walls, Andrew Rader 
        Studios, www.biology4kids.com/files/plants_xylemphloem.html.
Petruzzello, Melissa. “Xylem.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 17 Oct. 2016, 
        www.britannica.com/science/xylem.

Commensalism

This is a photo of human eyelashes that contain mites. The human eyelashes with mites demonstrates commensalism. Commensalism is a relationship between two species where one obtains benefits from the other while the other species is not harmed or benefited. In commensalism, the benefited species obtains things such as nutrients, shelter, support, or transportation. In the photo, the two species involved in commensalism are a human and microscopic mites. Mites take shelter in human eyelashes and receive nutrients through human glandular secretions in the hair follicles. More specifically, the mite species that take shelter on the hair follicles are demodex folliculorum. In exchange, the human host receives no benefits and is not harmed. Other examples of commensalism are the remora fish benefiting off of sharks, lichens using trees as hosts, and sea anemones on hermit crabs. In all examples, one species is surviving off of the other while the other species is simply the host receiving no benefits or harm.


Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Commensalism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica,        
        Inc., 27 Dec. 2017, www.britannica.com/science/commensalism.
Rush, Aisha. “Demodex Folliculorum.” Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Demodex_folliculorum/.

Hydrophobic

This is a photo of a leaf with water on it. The leaf represents a hydrophobic substance. Hydrophobic describes substances that don't mix with water molecules. The Greek roots hydro-and -phobic combined translates to "water hating". Water molecules are polar molecules and this means they carry a charge along its molecule. The failure of water and hydrophobic molecules to combine results in molecules without a charge. Hydrophobic molecules are the chargeless, non-polar molecules that results in substances not combining with water. The leaf in the photo contains wax. Wax is a non-polar, hydrophobic substance. The water on the leaf is not absorbed because of this wax. Other examples of hydrophobic substances are fats and oils.

Study.com, Study.com, study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-hydrophobic-definition-interactions-quiz.html.

Population

This is a photo of a colony of ants. This colony of ants represents a population. A population is a group of organisms of a species that live together at the same time and interbreed. Population is affected by many factors. These factors include food availability, environmental factors, and disease. Fertility is also an impactful factor on a population. If a species cannot reproduce then it will eventually become extinct.  Populations are subject to increases and decreases by births/emigration and deaths/immigration. A species population ratio of births and deaths concludes if a species will become extinct or thrive. The colony in the photo shows a thriving population of ants. These ants live together and work to feed their colony.


Study.com, Study.com, study.com/academy/lesson/population-biology-definition-example.html.
Teitelbaum, Michael S. “Population.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 16 Mar. 2018, 
       www.britannica.com/science/population-biology-and-anthropology.

Adaptation of an Animal

This is a photo of a caterpillar. A caterpillar is an example of an adaption of an animal. An adaptation of an animal helps an organism survive in its environment. It is passed down through generations to help a species survive. There are structural and behavioral adaptations. A structural adaptation is a physical trait and a behavioral adaptation affects the way an organism acts. An example of a structural adaption is camouflage in moths. An example of a behavioral adaption is when birds migrate to warmer climates before winter approaches. Both types of adaptations help a species survive in its environment. The caterpillar in the photo demonstrates a structural adaption with the fur on its body. When birds or other predators of caterpillars try to eat it, the fur on its body makes it distasteful to the predator. Another structural adaption on the caterpillar is its color. The color can tell predators it is poisonous or a caterpillar's color can help it blend into its environment.


“Caterpillar Survival Strategies.” Wildlife Insight, www.wildlifeinsight.com/guide-to-british-caterpillars/caterpillar-
        survival-strategies/.
National Geographic Society. “Adaptation.” National Geographic Society, 9 Oct. 2012, 
        www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/adaptation/.

Epithelial Tissue

This is a photo of a human hand. A human hand contains epithelial tissue. Epithelial tissue is tissue all over the human body that forms the external skin. It also forms the inner lining of the mouth, digestive tract, secretory glands, lining of every organ including brain, and also central canals of the spinal cord. The cells that make up the epithelial tissue are connected to each other with specialized structures called tight junctions. Epithelial cells are free from nerves and blood vessels. This tissue is very important as it acts as protection against abrasion, radiation, chemical stress, and invasion of pathogens. Epithelial tissue also acts as barrier between two structures. This allows organs to be close together but at the same time focus on their own function. There are different types of epithelial tissue. Simple epithelium are made of single cell layers and can be found in the alveoli of the lungs. Stratified epithelium contains multiple layers of cells and are known as protective tissue; this type of tissue is found on the external layer of skin. The human hand contains stratified epithelial tissue as it is found externally and acts as a protectant against harmful encounters.

Editors. “Epithelial Tissue - Definition, Types, Function & Examples of Epithelium.” Biology Dictionary, Biology 
        Dictionary, 28 Apr. 2017, biologydictionary.net/epithelial-tissue/.
  

Detritivore

This is a photo of a worm. A worm is an example of a detritivore. A detritivore is an organism that gets its nutrients from detritus. Detritus is organic dead plant and animal matter. Some detritivores also receive nutrients from consuming feces, this is called coprophagy. Detritivores are important because they cycle nutrients. They play an important role in the carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle, and some biogeochemical cycles. Trophic levels are a food chain of an ecosystem. Detritivores are present in all trophic levels because they feed on material from primary producers and also herbivores and carnivores. The worm in the photo is one of many detritivores. Worms are one of the most important types of detritivores because they take in a large amount of organic matter and soil. Once the worm digests the material, it releases a 'cast' from its rear end. This cast is a much more processed version of the original material. The cast is then consumed by other organisms. Other examples of detritivores are mites, beetles, butterflies, flies, slugs, snails, millipedes, and woodlice.

Editors. “Detritivore - Definition, Function and Examples.” Biology Dictionary, Biology Dictionary, 28 Apr. 2017, 
        biologydictionary.net/detritivore/.

Adaptation of a plant

This is a photo of an aloe vera plant. An aloe vera plant is an example of an adaptation of a plant. An adaption of a plant is a change made to a species in order to help it better survive. Some plants have these adaptations to water. For example, aquatic plants live in water, so an adaption to aquatic plants are they lack a complex root system because they don't need to waste energy for roots to absorb water. Other plants live in areas that lack water, so their adaptation involves a long root system in order to collect moisture from the ground more easily. The aloe vera in the photo also has an adaptation to hot climates. Aloe vera are adapted to areas with low water availability and intense heat. They use their tissue to store large amounts of water and they have a thick leaf cuticle covered in wax so they don't dry out easily in hot climates. This can be seen in cacti and other desert plants. There are plants that don't make contact with the ground, so they adapt to their environment with modified leaves in order to collect water for photosynthesis. If plants were not able to adapt to their environment, almost every plant on Earth would die. This is why plant adaptations are very important.

“Adaptation.” UWL Website, bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2007/peteler_kari/Adaptation.htm.
Wilkin, Douglas, and Jean Brainard. “Plant Adaptations.” CK-12 Foundation, CK-12 Foundation, 5 Sept. 2016, 
        www.ck12.org/biology/Plant-Adaptations/lesson/Plant-Adaptations-BIO/.

Spore

This is a photo of a mushroom. A mushroom is an example of an organism that produces spores. A spore is a reproductive single-cell unit that uses asexual reproduction. In Greek, the word spore is derived from the word seed. Spores are produced by fungi, bacteria, algae, and plants as a part of their life cycle. The mushroom in the photo contains spores in the inner surface of the fruiting body. Mushroom spores germinate under certain conditions containing the right moisture, temperature, and food availability. When spores are ready to be released, the organism releases them into the environment. Wind dispersal is used to relocate the spores and then once settled, the spores grow into new organisms.







Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Spore.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 1 May 
       2017, www.britannica.com/science/spore-biology.

Eukaryote

This is a photo of a grub. A grub is an example of a eukaryote. A eukaryote is a any organism that contains a nucleus, the nucleus is surrounded by a nuclear membrane. The nucleus is arguably the most important part of a eukaryote; it contains the DNA and is important for reproduction. Eukaryotes contain organelles, some examples of organelles are golgi apparatus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and lysosomes; however, not every eukaryote contains every organelle. Organelles are important for things such as energy production, photosynthesis, and membrane construction. Eukaryotes are comprised of fungi, animals, and plants. The grub in the photo is a eukaryote because each of its cells contain a nucleus.








Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Eukaryote.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 10   
        May 2018, www.britannica.com/science/eukaryote.
Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/eukaryotic-cells-14023963.

Genetically Modified Organism

This is a photo of tomatoes. Tomatoes are an example of a genetically modified organism. Genetically modified organisms are engineered organisms whose genomes are modified in order to achieve desired traits. This is done by modifying the organisms cells on a molecular level and during the modification, different genes from unrelated species are added to the organism. The reason scientists genetically modify organisms is because certain traits are desired and when they are achieved, this can help the organism survive longer by withstanding environmental issues. There are different ways scientists genetically modify organisms. One way is by reproductive cloning, this is done by extracting a nucleus from a cell of the individual and is inserted into a host egg. The resulting offspring is identical to its donor. Another way to genetically modify an organism is through recombinate DNA technology. This is done by inserting specific genes from organisms into the DNA of another organism. Genetic modification is used in agriculture, medicine, and environmental management. The tomatoes in the photo are an example of organisms that get genetically modified. One way scientists genetically modify tomatoes is with a type of bacterium that acts as an insecticide. Although genetic modification is used today, many see it as unethical and as a harm to our environment and health.

Diaz, Julia M., and Judith L. Fridovich-Keil. “Genetically Modified Organism.” Encyclopædia Britannica,             
         Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 26 Apr. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/genetically-modified-organism.

Territorial Behavior

This is a photo of a beagle. A beagle is an example of territorial behavior. Territorial behavior is a method used by an animal or a group of animals in order to protect their territory. Territorial behavior is a result of genetics as a tactic to survive. There are different ways that animals exhibit their territorial behavior. Some animals use sounds or scents secreted from skin glands producing territorial pheromones. If surrounding animals do not stay away from an animal's territory, fights and chases take place. Territorial behavior is very important for some animals. It allows animals to mate without interruption and it also allows a safe place for animals to raise their young. Territories usually allow little competition and prevents overcrowding. Many dogs, including the dog in the photo, show territorial behavior too. They do so by urination, barking, growling, and aggression. Dogs use territorial behavior as a way to protect their owners or defend their territory from other dogs.




Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Territorial Behaviour.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia 
        Britannica, Inc., 13 Mar. 2009, www.britannica.com/science/territorial-behaviour.

Animal With a Segmented Body

This is a photo of a beetle. A beetle is an example of an animal with a segmented body. A segmented body is the division of the body and is divided into functional units. This physical attribute is found in all insects and most animals and include three main regions: head, thorax, and abdomen. The beetle clearly shows these three regions as going right to left the beetle shows its head, thorax, and abdomen. Each segmented unit contains their own organs and purpose. For example, most heads contain the brain, eyes, nose, and mouth. The thorax's main purpose it for movement, so most insect's thoraxes contain their wings and legs. The abdomen is where the reproductive organs, heart, and digestive organs are contained.






“Abdomen.” Insect Wings - Amateur Entomologists' Society (AES), '
        www.amentsoc.org/insects/glossary/terms/abdomen.
“Insect Body Parts.” What Is an Insect?, www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/ythfacts/4h/unit2/insbpa.htm.
“Thorax.” Insect Wings - Amateur Entomologists' Society (AES), www.amentsoc.org/insects/glossary/terms/thorax.

C3 Plant

This is a photo of a lemon. A lemon is an example of a C3 plant. A C3 plant is a plant that specifically has a way to remove carbon from the atmosphere's carbon dioxide and turn it into organic molecules during photosynthesis. The C3 pathway received its name because of the first molecule produced in the process, 3-phosphoglyceric acid. On Earth, 85% of plants use the C3 pathway to fix carbon by using the Calvin Cycle. Plants with the C3 pathway use the Calvin Cycle as its initial steps of development. The C3 pathway uses a one step process where the enzyme, RuBisCO creates an oxidation reaction an as a result, some energy used in photosynthesis is lost known as photorespiration. This results in a 25% reduction in the amount of carbon fixed and released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. This pathway is used in all environments and some common C3 plants include spinach, peanuts, barely, most trees, and grasses. The lemon is also a C3 plant because it utilizes the C3 pathway as its main mechanism in converting carbon dioxide into an organic compound. 
                                                                                       
                                                                                          
Editors. “C3, C4 And CAM Plants: Differences and Comparison.”Biology Dictionary, Biology Dictionary, 8 Sept.         
        2017, biologydictionary.net/c3-c4-cam-plants/.

Bilateral Symmetry

This is a photo of a fly. The fly demonstrates bilateral symmetry. Bilateral symmetry is an organism with body shapes mirror along the mid-line called the sagittal plane. This is an external property and does not apply to the internal organs that may be distributed unsymmetrically. The fly in the picture shows bilateral symmetry because if an imaginary line were drawn down the center of its body, one side would reflect the other. This trait applies to 99% of animals. Bilaterally symmetrical animals have an advantage over non bilaterally symmetrical animals because their sensory organs are clustered at the anterior (head) part of their bodies. This is called cephalization and occurs because bilaterally symmetrical animals have a forward motion and this means that the anterior is the first to encounter environmental stimuli and allows the organism to react. This trait is also advantageous because it allows organisms to be more resistant to air flow or water and allows them to be more efficient and smooth-running. Organisms with bilateral symmetry demonstrate better visual perception, better control of movement, and even allows them to indicate their health condition.       

Editors. “Bilateral Symmetry - Definition and Examples.” Biology Dictionary, Biology Dictionary, 28 Apr. 2017, 
        biologydictionary.net/bilateral-symmetry/.

Cuticle Layer of Plant

This is a photo of a dogwood tree leaf. This leaf represents the cuticle layer of a plant. The cuticle is the non-cellular outer part of an organism that comes in contact with the environment. In plants, the cuticle is the water-impervious protective layer that covers epidermal cells and other parts; through this, water loss is controlled. The shiny, waxy substance on the outside of the leaf is called the cutin. This is a water repellent that helps preserve water. Not only is the cuticle hydrophobic, but it also protects against desiccation, UV radiation, and other harmful agents. The cuticle regulates moisture the leaf receives, so without the cuticle, the leaf would either dry out or drown. It also protects against viruses the plant may come in contact with. It does so because of its two-way transport of certain molecules.







“Leaf Cuticle Allows Select Chemicals to Pass : Common Ivy.” AskNature, asknature.org/strategy/leaf-cuticle-  
        allows-select-chemicals-to-pass/.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Cuticle.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 Mar.  
        2016, www.britannica.com/science/cuticle.

Homeostasis

This is a photo of a baby bird. The baby bird demonstrates homeostasis. Homeostasis is any process that living things use to maintain stable conditions necessary for survival. When homeostasis is successful, this means survival; however, if homeostasis is unsuccessful then then disaster or death occurs. Homeostasis is a dynamic equilibrium meaning change is continuous. When the equilibrium is stable, then the biological system is balanced. When the equilibrium is disturbed then the system responds to establish a balance. One way to obtain this balance is by feedback control. There are two types of feedbacks, positive and negative. In positive feedback the output enhances the original stimulus; an example of positive feedback is blood clotting. In blood clotting, when a vessel is damaged, platelets cling to the injured site and release chemicals to attract more platelets until a clot is formed. Negative feedback change the variable back to its original state such as blood sugar control by insulin. When blood sugar rises, the pancreas secretes insulin in order to lower the blood sugar. This continues until the blood sugar level is reaches homeostasis. The biological system uses electrical circuits and hormones are examples of homeostatic regulation. The bird uses homeostasis to maintain a constant body temperature. If the bird feels overheated or under-heated, it uses homeostasis to maintain its constant body temperature. This also explains why birds fly South during the winter, to find warmer weather.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Homeostasis.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 
             16 Mar. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/homeostasis.
“Homeostasis.” Biology 100, austinlaulainen.weebly.com/homeostasis.html.

Pollinator

In the upper right corner of the photo is a bumblebee on a white clover. The bumblebee represents a pollinator. A pollinator is an animal or insect that moves pollen between flowers of the same species and begins the fertilization process of the flowers; this process is called pollination. Pollination is when the pollen from the male part of the flower (stamen) is transferred to the female part of the flower (stigma) and fertilizes it. In the photo, the bumblebee is demonstrating as a pollinator by extracting nectar from the white clover. As it is doing so, the bee is unintentionally collecting pollen and/or distributing previously collected pollen to the stigma of the flower to begin fertilization. Without pollinators, most plants cannot produce their own fruits or seeds. Some examples of pollinators include ants, bats, beetles, birds, butterflies, flies, moths, wasps, and many other animals. Pollinators even include water and the wind. Pollinators are responsible for 80% of the world's flowering plants. Pollinators produce $40 billion worth of products manually, so without pollinators we would not have many of the foods we have today.



“Pollinators Home Page - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.” Greater Sage-Grouse | Species Information,  
        www.fws.gov/pollinators/.
“Pollinators.” US Forest Service, www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/index.shtml.
“What Are Pollinators.” Pollinator.org, pollinator.org/pollination.

Cambium

This photo is a tree trunk. The tree trunk reveals the cambium of the tree. The cambium is the plant membrane located right behind the bark of a woody tree or plant. In woody plants, such as the tree in the photo, the cambium produces layers of xylem and phloem. It also creates secondary growth of roots and stems. In other plants, the cambium acts as a healing agent. In an injured plant, the cambium may form in callus cells and encourage the growth of new cells. Callus cells are cells that cover wounds in plants. The roots and stems of woody trees or plants consist of three main types of cambium: vascular cambium, uni-facial cambium, and cork cambium. Vascular cambium is the primary cambium that contains special cells called meristem that produce fresh vascular tissues. Uni-facial cambium grows and appears in the middle of the plant; this tissue later becomes a xylem. A xylem is a vascular tissue that carries water and nutrients upward from the roots. Cork cambium is tissue where the plant grows; it helps repair and replace the epidermis of the roots.





Study.com, Study.com, study.com/academy/lesson/cambium-tissue-definition-features-examples.html.
“What Is Cambium? - Definition from MaximumYield.” What Is Stem Cutting? - Definition from MaximumYield,                 www.maximumyield.com/definition/22/cambium.

Tropism

This is a photo of a yellow lily. A yellow lily is an example of tropism. Tropism is directional growth towards an external stimulus such as light or gravity in an organism. There are two ways of movement in tropism, positive and negative. Positive tropism is growth towards the stimulus and negative tropism is growth away from the stimulus. The yellow lily in the photo is demonstrating positive tropism because it is facing towards the external stimulus in this case being the sun. There are different types of tropism in organisms. The three main types of tropism are phototropism, heliotropsim, and chemotropism. Phototropism is used by organisms who produce their food from sunlight and move towards the light. This type is used by organisms such as algae, plankton, and small invertebrates. The next type of tropism is heliotropism; this type is used by land plants. Plants are restricted in their movements; therefore, they position themselves towards the sun. The yellow lily is experiencing heliotropism because its flowers are positioned towards the sun in order to receive maximum sunlight. The last type of tropism is chemotropism; this involves an organisms tendency to turn towards or away from specific chemicals. For example, an organism may use a chemical signal in order to mate or as a warning signal. In response, other organisms react to the chemical signal demonstrating chemotropism.

Editors. “Tropism - Definition, Types and Examples.” Biology Dictionary, Biology Dictionary, 29 Apr. 2017,  
        biologydictionary.net/tropism/.

Lichen

This is a photo of tree-dwelling lichen on tree bark. This represents the biological term lichen. Lichen is a complex life form that consists of a symbiotic association of algae or cyanobacteria and fungi. The fungi is the dominant partner that gives lichen the majority of its characteristics such as its shape. The algae also gives lichen some characteristics such as its blue or green color. Lichen is mostly found on tree bark, exposed rock, and part of biological soil crust. The composite body of the lichen is called the thallus and is anchored by hairlike structures called rhizines. Lichen that is crustlike and tightly held to its substrate are called crustose. The lichen shown in the picture is an example of crustose due to its crustlike and thin appearance. Large and leafy lichen are referred to as foliose lichen. As mentioned earlier, the lichen is a symbiotic association between algae or cyanobacteria and fungi. This symbiotic relationship is called mutalism, where the algae and fungi benefit from each other. The algae form carbohydrates that once excreted, the fungi absorbs and uses to make another carbohydrate. Fungi contribute by absorbing water from the air and providing shade for the light sensitive algae below it.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Lichen.” Encyclopædia 

        Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 4 Feb. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/lichen.

“What Are Lichens?” US Forest Service, www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/beauty/lichens/whatare.shtml.

Ethylene

This is a picture of two bananas. These bananas are an example of the hormone ethylene. Ethylene is a natural hydrocarbon gas that you can't see or smell. Plants produce ethylene as part of the ripening process. Ethylene causes the change in texture, softening, and color in plants. As ethylene allows plants such as fruit to ripen, it also causes them to die. If a plant is injured or sickened by disease, ethylene is produced and can cause a wide range of effects. For example, it may result in a loss of chlorophyll, abortion of plant parts, bending of stems, and/or detachment of plant parts. Ethylene gas can be used commercially to ripen fruits at a faster rate. The bananas shown above demonstrate the effect of ethylene as the banana on the left appears unripened and the banana on the right is ripened. This shows that as ethylene is produced, fruit becomes ripened.





“Postharvest Information Network.” The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996,  
        postharvest.tfrec.wsu.edu/pages/PC2000F.