Results for “organism”

flagellum

Slender, thread or whip-like appendage. Used as an organ of locomotion by some unicellular organisms.

genetics

Branch of biology concerned with the study of heredity and variation of organisms; the genetic constitution of a single organism, species, or other taxonomic group.

Used in 4 profiles

genitalia

The reproductive organs, especially used in reference to external sex organs.

gill

Respiratory organ of fishes and some other aquatic organisms comprising a highly-vascularised membrane or outgrowth.

Used in 314 profiles

heterotroph

An organism that cannot synthesise its own food and instead obtains nutrients from complex organic substances, usually animal or plant matter.

integument

Outer protective covering, e.g., the skin of an organism or the membrane enclosing an organ.

Used in 1 profile

limnivore

An organism feeding on mud, or more specifically, other organisms that dwell within the substrate.

morphology

Branch of biology concerned with the form and structure of organisms; the form and structure of an organism.

Used in 330 profiles

parasite

Organism that lives on or in a second, host organism of a different species, with the latter deriving no benefit or being directly harmed by the relationship.

Used in 133 profiles

peat

A compressed accumulation of partially-decomposed, chiefly vegetable matter typically found in certain marshes, bogs, and peat swamp forests throughout the world. It forms via breakdown of various plants and other organic materials in water when full decomposition is prevented due to localised acidic, anaerobic conditions. As a result of this somewhat specific nature the organisms inhabiting peaty environments are often stenotypic and found nowhere else. Peat can be used as a fuel when dried and thus has industrial importance in some countries. Also used in aquaria, especially in order to simulate blackwater habitats, either in pure, artificially-granulated or liquid extract form.

Used in 268 profiles

periphyton

Sessile, aquatic organisms that live attached to submerged surfaces in aquatic environments. Often complex in form and may comprise organisms from several groups including algae, cyanobacteria, other microbes, and detritus.

Used in 8 profiles

photosynthesis

Chemical process occurring in the cells of plants, algae and certain other organisms by which carbon dioxide is converted into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight.

phylogenetic species concept

Species concept based on the evolutionary relationships among organisms, specifically using common ancestry and shared evolutionary history to define species. Under this concept a species is essentially the smallest group of organisms that share a common ancestor and can be distinguished from other such groups via phylogenetic analyses. Each such grouping constitutes a distinct branch on an evolutionary tree. Subspecies tend not to be recognised and it is generally less restrictive than the biological species concept. Often abbreviated to PSC.

Used in 1 profile

poikilotherm

An organism having a body temperature that varies with the temperature of its surroundings; a cold-blooded organism.

predator

An organism capturing and consuming other organisms.

Used in 221 profiles

process

Natural outgrowth or projection of an organism or organic structure.

Used in 334 profiles

reintroduction

Deliberate release of an organism or group of organisms into an area or habitat previously inhabited by the taxon but from where it has been lost. Primarily carried out for conservation purposes using specimens taken from captivity or relocated from a different area.

Used in 5 profiles

relict

An organism or group of organisms that exists as a remnant, typically belonging to a formerly abundant group in an environment much changed from that in which it originated; a surviving species from an otherwise extinct taxon.

Used in 5 profiles

specimen

Individual organism regarded as typical of the group or class to which it belongs; the whole or part of such an organism collected and preserved for scientific purposes.

Used in 1,087 profiles

taxoomy

Classification of organisms into groups in an ordered system based on natural relationships; the practice of arranging organisms in this fashion; carrying out classification.

Used in 144 profiles