Life Science Review

Biological control, such as introducing natural predators, is a common and effective method for managing invasive species without relying solely on harmful chemicals.

Invasive species often thrive in new environments because they lack the natural predators and diseases that kept their population in check in their original habitat.

Plants are autotrophs that use photosynthesis to convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into glucose, which provides them with energy.

When an ecosystem changes, organisms must either adapt to the new conditions, relocate to a more suitable environment, or face extinction (die).

Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause ecological or economic harm in a new environment.

Animals obtain energy by consuming organic matter (plants or other animals). Water is essential for life but does not provide caloric energy.

Biomes are large regions characterized by specific climate conditions, such as temperature and precipitation, which determine the types of plants and animals that live there.

Thick padding on their feet is an adaptation that helps polar bears walk on ice and snow without slipping, while also providing insulation.

An adaptation is a trait or characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival and reproduction in its environment. Ecosystems, niches, and symbiosis describe broader ecological relationships or settings rather than specific survival traits.

Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both participating organisms benefit. In this case, the bee gets nectar for food, and the flower gets its pollen spread.

Commensalism is a relationship where one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed. The owl gains shelter, and the cactus is unaffected.

Parasitism is a relationship where one organism (the parasite) benefits at the expense of the other (the host). The tick gains nutrients, while the dog is harmed.

Symbiosis refers to any long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms. This includes mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.

Decomposers are organisms that break down dead organic material. Fungi are primary examples of decomposers in an ecosystem.

Omnivores are organisms that have a diet consisting of both plant and animal matter. Herbivores eat only plants, and carnivores eat only meat.

Carnivores are organisms that primarily consume the flesh or meat of other animals. They are secondary or tertiary consumers in a food chain.

Herbivores are animals that are adapted to eat plants. They function as primary consumers in an ecosystem.

A food chain represents the transfer of energy from one organism to another as they consume one another. While it shows who eats whom, the fundamental concept being traced is energy flow.

Plants are producers that use photosynthesis to convert solar energy into chemical energy. This energy then supports the rest of the food chain.

Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, break down dead organisms and waste products, returning nutrients to the soil.

Animals are heterotrophs, meaning they must consume other organisms for energy. Therefore, they are classified as consumers.

Plants are autotrophs that produce their own food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. This makes them the producers in an ecosystem.

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose, which is a form of sugar used for energy.

During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide and water and produce glucose (food) and oxygen as a byproduct.

Leaves contain chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for capturing light energy to drive the process of photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is the specific biological process used by plants and other autotrophs to convert light energy into chemical energy.