FOSS California Structures of Life Module Glossary 2007 Edition Adaptation: Any structure or behavior of an organism that improves its chances for survival. Adult: A fully-grown organism. The last stage of a life cycle. Antenna (pl. antennae): The thin feelers on the head of an animal such as a crayfish, isopod, or insect. Antenna are used to sense the environment. Aquatic: Referring to water. Behavior: The actions of an animal in response to its environment. Beneficial: Good or advantageous. Biologist: A scientist who studies living organisms. Camouflage: When an organism blends into its environment. Camouflage is an adaptation that protects many animals from predators. Carapace: A hard outer shell that covers the main part of the body of an animal, such as a crayfish. Chromosome: A structure that carries genes. Chrysalis: The hard-shelled pupa of a moth or butterfly. Cilia: Tiny hairs on a snail s foot that help it to move. Climate: The average weather conditions of a region, such as temperature and precipitation. Condition: The existing state; for example, The temperature condition outside is hot. Conservation: The protection of wildlife or natural resources, such as forests, soil, and water. Cotyledon: The seed leaf that provides the germinated seed with food. Crustacean: A class of mostly aquatic animals with hard, flexible shells, jointed legs, and two pairs of antennae. Decline: A downward movement. Page 1 of 5
Desert: An area of land that has little rain. Detrimental: Harmful or bad. Dormant: An organism in an inactive or resting state. Egg: The first stage in an animal s life cycle. Egg pore: The opening through which the female crayfish lays eggs. Embryo: The undeveloped plant within a seed. Endangered: At risk of becoming extinct. Environment: Everything that surrounds and influences an organism. Environmental factor: One part of the environment. Experiment: A carefully planned scientific investigation. Extinct: No longer alive anywhere on Earth. Female: A girl organism. Flower: A structure of a plant that grows into fruit. Forest: An area of land with a lot of trees. Fossil: A part or trace of an organism that lived long ago. Fossil can be bones, shells, or leaves. Fossils can also be tracks or burrows of past life on Earth. Fruit: A structure of a plant in which seeds form. Function: A kind of action, such as the function of a body part. Fungus (pl. fungi): An organism that consumes dead or living organisms. Gastropod: The family of snails; from the Greek meaning belly foot. Generation: A group of organisms born and living at the same time. Gene: A message carried by the chromosomes. Geneticist: A scientist who studies how traits are passed on from one generation of an organism to the next. Page 2 of 5
Genetics: The study of how living things pass traits to their offspring. Germination: The beginning of development of a seed after a period of dormancy or rest. Gland: An organ or structure that produces chemicals. Global warming: Increase of temperature worldwide. Grassland: An area of land that is flat and hilly with a lot of grass and few trees. Hull: A hard, protective shell covering a seed. Inherited trait: A trait that is passed down from generation to generation. Leaf: A structure on a plant that is usually green and makes food from sunlight. Life cycle: The sequence of changes undergone by an organism as it develops from its earliest stage to the same stage in the next generation. Lodge: A dome-shaped structure built by beavers for shelter. Male: A boy organism. Mature: Fully developed. Molt: To shed an outer shell in order to grow. Nutrient: A material required by a living organism to help it grow and develop. Ocean: A large body of salt water. Offspring: A new plant or animal produced by a parent. Organism: Any living thing, including all plants and animals. Paddy: A flooded field where rice is grown. Parent: An organism that has produced offspring. Pesticide: A chemical developed to kill animals that are undesirable. Pincer: A claw on an animal, such as a crayfish. Placer mining: To obtain minerals by washing mountains with high-pressure water. Page 3 of 5
Population: All organisms of one kind that are living together. Predator: An animal that hunts and catches other animals for food. Preserve: To protect. Prey: An organism hunted or caught for food. Proboscis: A long, strawlike mouth. Butterflies have a proboscis for getting their food. Protect: To keep from harm. Radula: A snail s toothy tongue. Range: A region or area of land where an animal or plant normally lives or grows. Reproduce: To have offspring. Riparian: Along a river or stream. Root: The part of a plant that grows downward in the soil. Roots provide support and take up water and nutrients. Seed: The structure in a fruit that holds the undeveloped plant, or embryo. Seed coat: The outer covering of a seed. Seedling: A baby plant. Stem: Any stalk supporting leaves, flowers, or fruit. Structure: Any identifiable part of an organism. Survive: To stay alive. Swell: To expand or increase in size or volume. Swimmeret: A small, soft leg under the tail of a crayfish. Tar pit: A pool of tar. Tentacle: An extension from an animal s head used for sensing its environment. Snails have tentacles. Terrestrial: Referring to land. Page 4 of 5
Threatened: At risk of becoming endangered. Thrive: To grow fast and stay healthy. Trait: A quality or characteristic. Transparent: Something you can see through. Tundra: An area of land that is cold and frozen most of the year. Wetland: An area of land with ponds, streams, swamps, and muddy fields. Page 5 of 5