Allele - Alternate forms of a gene Allopatric Speciation - Speciation that results when populations are physically separated in some

way Bias - Influence in a particular direction Biodiversity - The number and variety of different organisms found in a particular area Biodiversity Hotspot - Area which is particularly rich in different species Bioindicator - Species that is particularly sensitive to change and so can be used to indicate problems in an area which might lead to loss of biodiversity Bioplastic - Plastic (polymer) made from monomers which come from a sustainable biological source Captive Breeding Programme - Breeding individuals from an endangered species in zoos and parks to save species from extinction Capture/Recapture Technique - Method of estimating the population of a particular species in an area which involves capturing individuals, marking them and releasing them and then capturing some of them again Carbon Neutral - No net release of carbon compounds into the atmosphere Directional Stimulus - A change from one phenotype to another which is more advantageous under the circumstances Discontinuous Growth - Growth which takes place in a series of steps Discontinuous Variation - Variation shown by features which are either present or not Diversifying Selection - A form of natural selection which results in increased genetic diversity of a population Dominant - Allele which is expressed in the phenotype whether the individual is homozygous or heterozygous Ecological Isolation - Breeding isolation when two populations inhabit the same region but develop Preferences for different parts of the habitat Ecological Niche - The role of an organism within an ecological community Ecological Species - Definition of species based on the ecological niche occupied by the organisms Ecology - The study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment

Ecosystem - Environment including all the living organisms interacting, the cycling of nutrients and the physical and chemical environment in which the organisms are living Endangered - Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild Endemic - A species which is unique to an area Endemism - Species which only occur in a very specific small area such as an island, they are unique to the area Epistasis - When one gene in a polygenic trait alters or affects the expression of another gene Extinction - The permanent loss of all members of a species Founder Effect - Process by which any unusual alleles become relatively common in a population if only a small number of individuals set up a population and one of the founder member has the unusual allele Gene Flow - The movement of genes by the interbreeding of individuals in different populations Gene Linkage - Genes that are inherited together in a linked unit of a chromosome Gene Pool - All the different versions of genes (alleles) found in a population Gene Probe - Technique for identifying active genes in a cell Genetic Diversity - Variety of genes and alleles within a population Genetic Engineering - Artificially changing the genetic material of an organism Genetic Modification - Copying healthy genes and inserting them into the DNA of other organisms Genotype - The genetic make-up of an organism Genus - Group of similar species Geographical Isolation - A physical barrier, e.g. a river or a mountain range, that separates individuals and prevents breeding Habitat - Place where an organism lives Haploid - Cell containing a single set of chromosomes (half the full chromosome number (n)) Heterozygote - Individual with different alleles for the same gene Heterozygote Advantage (Or Hybrid Vigour) - When the heterozygous state for a particular gene gives advantages to the individual Heterozygous - Having different alleles for the same gene

Homologous Chromosome - One of a matching pair of chromosomes Homologous Pair - Matching pairs of chromosomes Homozygote - An individual with both alleles for a gene the same Homozygous - Having both alleles for a gene the same Human Genome Project - Massive international research programme that mapped the entire human genome Independent Assortment - The random distribution of chromosomes from parents into offspring Indicator Species - Species which can be used to monitor pollution levels, food levels, etc Induced Fit Hypothesis - Modified version of the lock-and-key hypothesis of enzyme action that proposes a flexible shape for the active site which is modified once the substrate molecule is bound to form an active complex Inflammatory Response - The response of the body to damaged tissue which involves swelling and increased blood flow bringing white blood cells to the area Isotonic - A solution with the same osmotic concentration as the cell contents Karyotype - Image showing the chromosomes arranged into homologous pairs Keystone Species - A species which has a major effect on its environment. A large number of other species depend on a keystone species for their survival Law Of Independent Assortment - Law of genetics, originally proposed by Gregor Mendel, which states that different traits are inherited independently of each other Law Of Segregation - Law of genetics, originally proposed by Gregor Mendel, ehcih states that one allele for each trait is inherited from each parent and each pair of alleles is segregated (separated) when the gametes are formed Lifestyle - The way someone lives their life Lock-And-Key Hypothesis - Model of enzyme action based on the idea of an active site which fits specific reactants Locus - Position of a gene on a chromosome Longitudinal Study - Studies which follow the same group of individuals over a long period of time

Mechanical Isolation - Reproductive isolation caused by anatomical changes in an animal or plant as a result of mutation which make reproduction impossible Metadata Analysis - Looking at a large number of studies and putting the data together Microhabitat - Small area of a larger habitat Molecular Phylogeny - Analysis of different chemicals and genes in different organisms to identify interrelationships Monoculture - An area containing only one type of genetically very similar plants Monohybrid Cross - Genetic cross that considers just one gene Morphology - Outer and inner appearance of an organism Mortality - The ratio of the total number of deaths compared with the whole population, often expressed as number of deaths per thousand people per year Multifactorial Disease - Disease that is the result of many factors, some genetic and some environmental, all interacting Multipotent - Limited degree of pluripotency seen in somatic stem cells Natural Selection - Process by which the organism best suited to a particular environment are most likely to survive and pass on their advantageous genetic characteristics to their offspring Oedema - Accumulation of fluid in a tissue Oncogene - Gene that causes the production of uncontrolled amounts of protein which stimulate the cell cycle and in turn cause uncontrolled cell replication Organ - Group of tissues grouped into a structure to carry out a particular function Organ System - Group of organs working together to carry out a particular function Parthenogenesis - Reproduction in which an ovum or ovule develops and forms a new organism without fusing with a male gamete Phase 1 Trial - Trail in which a new drug is given to a small number of healthy volunteers Phase 2 Trial - Trial in which a new drug is given to a small group of volunteer patients affected by the condition the drug is designed to treat Phase 3 Trial - Trial in which a new drug is used with a large group (5000+) of patients affected by the condition the drug is designed to treat

Physiological Adaptation - Adaptations of the biochemistry or physiology of an organism to the environment in which it lives Plasmodesmata - Sites of intercellular exchanges through cytoplasmic bridges between plant cells Pluripotent - Cells with the potential to form most of the cell types needed in an organism Polygenic Inheritance - Characteristics which are inherited through the interaction of several different genes Population - Group of organisms of the same species, living and breeding together in a particular niche in a habitat Primary Cell Wall - Flexible plant cell walls with cellulose microfibrils oriented in same direction Primary Structure (Proteins) - The arrangement of amino acids in the polypeptide chains Prokaryote - Single-celled organism which has no nuclear membrane and the genetic material is not organised into chromosomes Prosthetic Group - A non-protein group attached to a protein molecule Proto-Oncogene - Gene which codes for proteins which stimulate the cell cycle Quadrat - Apparatus used to identify an area for sampling Quantitative Sampling - Counting the number of organisms within a measured are Quaternary Structure (Proteins) - The 3D arrangement of more than one polypeptide chain in a molecule Recessive - Allele which is only expressed in the phenotype when the individual is homozygous for the allele Reliable - Results which can be replicated by different people and on different occasions Risk Factor - A factor that the probability of an event happening Sample - Take measurements from a number of randomly selected areas Sampling Error - Error which creeps into genetic investigations due to problems such as death of offspring, inefficient sampling and chance Seasonal Isolation - When the timing of reproductive fertility varies in different parts of a population, making reproduction between the two groups impossible Secondary Cell Wall - Inflexible, rigid plant cell wall built up as cellulose microfibrils are laid densely at different angles to each other

Secondary Structure (Proteins) - The repeating pattern in the structure of the peptide chains, e.g. alpha helix Sectioning - Making thin slices of tissue to prepare a microscope slide Selection Pressure - Changes in an environment that mean that certain characteristics will give an organism an advantage Semiconservative Replication - Replication of DNA where the two strands unzip and new nucleotides align alongside each strand Sexual Selection - Selection for features that give reproductive success Somatic Stem Cell - Adult cells with a limited ability to form other types of cells Species - Group of closely related organisms that are all potentially capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring Species Richness - Measure of the number of species in a given area Sticky Ends - The end of a cut DNA helix, with one strand left slightly longer than the other Suspension - A solid mixed with a liquid in which the particles will separate out if the mixture is not constantly moved or stirred Sympatric Speciation - Speciation that takes place in spite of the fact that two populations remain physically close to each other Tensile Strength - Strength to resist pulling forces Tertiary Structure (Proteins) - The 3D folding of the secondary structure Totipotent - Cell with the potential to form all known cell types within an organism Transgenic - Organisms which have genes from another organism engineered into their DNA Translation - Process by which the genetic code is converted into new protein molecules directed by RNA True-Breeding - When two individuals are crossed, all of the offspring show the same phenotype Valid - An investigation that is properly designed to answer the questions which are being asked Vector - Means of carrying new gene into host DNA during genetic modification Whole-Chromosome Mutation - Mutation resulting in loss or duplication of whole chromosomes