Alison's Scavenger Hunt

1. Adaptation of a plant- An adaptation is the what biologists call the changes an organism undergoes in order to better suit it to its environment, allowing it to survive and reproduce. Thorns are an adaptation certain plants, such as roses, have acquired in order to ward of predators so they have a better chance to reproduce.

2. Autotroph- An organism that creates its own 'food' (complex organic compounds such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and sugars) is considered to be an autotroph, which in greek literally means self- feeding. All plants are considered autotrophs because they use the chemical process of photosynthesis to convert light energy and carbon dioxide and water into sugars to fuel the organisms activities.

3. Bilateral Symmetry- An organism will appear to have bilateral symmetry if, when split in half, its physical appearance seems to be a mirror image of each other. This white flower is bilaterally symmetric since it has four petals on each 'half' and therefore looks the same on both sides.

 4. Anther and Filament- The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower. It is composed of the long stalk- like filament and the anther which is attached to the end of the filament and contains the pollen. In this flower the thin white tube is the filament and the pale orange lobe lying horizontally at the end is the anther.

5. Lichen- Lichens are an organism that are made of a fungus and a photosynthetic partner growing in a symbiotic relationship. They are most commonly found in extreme environments such as the arctic tundra, deserts, etc. However they can also be found in temperate woodland on trees like the sample above.

6. Pollen- Pollen contains the microgametophytes which produce the male gametes (sperm cells) for flowers and plants. The orange stamens on this flower act as a container for this organisms pollen.

7. Seed Dispersal- Seed dispersal is the process of the movement of seeds away from the parent plant and to a new location where the new plant can begin to grow. These holly berries use animals to transport their seeds to a new location. The animal first eats the berries and the moves on to new areas; eventually the seeds are deposited in the ground after being excreted from the animal as a waste product.

8. Homologous Structures- Homologous structures are the same organ in different organisms that vary in form and function. One of the most common examples is the human arm, cat leg, bird wing, and whale fin. All these animals' organs share the same bones in their forelimbs however, the size and shape differs between each one.

9. Asexual Reproduction- When the offspring of an organism arise from a single parent and only inherit the genes from that parent they are considered to reproduce through asexual reproduction. This type of reproduction is common in single celled organisms such as archaea, bacteria, and protists along with certain plants and fungi such as moss.

10. Homeostasis- The system that regulates the inner environment pf an organism and that keeps certain conditions constant, like temperature and pH, is called homeostasis. In order to survive humans need to maintain an internal temperature of 98.6 degrees F. To prevent the body temperature from dropping too drastically humans get goosebumps and begin shivering in cooler climates. This burns carbohydrates in the muscles providing heat energy which is used to maintain a stable temperature.

 11. Heterotrophs- Organisms that are considered to be heterotrophs cannot use carbon and organic carbon alone for growth. They acquire proteins, sugars, and carbohydrates by breaking down other organisms which they have consumed. My puppy Roxie is a heterotroph because she gets her nutrients by eating dog food and treats.

12. Flower Ovary- The ovary is the female reproductive organ of flowers. It is the part of the pistil which holds the ovules and is located at the point of connection between the base of the petals and sepals. In this picture the ovary is located in the area the highlighter is pointing towards.

13. Adhesion and Cohesion- Simply put, adhesion is the property of different molecules/ surfaces clinging to each other and cohesion is the property of molecules of the same substance to cling to each other. In plants water molecules stick together through cohesion so they can maintain a continuous stream from leaves to roots; the water molecules also adhere to the cellulose molecules in the walls of the xylem. As water is removed through transpiration from the leaves, new water molecules move upwards to take its place and the continuous strain of water moves with it. This process largely takes place in the stem of a plant as pictured above.

14. Amniotic egg- In an amniotic egg, the embryo is surrounded by a yolk sac that provides nourishment, the yolk sac is surrounded by amniotic fluid which helps maintain a stable environment for development, and this is all encased in a hard shell which supplies some protection from predators. Chicken eggs are a good example of this since the chicken embryo develops inside the shell until it is ready to finish maturing in the outside environment.

15. Animal Adaptation- An adaptation is the what biologists call the changes an organism undergoes in order to better suit it to its environment, allowing it to survive and reproduce. The hummingbird (on the right side of the feeder apologies for the picture quality) has adapted the form of wings which allows it to fly and escape its predators which are stuck on the ground. It has also adapted the form of a long thin beak which makes it easier to drink the nectar located deep inside flowers.

16. C3 Plant- C3 carbon fixation is a metabolic pathway for carbon fixation in photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide and ribulose biphosphate are converted into 3-phosphoglycerate during this process. The plants that can survive solely on this process thrive in areas with moderate sunlight intensity and moderate temperature and plentiful ground water. Rice is an example of a C3 plant because it thrives in Asia where the climate meets all of the above conditions.

17. Hydrophobic- In Greek hydrophobic translates as water- fearing. Things considered to be hydrophobic have a tendency then to repel or avoid water. Usually these are non-polar substances which will aggregate together in an aqueous solution excluding water. This explains why oil and water, which are both present in the bowl, are separated and not mixing together.

18. Long-day Plant- Long-day plants are plants which only flower after being exposed to light periods longer than the usual critical length, such as during summer. In order for lettuce to grow it needs to be exposed to light for vast amounts of time making it a long-day plant.

19. Animal that has a Segmented Body- In biology segmentation refers to the division of an organism into a series of repetitive segments. The ant which is directly to the left of the highlighter cap is considered such an animal. because its head, torso, and abdomen are clearly divided but are still similar to one another.

20. Auxin Producing Area of a Plant- Auxin is a growth hormone in plants that extends the length pf cells by sparking reactions that relax the stiff cell walls. Auxin is most commonly in developing seeds, fruit, and plants such as the flower bud above.

21. Cambium- Cambium is a cylinder of unspecialized meristematic cells that divide in order to give rise to cells that further divide. As a tree grows it becomes wider because the cambium continuously divides making more room for new cells to grow. This is also why the inside of a tree appears to be made of rings.

22. Chitin- Chitin is a long chain polymer of a derivative of glucose. It is found most commonly in plants since it is the main component of cell walls. The cell walls of the leaf above is full chitin.

23. Pollinator- A pollinator is the biotic agent that moves pollen from the male anthers of a flower to the female stigma of another flower in order to accomplish fertilization. A bee is a pollinator because when it drinks the nectar from a flower the pollen sticks to its legs and the the bee flies away to another flower taking the pollen with it.

 24. Detritovore- Detritovores are heterotrophs that acquire nutrients by consuming decomposing plant and animal parts as well as organic fecal matter. They may also be referred to as decomposers for this reason. A worm, like pictured above, is a detritovore since it gains its nutrients from decomposing plant and animal matter.

25. Endotherm- An endotherm is an organism that maintains its body at a metabolically favourable temperature, usually by use of heat from internal bodily functions. Endotherms are commonly referred to as warm-blooded animals so all mammals are part of this category.

26. CAM Plant- The process that occurs in these plants is known as CAM photosynthesis in which the stromata in leaves remain shut during the day to reduce evapotranspiration, but open at night to collect carbon dioxide. Most CAM plants are found in tropical areas where plants need protection from the harsh and frequent light. The pineapple, which is common to tropical areas, is an example of such a plant.

27. Stigma and Style of Carpel- All flowers contain both a stigma and a style. The stigma prevents pollen from other flower species from fertilizing the plant. The style connects the stigma and the ovary. Both are found within a flower.

28. Batesian Mimicry- This is a form of mimicry in which a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species in order to deflect predators. In the rain forests different species of frogs evolved to look like the poison dart frog which secretes a poisonous chemical on its skin.

29. Altruistic Behavior- Altruistic behavior in animals is defined as a range of behaviors that help increase the fitness of another individual even though it may not help the individuals own fitness. For example, most types of monkeys will share their food with others. This helps the others survive but the monkey giving away his food could have nothing left to eat.

30. Mating Behavior- Birds use what is known as courtship display as a mating behavior. The male will use special calls, bright feathers, large plumes, or other ornamentation in order to attract the attention and approval of the female of the species.