Biology Dictionary provides definition, examples and quiz for common biology terms, including molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, ecology and more!
Competition Definition in Biology Competition is a relationship between organisms in which one is harmed when both are trying to use the same resource related to growth, reproduction, or survivability. Competition stems from the fact that resources are limited.
Translation refers to the process of creating proteins from an mRNA template. The sequence of nucleotides on the RNA is translated into the amino acid sequence of proteins and this reaction is carried out by ribosomes.
Definition A fossil is the mineralized partial or complete form of an organism, or of an organism’s activity, that has been preserved as a cast, impression or mold. A fossil gives tangible, physical evidence of ancient life and has provided the basis of the theory of evolution in the absence of preserved soft tissues.
Gamete Definition Gametes are haploid reproductive cells in sexually reproducing organisms that fuse with one another during fertilization. Fertilization produces a diploid cell that undergoes repeated rounds of cell division to produce a new individual. Gametes are the physical carriers of genetic information from one generation to the next. They carry recombinant chromosomes produced at the ...
An ecosystem or biome describes a single environment and every living (biotic) organism and non-living (abiotic) factor that is contained within it or characterizes it.
Ecological Niche Definition In ecology, a niche is the role or job of a species in a habitat. The word niche comes from the French word nicher, which means “to nest.” An ecological niche describes how a species interacts with, and lives in, its habitat. Ecological niches have specific characteristics, such as availability of nutrients, temperature, terrain, sunlight and predators, which ...
Pedigree Definition A pedigree is a diagram that depicts the biological relationships between an organism and its ancestors. It comes from the French “pied de grue” (“crane’s foot”) because the branches and lines of a pedigree resemble a thin crane’s leg with its branching toes. A pedigree is used for different animals, such as humans, dogs, and horses. Often, it is used to look at ...
When you look at the central dogma of biology definition from a non-scientific source, you will probably read about the flow of protein synthesis from DNA to protein via RNA. The central dogma diagram below is a typical, hazy representation. This is sometimes referred to as the central dogma order.
“Homologous,” in biology, means a similarity in internal or chromosomal structures. With internal structures, homology indicates organs that have similar positions, structures, or evolutionary origins.
