|
Glossary |
||||
|
Home Atlantic Shoreline Ecology Homepage Gulf of Maine Organisms Nerita Versicolor Experiment |
Benthic: Of or relating to the sea bottom. (Bertness, Mark D. 1999). Bioengineers: Organisms that affect their habitats either by providing structure for other organisms (autogenic bioengineers) or by converting resources from one form to another (allogenic bioengineers). (Bertness, Mark D. 1999). Calcareous: Chalky; relating to or containing lime or calcium, or calcific material. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Cilia: Microtubular, hairlike structures that some single-celled organisms use for locomotion through liquids. They also cover the cells of certain tissues, such as the epithelium lining the lungs, and help those cells sweep away fluids or particles. Cilia are smaller than flagella. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Copulation: Reproduction. Diatom: Algae of the division Bacillariophyta. They are largely unicellular and are characterised by having cell walls of hydrated silica embedded in an organic matrix. The cell walls are formed in two halves that fit together like the lid and base of a pillbox and often have elaborate patterns formed by pores. Diatoms are very abundant in marine and freshwater plankton. Deposits of the cell walls form diatomaceous or siliceous earths. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Desiccation: To dehydrate or remove water content. (Bertness, Mark D. 1999). Diploid: A cell with a full set of genetic material, consisting of chromosome in homologous pairs and thus having two copies of each autosomal genetic locus. A diploid cell has one chromosome from each parental set. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Ephemeral: Short-lived. (Bertness, Mark D. 1999) (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Estuary: A semi-enclosed area where freshwater and seawater meet and mix. (Bertness, Mark D. 1999). Flagellata: An order of Infusora, having one or two long, whiplike cilia, at the anterior end. It includes monads. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Gamete: Specialized haploid cells produced by meiosis and involved in sexual reproduction.(Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Gametophyte: A plant, or phase of a plant's life cycle, that bears gametes. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Gastropod: A member of the largest class of phylum Mollusca Characteristics generally include: a foot upon which the rest of the body (called the visceral mass) sits, a well-developed head, a protective one-piece shell, and body torsion - where most of the visceral mass is twisted anticlockwise 180 degrees so that the back end of the animal is positioned over its head. The class includes the snails, slugs, sea hares, sea slugs, limpets, and abolone. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Gonads: The gamete-producing glands, ovary or testis. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Haploid: Describes a nucleus, cell or organism possessing a single set of unpaired chromosome. Gametes are haploid. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Lamellate: Made up of thin plates or lamina. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Nematodes: (or roundworms; Phylum Nematoda) Invertebrates with a cylindrical body, a conspicuous body cavity, and a complete digestive tract. (Bertness, Mark D. 1999). Operculum: (1) The tough lid that closes the shell opening of many gastropods when the body is withdrawn. (2) The gill cover of bony fishes. (Bertness, Mark D. 1999) Pelagic: Of or in open waters of lakes or seas. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Phaeophya: Division of algae, generally brown in color, with multicellular, branched thalluses. Includes large seaweeds such as Laminaria and Fucus. The brown colour is due to the xanthophylls, fucoxanthin and lutein. Many have laminarin as a food reserve and alginic acid as a wall component. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Phenotype: The total characteristics displayed by an organism under a particular set of environmental factors, regardless of the actual genotype of the organism. Results from interaction between the genotype and the environment . (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Photoperiod: Recurring cycle of light and dark periods. The natural photoperiod is approximately 24 hours, and the ratio of light to dark hours slowly changes over the course of a year. In controlled experiments, the photoperiod is usually (but not necessarily) retained at 24 hours, and the light:dark ratio is typically constant. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Plasticity: Expression of a trait that is not fixed and varies with the environment. (Bertness, Mark D. 1999) Radula:(Odontophore): The chitonous ribbon bearing the teeth of molluscs; called also lingual ribbon, and tongue. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Rhodophyta: Division of algae, many of which have branching filimentous forms and red colouration. The latter is due to the presence of phycoerythrin. The food reserve is floridean (starch), found outside the plastid. The walls contain sulphated galactans such as carrageenan and agar. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Spermatophore: A capsule or pocket enclosing a number of spermatozoa. They are present in many anellids, brachiopods, molluscs, and crustaceans. In cephalopods the structure of the capsule is very complex. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Sporophyte: Spore producing plant generation. The dominant generation in pteridophytes and higher plants and alternates with the gametophyte generation. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Taenioglossate: Consisting of seven teeth per transverse row, a middle or rhachis tooth, flanked on booth sides by one lateral tooth and 2 marginal teeth (Barker, G.M. 2001). A long narrow odontophore with seven rows of teeth. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002). Thallus: The complete body of a seaweed (Castro & Huber 2000) Veliger: Any larval gastropod or bivalve mollusc in the state when it is furnished with one or two ciliated membranes for swimming. (Online Medical Dictionary 2002).
Information for educational purposes only. All images copyrighted by Clark University © 2002 |
|