Download Biological Diversity - New York State Museum

Biogeography 1 The scientific study of the past and present geographical
distribution of organisms.
Biome 1 A major category of habitat in a particular region of the world, such
as the tundra of northern Canada or the rainforest of the Amazon Basin.
Biomedicine Developments in medical science using biological sources.
Antibiotics and organ transplants are examples.
Biome type An organism that is a characteristic species of a particular environment
or biome.
Biotechnology Developments using knowledge of biology for the benefit
of humanity. For example, genetic engineering of more productive crop
plants was developed through biotechnology.
Blue-green algae Any of a division (Cyanophyceae) of unicellular, prokaryotic,
aquatic organisms having chlorophyll masked by bluish-green pigments.
They are more closely related to bacteria than to other algae and many
scientists refer to them as blue-green bacteria.
Broad-leaved evergreen trees Woody plants that have broad green leaves,
not needles, all year. Those with needles are coniferous evergreens. The
opposite of evergreen, deciduous woody plants grow new leaves and shed
them each year.
California Condor Near extinction, this large vulture-like bird is restricted
in distribution today to small mountainous parts of southern California.
It inhabited New York state in the Tertiary Period.
Canopy The high leafy layer formed by the trees in a forest. In the tropics,
many plants and animals live in the thick canopy where there is more
water and sun than on the forest floor.
Cell The basic structural unit of organisms which, alone or interacting with
others, can perform the fundamental functions of life. Some organisms
consist of a single cell, while others are multicellular.
Chloroplast The part of a plant cell that contains chlorophyll, which captures
light and is involved in photosynthesis.
Cilia Tiny hair-like structures that enable unicellular creatures to move and that
help other cells (for example, those in our lungs) to move particles around.
B i o l o g i c a l
37 D i v e r s i t y