Download Biological Diversity - New York State Museum

Classical biology The study of organisms based on comparative morphology
(physical structure).
Classification Systematic arrangement into groups or categories according to
established criteria.
Coagulant A substance which causes a fluid to thicken to a solid. For example,
platelets, found in red blood cells, are coagulants that cause a blood clot
to form.
Coevolution 1 The evolution of two or more species due to mutual influence.
For example, many species of flowering plants and their insect pollinators
have coevolved in a way that makes the relationship more effective.
Competition Active demand by two or more organisms or kinds of organisms
for a resource. For example, male white-tailed deer could compete for
food, territory or mates.
Conservation 1 To sustain biodiversity in the face of human-caused environmental
disturbance.
Continental shelf A shallow underwater plain of various widths that forms
a border to a continent and that typically ends in a steep slope to the
oceanic abyss.
Danaid butterfly A type of butterfly, the best known example of which is the
Monarch butterfly.
Deforestation The cutting of a high percentage of trees and the clearing of
most of the shrubs and brush in a forest.
Degradation A decline to a low, destitute state with regard to a lower quality
of resources.
Dioxide A chemical compound with two molecules of oxygen. An example is
CO 2 (carbon dioxide). This is vital to plants, which use it to produce energy
and O 2 (oxygen). The O 2 provided by plants is used by other forms of life,
including humans. Dioxides can be harmful to the environment. When
combined with sulfur or nitrogen, these chemical compounds contribute
to air and water pollution.
B i o l o g i c a l
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