Online Dictionary of Invertebrate Zoology: Complete Work - Best Text

126Maggenti and Gardnerany stimulus, physical, chemical, biological, physiological,or psychological, by means of the response which it producesin living organisms or matter.biological classification The arrangement of organisms intotaxa on the basis of inferences concerning their genetic relationship.biological clock An endogenous physiological rhythm, such asmetabolic or behavioural rhythmical changes. see circadian.biological control The reduction in population of undesirableanimals and plants by the intentional introduction of apredator, parasite or disease; biocontrol.biological productivity The increase in biomass, normallymeasured in protein-time units.biological races Noninterbreeding sympatric populations thatare morphologically alike, but physiologically different dueto preference for food or other hosts. see sibling species.biological species concept A concept at the species levelstressing reproductive isolation, and the possession of agenetic program effecting such isolation; biospecies. seespecies.biology n. [Gr. bios, life; logos, discourse] The scientific studyof living things.bioluminescence n. [Gr. bios, life; L. luminescere, to growlight] The production of light by living organisms, as occursin the insect orders of Collembola, Homoptera, Diptera andColeoptera, all ctenophores, some cephalopods, a largenumber of polychaetes, and certain diplopods; biophotogenesis.biolysis n. [Gr. bios, life; lysis, to loosen] The disintegration oflife or organic matter; the decomposition of organic matteras a result of the activity of living organisms; death. biolytica.biomass n. [Gr. bios, life; L. massa, quantity, bulk] The totalweight of a population or other specified group of individualsper unit of area or volume.biome n. [Gr. bios, life] A major biological community of living