PSSA Science Review Sheet

Name______

PSSA Science Review Sheet

Interactions of Living Things

Definition / Example
Abiotic / Of or characterized by the absence of life or living organisms. / moisture
Biotic / Pertaining to life. Something that is living that affects an ecosystem / Plants
Herbivore / An animal that eats only plants / Birds, squirrel
Carnivore / An animal that eats meat / Wolves
Omnivore / An animal that eats both plants and meats / Bears
Producer / An organism that act as a food source for other organisms in the food chain / Plants
Consumer / A person or thing that eats or uses something / Lions
Decomposer / Decomposers are organisms that break down dead or decaying organism / Examples include fungi, bacteria, and protists
Trophic Levels / Trophic Levels are the feeding position in the food chain / Producers, consumers, and decomposers
Symbiosis / In close and often long term interaction between two or more different biological species. / -commensalism
-parasitism
-amensalism
Mutualism / A relationship between two species of organisms / The algae has a place to live
Parasitism / A relationship between organisms where one parasite benefits from the host / Fleas attach to a dog
Predation / A predator eating prey farther down on the food chain. / Snakes constricting and eating mice.
Commensalism / A relation between two kinds of organisms / Barnacles on a whale

Cells and Genetics

Cell / The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism / Neurons
Prokaryotic / A group of organisms whose cells lack a membrane-bound nucleus. / Salmonella
Eukaryotic / Cells of or derived from eukaryote characterized by having a distinct, membrane-bound nucleus. / Animals, plants, fungi
Plant/Animal Cell / Shape of each
Plant: Round and rectangle
Animal: Irregular / Two extra plant cell parts:
Cell wall, chloroplasts

Endangered Animals and Environmental Issues

Biomes / An ecosystem or home for animal species and plants. / Rainforests, tundra, desert, and marine
Endangered Species / Plant or animal existing in small numbers near extinct / Indiana Bat
Pest / A destructive insect or other animal that attacks crops, food, livestock, etc. / Bees
Point Source Pollution / Is a single identifiable source of air, water, thermal, noise or light pollution / Train
Nonpoint Source Pollution / Contamination that originates from many locations that all discharge into a location / Lake, stream, land area
Integrated Pest Management / A variety of pest control methods that eliminate pests. / repairs, traps, bait, poison, etc.
Renewable Resources / A resource that can be used over and over / Water
Non-renewable Resources / Substances that, once used, cannot be replaced in this geological age / Oil, gas, coal, copper, gold
Regulation / The action or process of regulating or being regulated / Snow leopard population so it will not become extinct.
Recycling / To treat or process so as to make suitable for reuse / Paper, aluminum
Dichotomous Key / Divided or dividing into two parts or classifications. / Examples of a dichotomous key in written and graphical form for a specific list of items