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The branch of biology that deals with the understanding of the chemical and physical processes and functions that go on inside of living organisms.
Physiology
Stiffness in a cell caused by water pressure. If the amount of water drops, the cells lose turgor, and rigidity.
turgor
Soil that is composed of a mixture of sand, silt, and clay.
loam
A leaf-like structure inside the seed that provides energy to the embryo.
cotyledon
The mature ovary of a flowering plant that encloses its seeds.
fruit
A plant's growth in response to a stimulus.
tropism
Soil that is made up of loam, humus, and living organisms.
topsoil
1) When pieces of nonhomologous chromosomes are broken off and rearranged. 2) The movement of carbohydrates produced in leaves, to meristematic tissue to be used for growth.
translocation
Dead organic matter.
humus
A small, but complete plant that grows from a stem or leaf of a parent plant in a natural form of vegetative reproduction.
plantlet
Movements caused by a gain or loss of turgor in certain cells. This is the mechanism by which certain flower petals close at night, and open in the morning.
nastic movement
The process in which water passes from an area of higher concentration in the soil, to an area of lower concentration in the root cells, by osmosis.
passive absorption
The adhesion of water molecules to surrounding material. This can help move water in some plants, but is not enough to pull water from the roots to the leaves of larger plants on its own.
capillarity
A structure composed of the embryonic plant, stored nutrients, and a protective seed coat.
seed
The process in which the embryonic plant inside of a seed begins to grow. This can only happen when temperature, moisture, and oxygen reach required levels for that particular type of plant.
germination
A state of inactivity caused by unfavorable growing conditions. The plant is able to conserve energy until conditions improve.
dormancy
A structure that emerges from the pollen grain to allow the male gametes to travel to the ovule.
pollen tube
A shell that holds the male gametes of a plant.
pollen grain
An asexual method of plant reproduction, which produces offspring with the same genetic makeup and traits as the parent. This can occur naturally, or be induced for the purpose of making sure desirable traits are passed down.
vegetative reproduction
A plant hormone that plays a role in promoting cell growth, preventing fruit from dropping, and contributing to apical dominance.
auxins
The process by which translocation, the movement of carbohydrates from leaves to meristematic tissue, takes place.
pressure-flow model
As water evaporates from leaves (transpires), the attraction of water molecules to each other (cohesion) helps to pull more water upward from the roots.
transpiration-cohesion theory
A plant hormone that controls dormancy, and inhibits other hormones.
abscissic acid
As the active transport of minerals into the root increases its solute concentration, water continues to enter through osmosis. This ongoing process results in a continued net movement of water into the root cells. As pressure builds up, water and dissolved nutrients are pushed up the stem.
root pressure
A plant hormone that causes lateral bud growth and promotes cell division.
cytokinins