Biology
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The journey of life originates in our genes. They hold the key to an individual's physical characteristics, behaviors, and biochemistry. Among these genetic aspects, we find the genotype and the phenotype. Though closely intertwined, they are unique in their roles and characteristics.
In this article...
Seeds are remarkable and fundamental components of the plant kingdom. They serve as the means through which plants reproduce and spread their genetic material. Seeds come in a stunning array of shapes, sizes, and adaptations. Different plants have evolved seeds that are uniquely suited to their specific...
The most venomous fish in the world are mostly from marine environments, although we cannot forget freshwater venomous fish such as catfish. The most deadly are certainly those found in saltwater environments. Many of us may associate venom with terrestrial animals such as snakes or spiders. In actuality,...
Explore the fascinating world of microalgae, a diverse and intricate realm teeming with tiny yet extraordinary organisms. Despite their diminutive size, these microorganisms hold immense significance in shaping our planet's ecosystems and supporting life as we know it. From environmental sustainability to...
Soft corals are a mesmerizing and diverse group of marine organisms that captivate the imagination with their unique beauty and intriguing characteristics. Unlike their stony counterparts, these corals do not build rigid calcium carbonate skeletons, leading to their name "soft corals." Instead, they showcase an array...
Birds, fascinating creatures that grace the skies and inhabit various corners of the world, captivate us with their diversity, behaviors, and unique adaptations. As denizens of the air, land, and water, birds have evolved to thrive in diverse environments, leading to a rich array of classifications based...
Microorganisms are microscopic living beings imperceptible to the eye that are found everywhere. We can find them in the soil, at the bottom of the ocean and even in the human intestine. We often associate microbes with harmful organisms such as pathogens. These are microorganisms which cause disease...
Mitochondria are one of the most important organelles of most eukaryotic cells. Within each mitochondrion, important processes are carried out in which different proteins, molecules, channels and membranes are involved. The functions of mitochondria are so advanced, it has been postulated that these organelles...
Chloroplasts are remarkable organelles found in the cells of photosynthesizing organisms, playing a pivotal role in the process of photosynthesis. They are responsible for capturing light energy from the sun and converting it into chemical energy, fueling the growth and survival of plants, algae, and some...
The difference between unicellular and multicellular organisms is the number of cells which make up the organism. Unicellular organisms have only one cell, whereas multicellular organisms have multiple cells. While this is the most stark comparison, the differences between unicellular and multicellular...
In the botanical world, the concept of whorls unveils a captivating pattern of arrangement found in plants. Whorls refer to the concentric groupings of leaves, branches, or flowers that emerge from the same level or node along the plant's stem. These remarkable formations not only contribute to the structural...
Saprophytes, also known as saprotrophs, are a fascinating group of organisms that play a vital role in the natural processes of decomposition and nutrient recycling. By understanding the role of saprophytes and appreciating their ecological contributions, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the intricate...
Pollinators are animals that pollinate plants thanks to their natural behavior. Often this is in the form of feeding on plants and carrying pollen from one flower to the next one. Other animals can pollinate simply by walking past plants and carrying pollen on their coats. The fertilization of flowers...
We may think of blood-sucking animals as the stuff of legends, but there are animals that feed on blood to survive. This process is known a hematophagy and it is likely more common than you think. It is not a method of feeding reserved exclusively for vampire bats, but is found in other mammals, fish,...
The main difference between angiosperms and gymnosperms is related to their ability to flower. Although they share many similarities, their differences are vitally important to their ecosystems. Not all types of plant can grow in the same ecosystem, with gymnosperms and angiosperms better adapted to...
The Kingdom Fungi is one of the five kingdoms of all living things, although this will depend on where you study. Some believe there are as many as six kingdoms, others as little as three. The reason why we group organisms into kingdoms is to better understand them. Taxonomic categorization helps us...
Have you ever wondered if plants can move? While they may not have legs or wings like animals, plants have their own unique ways of moving and responding to their environment. Plant movements have fascinated scientists for centuries and play a critical role in the survival and reproduction of plants. Although...
The Monodontidae, also known as the family of narwhals and belugas, is a group of Arctic and subarctic cetaceans known for their distinctive physical and behavioral characteristics. These marine mammals are known for their unique characteristics, such as their tusk (in the case of narwhals), their white...
Although they are one of the structures most associated with the type of organism, not all plants have leaves. Most do and many have leaves which may not look like it. For example, a blade of grass is a type of leaf. Even mosses have leaves, although they have a much more simple structure and are not...
The difference between mitosis and meiosis in cell division is to do with the type of cell which is created by each process. Both are important in genetics as they allow for the functioning of various vital processes in cells, ensuring the organism of which they are a part survives. We can say that mitosis...
Hornworts are a group of non-vascular land plants which are poorly understood, despite growing in various habitats across the world. There is some debate over their scientific categorization, but there are certain characteristics of hornworts which all species have. These characteristics relate to their...
There are hundreds of thousands of individual species in the plant kingdom. Categorization of these plants is an ongoing process which can be difficult to determine, especially since new plants are discovered almost every day. For this reason, we often use broader categories and taxonomic groups to help...
Sporulation is a type of asexual reproduction which is most associated with fungi, but it can also occur in bacterial organisms. Different organisms reproduce in different ways. Although they can be grouped as either sexual or asexual, within these two broad categorizations are various subcategories which allow...
Fungi are a diverse group of organisms that belong to the fungal kingdom. They are eukaryotic and heterotrophic, meaning that they do not produce their own food but obtain it from other sources. Unlike plants, fungi do not have chlorophyll and cannot photosynthesize. Fungi can take many different forms, from...
In biology, cells are microscopic functional units which allow organisms to carry out their various vital processes. Within each cell are different organelles, the constituent parts which allow the cells to carry out these overall functions. One of the most important organelles of most eukaryotic cells is something...
The perianth is the protective outer layer of a flower that encloses and protects the reproductive organs such as the stamens and pistils. Its functions go beyond protection, as the perianth can also attract pollinators and help identify different plant species. Therefore, understanding the structure and...
At thedailyECO, we show you there are many ways to categorize animals. This ranges from their eating habits and morphological characteristics to their reproductive behaviors and type of habitat. One group of categorization you may not have considered is locomotion. How animals move is imperative to their...
It can be helpful to look at cells as little factories. They have different departments and structures within them which carry out specific functions. Similar to a factory, these different structures within a cell work collectively to perform the overall function of the type of cell. Individually, they...
Biodiversity on our planet is distributed unevenly. We know this when we compare the scarcity of life somewhere life Antarctica with the abundance of somewhere like the Amazon rainforest. These areas have plant and animal species which are well adapted to their regions. Some of these species are only able...
Viruses and bacteria are two types of microorganisms that are important to understand for a variety of reasons, including their impact on human health and the environment. Both viruses and bacteria can be controlled and treated by a variety of methods, including vaccines, antibiotics, and antiviral drugs....
Although they may appear to be very different in form and behavior, there are great similarities between cows, giraffes and hippopotamuses. One of the most defining is the fact they are all artiodactyls, otherwise known as even-toed ungulates. While we have used these animals as examples, there are...
Primates are a diverse group of mammals that include humans, apes, and lemurs. Due to their close genetic and behavioral similarities to humans, primates are often studied to gain insights into human evolution, behavior, and biology. Primates have played a significant role in human evolution, and studying...
Botany is a complicated field of study which requires years of study to even get to grips with the basics. Such complication is not made any easier by the fact gardeners will often use completely different terminology for the same plant. The names they use depend on their culture, personal preference...
We should be aware that bacteria can be very harmful to individual organisms, depending on their type and rate of infection. We may be less aware of just how important different types of bacteria are for both individual organisms and the larger ecosystems in which they live. They can help in food digestion,...
Leaves are the plant organs specialized to capture light energy through photosynthesis. Leaves come in different sizes, colors, and shapes, and there are several ways to classify them. Leaf morphology describes the different ways in which plant leaves are classified. All trees have a leaf structure...
The Solanaceae family, also known as the nightshade family (Solanaceae Juss.) is a family of herbaceous or woody plants that includes about 98 genera and about 2700 species, most of which are poisonous, such as deadly nightshade, which can even cause death. Only a few are edible, including potatoes,...
All plants have certain basic characteristics such as needing sunlight, water and nutrients to develop. Despite these fundamental similarities, there are is an incredible range of diversity among plant species. These differences include their habitat, texture, colors, reproduction and many others. One of...
Cell division is a vital biological process which allows life on our planet to continue. Although they are made of atoms, the cell is the basic building block of living beings. It is from cellular behavior that anatomical and physiological changes occur within organisms. Like the larger organisms of which...
All living things are made up of cells, the basic unit of life. From tiny organisms to complex animals, we all have cells that allow us to carry out basic functions. There are different ways to classify cells: according to their origin in evolution (prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells), according to their energy...
All living organisms are composed of cells which are responsible for their functioning of their biological processes. Although they themselves are made of atoms, cells are considered the basic building block for all life. We know about their existence thanks to microscopy, the technical field which allows...
In biology, we refer to the adaptation of living things or biological adaptation as the process by which living things develop the ability to survive in a different environment. These changes can be morphological, physiological, behavioral, and molecular in nature. In other words, adaptation can occur...
We often speak of our metabolism in very broad terms, especially in terms of our ability to gain or lose weight. In actuality, metabolism is a set of very precise processes which occur in all living organisms. This is true from the largest mammal to the smallest unicellular organism. Metabolism is the...
The origin of life has intrigued humans since the beginning of consciousness. It is no surprise that understanding these origins has been influential in various scientific disciplines. Desire to understand and the ability to do so have not always been equal and our understanding of the fundamental building blocks...
For living organisms to survive, they require various physiological processes and metabolic pathways which influence their physical forms. These processes have been adapted over millions of years of evolution thanks to their ability to pass information on from generation to generation. This information is...
The Protista kingdom is the classification of eukaryotic organisms consisting of various unicellular and multicellular microorganisms that, although they do not have much in common, are placed in the same kingdom because they do not fit into other kingdoms. Protists have very specific, distinctive characteristics...
When we look at the diversity of nature, we may marvel at how these incredible organisms that inhabit are planet differ from each other. This wonderment is made all the greater when we consider the fact all the cells of living beings evolved from the same common cell ancestor. We know this thanks to the...
Even if you have never heard the term, you will likely know of different xerophytic plants. Also known as xerophytes, these plants are drought resistant and can be found all over the world. Perhaps the most well known are different type of cacti, although there are many other different types of xerophytic...
You may notice there are times of the year when insects are more abundant than usual. This is seen in summer when mosquitos make themselves well known. You may not have spent much time wondering why. The availability of resources is one such reason, as is the change of weather. Many animals have adapted...
When we consider plant reproduction, it is likely we first think of seeds. By submerging in various substrates, many seeds can germinate, develop roots and produce the shoots which result in an adult plant. While a common method of propagating a species, this is not the only way plants reproduce. Especially...
One of the most important ways to understand living beings is to classify them. Since there are so many types of organism, we choose various metrics by which we can group them. Some are larger than others. For example, we make a clear distinction between plants and animals. Not all distinctions are so...
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