What is Tropism? Tropism is an involuntary response of an organism (plant or lower animal) or one of its parts to a source of environmental stimulation. The organism responds either by movement (curving or turning) or by differential growth to the stimulus that acts with greater intensity from one direction than another. …
Echinoderms are an ancient group of animals. They extend back to at least the Cambrian period. An enigmatic fossil Arkarua, from the Vendian about 560 million years ago has been identified as the earliest known echinoderm. Though many authorities have considered this identification inconclusive. However, it seems clear that the echinoderms descended …
Tomato Rot Definition Tomato rot is a broad term used to describe the visible effects that certain mainly fungal diseases have on the plant parts and fruit berries of the Solanum lycopersicum plant otherwise known as the tomato plant. The effect those tomato rot-causing diseases have on the plant and its fruits …
What are Coral reefs? Coral reefs are large underwater ecosystems in ecology formed by reef-building corals. It is composed of the calcareous exoskeletons of corals. The Coral Reef is formed of colonies of coral polyps bind together by limestone (calcium carbonate). Most of the coral reefs are built from stony corals that …
What are Corals? Corals are animals or marine invertebrates of the phylum Cnidaria within the class Anthozoa. They are the important reef builders that secrete limestone (calcium carbonate) to form a hard skeleton and inhabit tropical oceans. Corals form compact colonies of genetically identical sac-like animals called polyps. Almost all corals are …
What is Mutualism? Mutualism is an ecological association between two species in a way that each species benefits from the association. The benefits could be protection, nutrients, or other life functions. Mutualism is seen as a form of biological barter because the species trade services or resources amongst themselves. It is actually …
What are Aphids? Aphids on plants are small soft-bodied piercing and sucking phloem-feeding animals, specifically insects (order Homoptera) from the superfamily (a taxonomic category that is above family but below order) Aphidoidea that feed on the sap and fluids of several types of plants. They are also sometimes referred to as the …
What is parasitism? Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between two living organisms in which one benefits at the expense of the other. It can also be defined as a long-term relationship, in which one member called the parasites lives off or benefits from the other organism called the host, sometimes …