A lichen is a simple plant consisting of a fungus, usually of the subdivision Ascomycotina, that grows symbiotically with algae. It usually forms a low crust-like or branching growth on rocks, walls, or trees. This is a picture of lichen growing on a tree near my house.
K-strategists are organisms that produce small numbers of offspring at a time and protect their young. Dogs, like my friend's dog who's pictured, are K-strategists.
The Krebs Cycle is the complex series of chemical reactions in all cells that utilize oxygen as a part of their respiration process.This plant goes through the Krebs cycle in its mitochondria.
Introduced species are species that humans have placed into an ecosystem or community, accidentally or intentionally, in which it doesn't naturally occur. This is a picture of a Chinese elm tree in my yard which is not native to America, but was brought here by humans.
A heterotroph is an organism that derives its nutritional requirements from complex organic substances. All animals, such as my friend's dog who's pictured, are heterotrophs.
Hydrophobic means to not have a tendency to mix with, dissolve in, or be wetted by water. Oil is hydrophobic; to demonstrate this, I mixed some oil from my kitchen with water in a glass.
Hydrophilic means to have a tendency to mix with, dissolve in, or be wetted by water. Salt is hydrophilic; to demonstrate this, I mixed some salt from my kitchen with water in a glass.
Homeostasis is the property of a system, either open or closed, that regulates its internal environment and tends to maintain a stable, constant condition. Birds, like the one that lives in this bird nest in my yard, exhibits homeostasis. If you look carefully, you can see the bird's tail in its nest.
A hermaphrodite is an organism that has both male and female reproductive organs. Most flowering plants, like this rose found in my house, are hermaphrodites.
A gymnosperm is a vascular plant having seeds that are not enclosed in an ovary. Most gymnosperms store their seeds in cones like the pine cone pictured from my backyard
