TOEFL Academic Vocabulary - Life Sciences & Biology

Question	Answer
a living thing that can grow, reproduce, and respond to its environment	organism Each organism in the ecosystem plays a specific role in maintaining ecological balance.
a group of similar individuals that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring	species The researchers identified a new species of frog in the Amazon rainforest.
the gradual change in inherited characteristics of populations over successive generations	evolution The theory of evolution explains the diversity of life on Earth through natural selection.
a trait or behavior that helps a living thing survive in its environment	adaptation The thick fur of Arctic foxes is an adaptation to extremely cold temperatures.
a permanent change in the DNA sequence of a living thing	mutation A single mutation in the gene can lead to significant changes in protein function.
a unit of heredity that codes for a specific characteristic	gene Scientists have identified the gene responsible for eye colour in fruit flies.
a thread-like structure of nucleic acids and protein that carries genetic information	chromosome Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes in each somatic cell.
the basic structural and functional unit of all living things	cell The human body contains approximately 37 trillion cells, each performing specialised functions.
a thin flexible barrier surrounding a biological structure that controls what enters and exits	membrane The cell membrane regulates the transport of molecules into and out of the cell.
the central organelle of a eukaryotic structure that contains genetic material	nucleus The nucleus houses the DNA and coordinates activities such as growth and reproduction.
the type of division that produces two identical daughter units from one parent unit	mitosis During mitosis, the replicated genetic material is equally distributed to two new cells.
the type of division that produces four genetically different reproductive units	meiosis Meiosis is essential for sexual reproduction as it reduces the number of chromosomes by half.
the process by which green plants convert light energy into chemical energy	photosynthesis Photosynthesis produces oxygen as a byproduct, which is essential for aerobic life.
the biochemical process of breaking down glucose to release energy	respiration Cellular respiration converts glucose and oxygen into carbon dioxide, water, and ATP.
the sum of all chemical reactions that occur within a living thing to maintain life	metabolism Metabolism includes both catabolic reactions that break down molecules and anabolic reactions that build them up.
a biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions without being consumed	enzyme Each enzyme is specific to a particular substrate, fitting together like a lock and key.
a large biomolecule composed of amino acid chains that performs vital functions	protein Hemoglobin is a protein that transports oxygen throughout the bloodstream.
an organic compound that serves as a building block for proteins	amino acid There are twenty standard amino acids that combine in various sequences to form different proteins.
a double-stranded molecule that carries the genetic instructions for all known living things	dna The structure of DNA was described as a double helix by Watson and Crick in 1953.
a single-stranded nucleic acid involved in coding, decoding, and expression of genetic material	rna Messenger RNA carries genetic information from the nucleus to the ribosome for protein synthesis.
the scientific study of interactions among living things and their environment	ecology Ecology examines how populations, communities, and biomes interact with abiotic factors.
a community of interacting living things together with their physical environment	ecosystem The coral reef ecosystem supports an extraordinary variety of marine life.
the natural environment in which a particular type of living thing normally lives	habitat Destruction of natural habitat is the leading cause of biodiversity loss worldwide.
an animal that hunts and kills other animals for food	predator The wolf is an apex predator that plays a crucial role in regulating prey populations.
an animal that is hunted and consumed by another animal	prey Rabbits serve as prey for numerous carnivorous birds and mammals in the grassland biome.
a close and prolonged interaction between two different biological beings	symbiosis The relationship between clownfish and sea anemones is a classic example of symbiosis.
a living thing that lives on or in a host and benefits at the host's expense	parasite The malaria parasite is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes.
the variety and variability of life forms within a given area	biodiversity Tropical rainforests exhibit the highest levels of biodiversity of any terrestrial biome.
the permanent disappearance of a type of living thing from the Earth	extinction The mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period wiped out the dinosaurs.
the preserved remains or traces of an ancient living thing found in rock	fossil The fossil record provides crucial evidence for understanding the history of life on Earth.
the branch of biology that deals with the structure of living things	anatomy Comparative anatomy reveals structural similarities among vertebrates that suggest common ancestry.
the branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living things	physiology Exercise physiology examines how the body responds and adapts to physical activity.
an animal that has a backbone or spinal column	vertebrate Fish, birds, and mammals are all classified as vertebrate animals.
an animal that lacks a backbone or spinal column	invertebrate Insects, mollusks, and jellyfish are all examples of invertebrate animals.
a warm-blooded animal that has hair or fur and feeds its young with milk	mammal The blue whale is the largest mammal ever known to have existed on Earth.
a cold-blooded animal with dry scaly skin that typically lays soft-shelled eggs	reptile The Komodo dragon is the largest living reptile and can grow over three metres long.
a cold-blooded animal that lives both on land and in water during its life cycle	amphibian Frogs are a well-known amphibian group that undergoes a dramatic transformation from tadpole to adult.
a tiny living thing that can only be seen with a microscope	microorganism A single drop of pond water may contain thousands of different microorganisms.
single-celled prokaryotic organisms found in virtually every environment on Earth	bacteria Beneficial bacteria in the human gut aid in digestion and vitamin synthesis.
a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside living host structures	virus The influenza virus mutates rapidly, which is why new vaccines must be developed each year.
a spore-producing organism that feeds on organic matter, such as moulds and mushrooms	fungus Penicillin, the first widely used antibiotic, was derived from a common fungus.
the transfer of pollen grains to enable fertilisation in flowering plants	pollination Bees play a critical role in pollination, supporting the reproduction of many food crops.
the process by which a seed begins to sprout and grow into a new plant	germination Germination requires adequate moisture, oxygen, and an appropriate temperature range.
a state of minimal metabolic activity in a living thing, typically during unfavorable conditions	dormancy Many plant seeds enter dormancy during winter and resume growth when spring arrives.
the seasonal movement of animals from one region to another for feeding or breeding	migration The annual migration of monarch butterflies spans thousands of kilometres across North America.
a prolonged state of inactivity and reduced metabolic rate during cold months	hibernation Bears accumulate large fat reserves before entering hibernation to survive without eating for months.
the ability of a living thing to blend in with its surroundings to avoid detection	camouflage The chameleon uses camouflage to match the colour of its surroundings and evade predators.
the process whereby individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce	natural selection Darwin proposed that natural selection acts on heritable variation within populations over long periods.
the passing of physical or behavioural characteristics from parents to offspring	heredity Mendel's experiments with pea plants laid the foundation for our modern understanding of heredity.
a distinguishing characteristic or quality of a living thing	trait Eye colour is a heritable trait determined by multiple genes working together.
describing an allele that expresses its effect even when only one copy is present	dominant In Mendel's pea plants, the tall stem allele was dominant over the short stem allele.
describing an allele whose effect is masked when a contrasting allele is present	recessive Cystic fibrosis is caused by inheriting two copies of a recessive allele.
the genetic makeup of an individual for a particular set of inherited characteristics	genotype The genotype of a pea plant may be homozygous or heterozygous for a given gene.
the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of a living thing	phenotype Environmental factors can influence the phenotype even when the genetic makeup remains the same.
one of two or more alternative forms of a gene that occupy the same position on a given pair of homologous structures	allele Each parent contributes one allele for every gene, resulting in two copies per offspring.
the science of classifying and naming living things based on shared characteristics	taxonomy Linnaeus developed the binomial system of taxonomy that is still used by biologists today.
a principal taxonomic category that ranks above class and below kingdom	phylum Arthropoda is the largest phylum in the animal kingdom, including insects, spiders, and crustaceans.
a taxonomic rank used in the classification of living things, above the level of individual type	genus The genus Homo includes modern humans and several extinct related forms.
capable of producing offspring through reproduction	fertile The soil in the river valley is extremely fertile, supporting abundant agricultural production.
not able to produce offspring; infertile	sterile Hybrid mules are typically sterile because they cannot produce viable reproductive material.
an unborn or unhatched offspring in the early stages of development	embryo The embryo develops rapidly during the first trimester, forming all major organ systems.
the immature, wingless, feeding stage of an insect that undergoes complete transformation	larva The larva of a butterfly, commonly known as a caterpillar, feeds voraciously before pupation.
a biological process involving a dramatic change in body form during development	metamorphosis Frogs undergo metamorphosis, transforming from aquatic tadpoles into air-breathing adults.
relating to or living in water	aquatic Aquatic ecosystems include freshwater lakes, rivers, and saltwater oceans.
relating to or living on land rather than in water or air	terrestrial Terrestrial biomes include deserts, grasslands, and temperate forests.
relating to or living in trees	arboreal Many primate groups are arboreal, spending most of their lives in the forest canopy.
active primarily during the night	nocturnal Owls are nocturnal hunters with exceptional night vision and silent flight.
active primarily during the daytime	diurnal Most songbirds are diurnal, foraging for food during daylight hours and resting at night.
an animal that feeds exclusively on other animals	carnivore The lion is an obligate carnivore that obtains all its nutrition from hunting other animals.
an animal that feeds exclusively on plants	herbivore The giant panda is a herbivore that consumes almost exclusively bamboo.
an animal that feeds on both plant and animal matter	omnivore Humans are classified as omnivores because they consume both plant-based and animal-based foods.
a living thing that breaks down dead organic material and recycles nutrients	decomposer Fungi and bacteria serve as primary decomposers in most terrestrial food webs.
the green pigment in plants that absorbs light energy for food production	chlorophyll Chlorophyll absorbs red and blue light while reflecting green, giving leaves their characteristic colour.
tiny pores on the surface of leaves that regulate gas exchange	stomata Stomata open and close to balance carbon dioxide intake with water loss through transpiration.
the vascular tissue in plants that transports water and minerals upward from the roots	xylem Xylem vessels form continuous tubes from roots to leaves, enabling water transport through capillary action.
the vascular tissue in plants that transports sugars and nutrients from leaves to other parts	phloem Phloem distributes the products of photosynthesis throughout the entire plant body.
the process by which water is lost from plant leaves through evaporation	transpiration Transpiration creates a pulling force that helps draw water up through the plant from the roots.
the tendency of a biological system to maintain stable internal conditions	homeostasis The human body maintains homeostasis by regulating temperature, pH, and blood sugar levels.
any detectable change in the internal or external environment that provokes a reaction	stimulus Light is a powerful stimulus that triggers phototropism in growing plant shoots.
a reaction by a living thing to a change in its environment	response The immune response involves a complex cascade of cellular and molecular defences against pathogens.
the ability of a living thing to resist infection and disease	immunity Vaccination works by stimulating the body's immunity without causing the actual disease.
a protective protein produced by the immune system in reaction to a foreign substance	antibody Each antibody is highly specific and binds to a particular antigen on the surface of an invader.
a microbe or agent that causes disease in its host	pathogen Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of pathogen transmission.
a preparation administered to stimulate the body's defence against a specific disease	vaccine The development of a vaccine against smallpox was one of medicine's greatest achievements.
capable of being transmitted from one individual to another through direct or indirect contact	contagious Measles is highly contagious and can spread through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs.
persisting for a long time or constantly recurring	chronic Chronic inflammation has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer.
having a rapid onset and short but severe course	acute Acute respiratory infections can quickly become life-threatening in immunocompromised patients.
not harmful; not cancerous when referring to a growth or tumour	benign The biopsy revealed that the tumour was benign and did not require aggressive treatment.
tending to invade surrounding tissue; cancerous when referring to a tumour	malignant Early detection of malignant tumours significantly improves patient survival rates.
the identification of a disease or condition based on signs, symptoms, and test results	diagnosis Advances in genetic testing have improved the accuracy of diagnosis for inherited disorders.
a forecast of the likely course and outcome of a disease or condition	prognosis The prognosis for patients with early-stage treatment is generally favourable.
a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time	epidemic The cholera epidemic of 1854 in London led to major advances in public health and sanitation.
regularly found in a particular region or population	endemic Malaria is endemic to many tropical regions where the mosquito vector thrives year-round.
a disease outbreak that has spread across multiple countries or continents	pandemic The 1918 influenza pandemic infected roughly one-third of the world's population.
a poisonous substance produced by a living thing	toxin Certain species of pufferfish contain a potent toxin that is lethal even in small doses.
a substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue	carcinogen Tobacco smoke contains over 70 known carcinogens that damage cellular DNA.
the natural process of regrowing lost or damaged body parts	regeneration Starfish demonstrate remarkable regeneration, capable of regrowing entire limbs after injury.
the process of producing a genetically identical copy of a living thing	cloning Dolly the sheep was the first mammal successfully produced through cloning from an adult somatic structure.
an undifferentiated biological unit that can develop into specialised types	stem cell Stem cell research offers promising therapies for degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.
capable of being decomposed by natural biological processes	biodegradable Biodegradable packaging materials break down naturally, reducing landfill waste.
derived from living matter; produced without synthetic chemicals in agriculture	organic Organic farming avoids synthetic pesticides and relies on natural methods for pest control.
able to be maintained at a certain rate or level without depleting natural resources	sustainable Sustainable agriculture aims to meet current food demands without compromising future productivity.
the protection and preservation of natural environments and wildlife	conservation Conservation efforts have helped the bald eagle population recover from near extinction.
the large-scale clearing of forested land, often for agriculture or development	deforestation Deforestation in the Amazon basin threatens countless plant and animal populations.
the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals	poaching Poaching has driven the rhinoceros population to critically low numbers across Africa and Asia.
at serious risk of no longer existing in the wild	endangered The giant panda was reclassified from endangered to vulnerable after decades of intensive protection.
a non-native type of living thing that causes harm to the environment it enters	invasive species The introduction of invasive species such as cane toads in Australia has devastated local wildlife.
the complete set of genetic material present in a living thing	genome The Human Genome Project mapped the entire sequence of human DNA over thirteen years.
the study of the structure and function of the nervous system and the brain	neuroscience Advances in neuroscience have revealed how neural plasticity allows the brain to reorganise after injury.
a specialised structure within a biological unit that performs a specific function	organelle Mitochondria are the organelle responsible for producing most of the energy a cell needs.
the process by which new biological types develop from pre-existing forms through branching	speciation Geographic isolation is one of the primary mechanisms driving speciation in animal populations.
a group of interbreeding individuals living in the same area at the same time	population The deer population in the national park has doubled over the last decade due to predator removal.
the study of the distribution of diseases and health conditions in populations	epidemiology Epidemiology uses statistical methods to identify risk factors for diseases in large groups.
the rigid outer covering of a plant structure made of cellulose	cell wall The cell wall provides structural support and protection, distinguishing plant cells from animal cells.
a biological community of interacting living things and their physical environment in a specific region	biome The tundra biome is characterised by extremely cold temperatures and minimal tree growth.
the scientific study of the form and structure of living things at a microscopic level	histology Histology reveals tissue abnormalities that are invisible to the naked eye during routine examination.
a network of interconnected food chains within an ecological community	food web A disruption at any level of the food web can cascade through the entire ecological community.
the biological process of producing light by a living thing	bioluminescence Deep-sea creatures use bioluminescence to attract mates, lure prey, or deter predators.
the ability of a flat worm or similar creature to regrow a complete body from a fragment	totipotency Totipotency in early-stage embryonic structures means each unit retains the potential to develop into an entire individual.
the study of how gene expression is altered without changes to the underlying sequence	epigenetics Epigenetics research has shown that environmental factors can influence gene activity across generations.

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