bio-, bi-, -bia, -bial, -bian, -bion, -biont, -bius, -biosis, -bium, -biotic, -biotical +

The nutritional effectiveness of the protein in a given food, expressed as the percentage used by the body of either the total protein consumed or the digestible protein available.

Warfare that makes use of bacteria, viruses, toxins, etc., to disable or to destroy people, domestic animals, and food crops.

Commercial products derived from biotechnology.

1. The interpretation of human life from a strictly biological point of view.
2. The use or emphasis of biological principles or methods in explaining human social behavior.

1. A specialist or expert in biology or one who studies biology.
2. A scientist who studies living organisms.
3. A scientist devoted to the study of organisms and their relationships to their environments and the underlying mechanisms that govern how those organisms work.

A cell of biologists.

The intelligent power displayed in organic activities.

1. The science concerned with the phenomena of life and living organisms.
2. The science of physical life; the division of physical science that deals with organized beings or animals and plants, their morphology, physiology, origin, and distribution.
3. The study of living organisms, including their structure, function, evolution, interrelationships, behavior, and distribution.
4. The study of human life and living.
5. The study of the properties and history of living organisms and of their interactions with the non-living world.

Using physics as a model, biologists have attempted to find universal processes and properties of all organisms that can be applied to all forms, despite the apparent diversity of life.

Living organisms are affected by and affect the non-living world strongly. The study of the history of the earth and its atmosphere is inseparable from the study of biology.

1. The emission of light by living organisms; also, the light so produced.
2. Creatures that emit bioluminescent light include: fireflies, glowworms, certain fish, jelly fish, planktons, fungi, and bacteria.

Such light occurs when a pigment (usually luciferin) is oxidized without giving off heat. Although it is believed that bioluminescence is involved in animal communication, its function in many organisms has yet to be understood.

Bioluminescence is a form of chemiluminescence and most luminescent animals have a light-producing organ (photophore).

This may contain their own specialized light-producing cells, or house symbiotic luminescent bacteria.

The darkness of the ocean presents a variety of bioluminescent creatures

The most expansive animal habitat on the earth lies between the sea surface and the floor of the deep ocean basins. Within this enormous space live the largest and perhaps most remarkable biological communities of fauna.

Most creatures of this twilight world are able to augment the scant sunlight reaching them with another form of natural illumination known as bioluminescence.

Although bioluminescence is a relatively rare phenomenon in terrestrial ecosystems, the vast majority of the animals that inhabit the upper kilometer of the ocean are capable of producing light with photophores in one way or another.

The illustrated bioluminescent fish for this page is similar to a "flashlight fish" which has headlights made up of sacs of luminescent bacteria under its eyes that light its way around the ocean depths.

Before man caught up with nature, she developed her own uses for bioluminescence; for example, many predators use their natural lighting to catch their meals; as shown in the image.

1. Chemical decomposition of organic matter brought about by bacteria, etc.
2. Disintegration of organic matter through the chemical action of living organisms; such as, bacteria.
3. Sewage decomposition by tiny organisms.

1. Life destroying or destructive to life.
2. Related to biolysis or capable of destroying life.

Substance of large molecular weight; for example, protein, DNA, etc.

1. The magnetic field created by a living organism; such as, animal magnetism.
2. The effect of an external magnetic field on living organisms.

To undergo biological magnification or increasing in concentration of a pollutant from one level in a food chain to another one.

The deliberate manipulation of the species composition of an ecosystem; such as, to try to regenerate a hypereutrophic lake after the organic pollution itself has been ameliorated.

If you would like to take a series of self-scoring quizzes over some of the words in this bio- unit, then click this Bio-Quiz link so you can check your knowledge. You may also try several additional quizzes in this listing.