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

Of the nature or character of an autobiography. Also, autobio, autobiog.

A reference to the presentation of one's own life history or experiences in the manner of an autobiography; such as, autobiographical material, an autobiographical novel.

Someone who writes the story of her/his own life.

1. An account of someone’s life written by that person; literally, "self-life writing".
2. Marked by writing about one's own experiences and life history.

That part of the biosphere in which energy is fixed by photosynthesis in green plants.

In geology, the lateral distribution and character of underwater sedimentary strata.

A point in a finger image at which two ridges meet.

Bifurcations have the appearance of branch points between curved lines. The number and locations of the bifurcations and ridge endings, known as minutiae, vary from finger to finger in any particular person, and from person to person for any particular finger; for example, the ring finger on the right hand.

When a set of finger images is obtained from someone, the number of minutiae is recorded for each finger. The precise locations of the minutiae are also recorded, in the form of numerical coordinates, for each finger.

The result is a function that can be entered and stored in a computer database. A computer can rapidly compare this function with that of anyone else in the world whose finger image has been scanned.

1. Any increase in the concentration of a chemical in a biological organism over time, compared to the chemical's concentration in the environment.
2. An increase in the concentration of a pollutant from the environment to the first organism in a food chain.
3. The accumulation of chemicals by organisms present in the environment, most often expressed as the ratio of the concentration of a chemical in the organism to that in the medium, usually water.
4. The increasing concentration of a compound, usually applied to fat soluble pesticides; such as, DDT, in the bodies of living organisms at successively higher levels in the food chain.

Also known as: "biological amplification" and "biomagnification".

Plant or animal species that accumulates heavy metals or other environmental contaminants in its tissues, and can be used as an indicator of the presence of chronic pollution by these compounds, especially where amounts of pollutant in the environment are too low to be easily detectable.

1. The science dealing with the effects of sound fields or mechanical vibrations in living organisms.
2. The science dealing with the communicating sounds made by animals.
3. The study of the effects of sounds on living things.

Referring to a substance that can be acted upon by a living organism or by an extract from a living organism.

The effect that a substance or agent has on living tissue or an organism.

1. A modification of the activated sludge method of purifying sewage.
2. A system of purifying sewage by oxidation, in which crude sewage is passed through special centrifugal pumps.
3. A sewage treatment method in which microorganisms oxidize the organic matter.

A type of behavior in which an organism benefits another member of its species without concern for its own welfare and often to its own detriment.

The increase in concentration of a pollutant from one trophic level in a food chain to another; this usually occurs when the pollutant is metabolized and excreted much more slowly than the nutrients that are passed from one trophic level to the next.

Such pollutants are long-lived, mobile, soluble in fats, and biologically active.

Biomagnification is a particular threat for species living at the top of food chains.

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