Category: Biology Dictionary C

Community Definition A biotic community, also known as a biota or ’biocoenosis’, is the group of organisms that live together and interact with each other within an environment or habitat. Together, the biotic community and the physical landscape or abiotic factors make up an ecosystem. Communities consist of a group of different species, which partake in direct and indirect biotic interactions, […]

Common Descent Definition Common descent is a term within evolutionary biology which refers to the common ancestry of a particular group of organisms. The process of common decent involves the formation of new species from an ancestral population. When a recent common ancestor is shared between two organisms, they are said to be closely related. […]

Commensalism Definition Commensalism is a relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits, and one is unaffected. This can be contrasted with other types of symbiosis, such as mutualism and parasitism. The supposed difference between commensalism and other types of symbiosis is that in commensalism, the second party or host remains unaffected. Some scientist […]

Cognitive Development Definition Cognitive development is the study of childhood neurological and psychological development. Specifically, cognitive development is assessed based on the level of conception, perception, information processing, and language as an indicator of brain development. It is generally recognized that cognitive development progresses with age, as human awareness and understanding of the world increases […]

Cofactor Definition A cofactor is a non-protein chemical that assists with a biological chemical reaction. Co-factors may be metal ions, organic compounds, or other chemicals that have helpful properties not usually found in amino acids. Some cofactors can be made inside the body, such as ATP, while others must be consumed in food. Minerals, for […]

Coevolution Definition In the context of evolutionary biology, coevolution refers to the evolution of at least two species, which occurs in a mutually dependent manner. Coevolution was first described in the context of insects and flowering plants, and has since been applied to major evolutionary events, including sexual reproduction, infectious disease, and ecological communities. Coevolution […]

Coenzyme Definition A coenzyme is an organic non-protein compound that binds with an enzyme to catalyze a reaction. Coenzymes are often broadly called cofactors, but they are chemically different. A coenzyme cannot function alone, but can be reused several times when paired with an enzyme. Functions of Coenzymes An enzyme without a coenzyme is called […]

Coelom Definition The coelom is a body cavity found in metazoans (animals that develop from an embryo with three tissue layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm). The cells in each tissue layer become differentiated during development, becoming different tissues, organs, and a digestive tract. Derived from the mesoderm, the coelom is found between the intestinal canal […]

Definition Codominance occurs when two different versions – a.k.a. “alleles” – of the same gene are present in a living thing, and both alleles are expressed separately in different parts of an organism. Instead of one trait being dominant over the other, both traits appear. Overview Codominance is easy to spot in plants and animals […]

Cloaca Definition A cloaca is an orifice through which urine and feces are eliminated in birds, reptiles, amphibians, and a few branches of the mammal family tree. It also serves a reproductive function like the vagina in females of these species, and also performs the function of sperm ejaculation in males of some species. The […]