biological science, biology - the science that studies living organisms

natural phenomenon - all non-artificial phenomena

abiogenesis, autogenesis, autogeny, spontaneous generation - a hypothetical organic phenomenon by which living organisms are created from nonliving matter

alternation of generations, heterogenesis, xenogenesis - the alternation of two or more different forms in the life cycle of a plant or animal

annual ring, growth ring - an annual formation of wood in plants as they grow

bioelectricity - electric phenomena in animals or plants

circulation - movement through a circuit; especially the movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels

cyclosis, streaming - the circulation of cytoplasm within a cell

death - the permanent end of all life functions in an organism or part of an organism; "the animal died a painful death"

decay, decomposition - the organic phenomenon of rotting

dehiscence - (biology) release of material by splitting open of an organ or tissue; the natural bursting open at maturity of a fruit or other reproductive body to release seeds or spores or the bursting open of a surgically closed wound

desquamation, peeling, shedding - loss of bits of outer skin by peeling or shedding or coming off in scales

exfoliation - the peeling off in flakes or scales of bark or dead skin; "exfoliation is increased by sunburn"

diapedesis - passage of blood cells (especially white blood cells) through intact capillary walls and into the surrounding tissue

facilitation - (neurophysiology) phenomenon that occurs when two or more neural impulses that alone are not enough to trigger a response in a neuron combine to trigger an action potential

food chain - (ecology) a community of organisms where each member is eaten in turn by another member

food pyramid - (ecology) a hierarchy of food chains with the principle predator at the top; each level preys on the level below

food cycle, food web - (ecology) a community of organisms where there are several interrelated food chains

gene expression - conversion of the information encoded in a gene first into messenger RNA and then to a protein

histocompatibility - condition in which the cells of one tissue can survive in the presence of cells of another tissue; "a successful graft or translplant requires a high degree of histocompatibility"

life - the organic phenomenon that distinguishes living organisms from nonliving ones; "there is no life on the moon"

life cycle - a series of stages through which an organism passes between recurrences of a primary stage

pleomorphism - (biology) the appearance of two or more distinctly different forms in the life cycle of some organisms

polymorphism - (biology) the existence of two or more forms of individuals within the same animal species (independent of sex differences)

recognition - (biology) the ability of one molecule to attach to another molecule that has a complementary shape; "molecular recognition drives all of biology, for instance, hormone and receptor or antibody-antigen interactions or the organization of molecules into larger biologically active entities"

rejection - (medicine) an immunological response that refuses to accept substances or organisms that are recognized as foreign; "rejection of the transplanted liver"

greening, rejuvenation - the phenomenon of vitality and freshness being restored; "the annual rejuvenation of the landscape"

sex linkage - an association between genes in sex chromosomes that makes some characteristics appear more frequently in one sex than in the other