

(Greek: life; living, live, alive)


The most important things in life are not things.

Organisms living in the air; aerial organisms.
autobiographer (s) (noun), autobiographers (pl)
Someone who writes about his or her personal life history.


autobiographic (adjective), more autobiographic, most autobiographic
autobiographical (adjective), more autobiographical, most autobiographical
A reference to the presentation of one's own life history or experiences in the manner of an autobiography; such as, an autobiographical diary, or an autobiographical novel.
autobiographist (s) (noun), autobiographists (pl)
Someone who writes the story about his or her personal life.
autobiography (s) (noun), autobiographies (pl)

A man is dictating his life story to a stenographer.
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—Franklin P. Jones


That part of the biosphere in which energy is fixed by photosynthesis in green plants.
bioaccumulation (s) (noun), bioaccumulations (pl)
1. Any increase in the concentration of a chemical in a biological organism over time, compared to the chemical's concentration in a surrounding area.
2. An increase in the concentration of a pollutant from external conditions to the first organism in a food chain: The accumulation of chemicals by organisms present in the environment, most often are expressed as the ratio of the concentration of a chemical in the organism to that in the medium, usually water.
3. 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".

bioaccumulator (s) (noun), bioaccumulators (pl)
Plant or animal species that brings together 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 the amounts of pollutants are too low to be easily detectable.
bioacoustics (s) (noun) (a plural form that is used as a singular)
1. The science dealing with the effects of sound fields or mechanical vibrations in living organisms: "As an experiment for her botany class in high school, Kelly designed a project to test the bioacoustics of loud music on the growth of sweet peas."
2. The science of communicating sounds that are made by animals: "Dolphins are frequently the subject of studies of bioacoustics as zoologists study the communication techniques among them."
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.
bioamplification, biomagnification (s) (noun); bioamplifications, biomagnifications (pl)
The increase in concentration of a pollutant from one trophic (or nutrition) 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 bioamplification pollutants are long-lived, mobile, soluble in fats, and biologically active."

"Biomagnification, or bioamplification, is a particular threat for species living at the top of food chains."

