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D

deposit feeding

Feeding type of some bivalves during which organic particles are harvested (by either the siphons or palps) from the surface or near-surface sediments; see also suspension feeder.

developmental biology

The study of how a multicellular organism develops from its early immature forms (zygote, larva, embryo, etc.) into an adult.

dinoflagellates

Chiefly marine, planktonic, usually solitary phytoflagellates (which have many characteristics in common with algae) that include luminescent forms, forms important in marine food webs, and forms causing red tides.

directional selection

A type of selection that removes individuals from one end of a phenotypic distribution and thus causes a shift in the distribution.

discrete variation

Variation within a limited number of categories (e.g., gender — male or female).

disruptive selection

A type of selection that removes individuals from the center of a phenotypic distribution and thus causes the distribution to become bimodal.

diversity

The variety of species in a sample, community, or area.