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means "optional" or "discretionary" (antonym obligate
), used mainly in biology in phrases such as:
- Facultative anaerobe, an organism that can use oxygen but also has anaerobic methods of energy production
- Facultative biped
A facultative biped is an animal that is capable of walking or running on two legs, often for only a limited period of time, in spite of normally walking or running on four limbs or more. Well-known examples include many lizards such as the Basilisk lizard, and even some cockroaches when running...
, an animal that is capable of walking or running on two legs in spite of normally walking or running on four limbs or more
- Facultative carnivore, a carnivore that does not depend solely on animal flesh for food but can also consume non-animals.
- Facultative heterochromatin, a tightly packed but non repetitive form of DNA which can lose its condensed structure and become a transcriptionally active gene
- Facultative lagoon
Facultative lagoons are a type of stabilization pond used for biological treatment of industrial and domestic wastewater. Sewage or organic waste from food or fiber processing may be catabolized in a system of constructed ponds where adequate space is available to provide an average waste...
, a type of stabilization pond used for biological treatment of industrial and domestic wastewater
- Facultative parasite
A facultative parasite is an organism that may resort to parasitic activity, but does not absolutely rely on any host for completion of its life cycle....
, a parasite that can complete its life cycle independent of a host
- Facultative photoperiodic plant, a plant that will eventually flower regardless of night length but is more likely to flower under appropriate light conditions