Biology

Chapter 1 Notes (A View of Life)

1.1 Characteristics of life

-All living things are:

• Organized

Organization begins with CELLS or

Smallest, most basic units of life

UNICELLULAR-a single cell, contain genes

MULTICELLULAR-many types of cells, contain genes

Organized on both microscopic and macroscopic levels

& can. . .

• 1. Acquire Materials and Energy

We need energy to live

Some organisms attain energy by means of photosynthesis

Some organisms break down chemicals for energy

Our energy=food

METABOLISM-chemical reactions that occur in a cell

ENERGY-capacity to do work

HOMEOSTASIS-the maintenance of internal conditions within certain boundaries

♦ We must be stable in:

 Temperature

 Acidity

 Moisture level, etc.

 • 2. Respond

Living things can respond to their environment, often through movement

Responses make up BEHAVIOR

• 3. Reproduce and Develop

Unicellular organisms split in two to reproduce

We reproduce sexually

GENE-unit of heredity, made up of DNA

• 4. Adapt to environment

ADAPTATIONS- adjustments that make an organism suited to life

Small MoleculesLarge MoleculesCellsTissuesOrgansOrgan SystemComplex Organism

1.2 Evolution: The Core Concept of Biology

EVOLUTION- the process by which species have changed and diversified since life arose 4.6 billon
years ago

Evolution explains the unity and diversity of life

All living things share the same characteristics

All living things have a common ancestor

Each is adapted to a particular way of life

• The Diversity of Life

TAXONOMY- is the discipline of identifying and classifying organisms according to certain rules

1. Domain
 Species placed in different domains are most distantly related

• Domain Eubacteria—true bacteria, prokaryotes, or unicellular organisms, lacking cell nucleus & membrane;
1st to evolve in the primitive Earth

• Domain Eukarya— eukaryotes, complex structures enclosed within membranes

• Domain Archaea—prokaryotes, metabolically complex, can live in harsh environments, more closely
related to the domain Eukarya;

2. Kingdom

Eukarya:

• 1. Protista—unicellular to multi-cellular organisms with various modes of nutrition

• 2. Fungi—live on debris; molds and mushrooms

• 3. Plantae—multi-cellular photo-synthesizers

• 4. Animalia—multicellular organisms, ingest food

3. Phylum

4. Class

5. Order

6. Family

7. Genus

8. Species

• NATURAL SELECTION:

 A key component of the theory of evolution

 Coined by Charles Darwin

 Populations produce a bunch of offspring—MORE BABIES! YAAAAYYY! 

 There aren’t that many resources, AWWWWH MAN 

 There’s competition for resources

&…
  Only organisms that are fit to adapt to the environment will retain the resources

&…

 From then on, those FIT organisms give off THEIR genetic characteristics

 Those unable to adapt, slowly become extinct as genetics from the most fit organisms are continually being
passed down

 Results in a population fully adapted to the environment

1.3 How the Biosphere is Organized

BIOSPHERE- the zone of air, land, and water at the surface of the earth where living organisms are found

(Life, circle)

POPULATION- group of interbreeding individuals of the same species occupying the same area at the same
time

COMMUNITY- assemblage of populations interacting with one another within the same environment

ECOSYSTEM- biological community together with the associated abiotic environment; characterized by a flow
of energy and a cycling of inorganic nutrients

♦ Characterized by chemical cycling

♦ Energy flow

♦ Beginning with photo-synthesizers

1.4 Science: A Way of Knowing

BIOLOGY- science of lie

 Observation

• 1st component of scientific process

• We can observe with our senses

• We can observe through experience

• We can observe through reading or studying

  Hypothesis

• Supposition based on reasoning after consideration of available evidence

• Can be tested by obtaining more data, often through experimentation

• Inductive reasoning used

♦ ObservationPatternTentative HypothesisTheory

 Experiments/Further Observation

• EXPERIMENT- a series of procedures to test a hypothesis

• EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN- the manner in which a scientist intends to conduct an experiment

♦ In a good experiment, all scientist are testing what they want to test and result will be meaningful

♦ ALL conditions must be kept constant, except for the experimental variable, which is deliberately
changed

♦ One or more test groups are exposed to the experimental variable

♦ The control group is not exposed to the experimental variable

♦ The control group should never show the same results as the test group(s)

• MODEL- representation of an actual object

• DATA- the results of an experiment

 Conclusions

• Statement made following an experiment as to whether or not the results support the hypothesis

♦ Experiments and date must be repeatable

 Scientific Theory

• Accepted explanations for how the world works

• PRINCIPLE- theory that is generally accepted by an overwhelming number of scientists; aka law

1.5 Scientific Study

TECHNOLOGY- the application of scientific knowledge for a practical purpose

BIOETHICS- branch of science concerned with the development and consequences of biological technology

BIODIVERSITY- variation of life on earth, number of species

 Approximately 15 million species

 Fewer than 2 mill identified, named, and classified

 Today’s biodiversity = result of 3.5 billion yrs of evolution

EXTINCTION- death of a species or a larger taxonomic group

 Human activities have increased extinction rate factor immensely