Scribd
Upload
59 views47 pages

Lecture 1 Biology

This document provides an overview of key biological concepts including: - The basic themes of evolution, information transfer, and energy for life. - Characteristics of life such as growth, metabolism, response to stimuli, and reproduction. - The hierarchical organization of life from cells to organisms and ecosystems. - How species evolve over time through natural selection and adaptation to environmental changes. - The scientific process of asking questions, developing hypotheses, making predictions, and testing ideas through experiments.

Uploaded by

Niña Viaña Binay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
59 views47 pages

Lecture 1 Biology

This document provides an overview of key biological concepts including: - The basic themes of evolution, information transfer, and energy for life. - Characteristics of life such as growth, metabolism, response to stimuli, and reproduction. - The hierarchical organization of life from cells to organisms and ecosystems. - How species evolve over time through natural selection and adaptation to environmental changes. - The scientific process of asking questions, developing hypotheses, making predictions, and testing ideas through experiments.

Uploaded by

Niña Viaña Binay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 47

A View of Life

KEY CONCEPTS

•Basic themes of biology include


evolution, information transfer, and
energy for life
KEY CONCEPTS

•Characteristics of life include


growth and development, self-
regulated metabolism, response to
stimuli, and reproduction
Cell Structure
• Plasma membrane
• Surrounds and protects
cell
• Separates cell from
environment
• DNA
• Codes genetic instructions
• Organelles
• Internal structures for
special functions
Two Types of Cells

• Prokaryotic cells
• Bacteria and archaea
• Single celled organisms
• No membrane-bound organelles
• Eukaryotic cells
• Organelles enclosed by membranes
• Nucleus contains DNA
Organisms Grow and Develop

• Biological growth
• Increases size and/or number of cells
• Development
• Overall changes that take place during an
organism’s lifetime
• Includes growth, morphogenesis and
differentiation
Organisms Regulate Their
Metabolic Processes

• Metabolism
• All the chemical activities of the organism

• Homeostasis
• Homeostatic mechanisms regulate and
balance the internal environment
Organisms Respond to Stimuli

• Stimuli
• Physical or chemical changes in the internal
or external environment
• Cause the organism to respond
Fig. 1-3a, p. 4
Fig. 1-3b, p. 4
Organisms Reproduce

• Asexual reproduction
• Low genetic variability

• Sexual reproduction
• High genetic variability
Populations Evolve and
Become Adapted to the
Environment
KEY CONCEPTS

• Biological organization is
hierarchical and includes chemical,
cell, tissue, organ, organ system,
and organism levels
KEY CONCEPTS

•Ecological organization includes


population, community, ecosystem,
and biosphere levels
The
Hierarchy of
Biological
Organization
DNA
• Transmits information
from one generation to
the next
• Contains 4 types of
nucleotides
• Makes up genes
• Codes for proteins
Information is Transmitted

• Chemical and electrical signals


• Proteins
• Hormones
• Cell signaling
• Neurotransmitters
Evolution:
The Unifying Concept of Biology

• Theory of Evolution
• Explains changes in populations over time
• Evolution
• Processes by which populations change
overtime
Organizing the Study of Life

• Systematics
• Study of organisms and their evolutionary
relationships
• Taxonomy
• Science of naming and classifying organisms
• Species
• Populations capable of breeding with one
another
Taxonomic Classification
KEY CONCEPTS

• The tree of life includes three major


branches, or domains, and six
kingdoms
Tree of
Life
Three
Domains: Bacteria Archaea Eukarya
Six Kingdoms:

Bacteria Archaea Protista Plantae Animalia Fungi

Common
ancestor of
all organisms
Fig. 1-9, p. 12
Three Domains
• Bacteria

• Archaea

• Eukarya
Six Kingdoms
• Archaea
• Bacteria
• Protista
• Plantae
• Fungi
• Animalia
KEY CONCEPTS

• Species evolve by natural


selection, adapting to changes in
their environment.
Adaptation

• Interactions between environmental


conditions and genes
• Takes place over many generations
• An evolutionary process
Natural Selection

• Theory of natural selection


• Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace

• Applies to populations, not individuals


Darwin’s 4 Observations
1. Individuals of a species vary
2. More offspring are produced than survive
3. Organisms compete for resources; some
are better adapted to succeed
4. Best-adapted individuals survive to
reproduce
Mutations vs Evolution
Mutations
• Chemical or physical changes in DNA
• Can be inherited
• Cause genetic variation

Evolution
Process by which populations change over
time as a result of selective pressures from
changes in environment
Gene Pool

• All the genes in a population


Energy for Life
• Life
depends on
energy from
the sun
Energy Flow
Autotrophs
• Producers (autotrophs)
• Make their own food
• Transform light energy to chemical energy
through photosynthesis

•Photosynthesis
CO2 + water + light → sugars + oxygen
Heterotrophs
• Consumers (heterotrophs) use energy
stored by producers through cellular
respiration

sugars + oxygen → CO2 + water + energy

• Decomposers (heterotrophs) break down


wastes and dead organisms
KEY CONCEPTS

•Biologists ask questions, develop


hypotheses, make predictions, and
collect data by careful observation
and experiment
The Process of Science

• Deductive reasoning draws specific


conclusions based on information (facts)

• Inductive reasoning draws general


conclusions based on specific
observations
The Scientific Method
• Observation
• Question or problem
• Hypotheses
• Testable predictions
• Experiments
• Analyze data
• Conclusions
The Hypothesis

• A tentative explanation for observations


• Consistent with facts
• Can be tested
• Tests can be repeated by others
• Can be rejected
• Is falsifiable
Testing Predictions by Experiment

• Prediction
• Deductive product of a hypothesis
• Control group
• Closely matches experimental group
• Experimental group
• Differs from control group in 1 variable
Testing a Prediction
Interpreting Experiments
• Data analysis
Sampling Error
• Can lead to
inaccurate
conclusions
Curtain

Single selection
Marbles

produces

Assumption

Actual ratio 100% blue


20% blue
80% white
Fig. 1-19a, p. 20
Fig. 1-19b, p. 20
Scientific Theory

• An explanation of the natural world

• Based on testable hypotheses

• Supported by reproducible observations


Two Approaches to Biology
• Reductionist
• Studies the simplest components

• Systems biology
• Builds on information from reductionism
• Interactive biology

You might also like