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 celledorganisms
• 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
• Homeostaticmechanisms 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
• Ecologicalorganization includes
population,community,
ecosystem,
and biosphere levels
The
Hierarchy of
Biological
Organizatio
n
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 Eukarya
Archaea
Six Kingdoms:
Bacteria Archae Protista Plantae Animalia Fungi
a
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
conclusion
s
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
