Ch.1 Evolution and the foundations of biology Flashcards
Give an example of evolution of a species
For both beach mice and inland mice, the close color match of coats (fur) and the enviroment is vital for survival.
An organims adaption to its enviroment is a result of evolution
Evolution (define)
Is the proccess of change overtime that has resulted in the astounding array of organisms found on earth.
Evolution is the fundemental principle of biology and the core theme of this book.
Biology (definiton)
The scientific study of life.
-posing questions about the living world and seeking answers through scientific inquiry are the central activities of biology.
Scientific inquiry
How scientists ask and attempt to answer questions about the natural world.
List the five underlying themes of “The study of life”
- Organization
- Information
- Energy and Matter
- Interactions
- Evolution
Emergent Properties
The arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases.
A new function that is created when multiple things work together.
When things combine to make a new function, because they can not perform this function solo.
Systems biology
- The study of the systems in living things.
The exploration of a biological system by analyzing the interactions among its parts
The systems approach poses questions such as
How do networks of genes in our cells function to generate our 24-hour cycle of wakefulness and sleep?
How does increasing CO2 alter the biosphere?
Structure and Function
At each level of the biological hierarchy we find a correlation between structure and function
Analyzing a biological structure can give clues about what it does and how it works
The Cell
The cell is the smallest unit of life that can perform all the required activities
All cells share certain characteristics, such as being enclosed by a membrane
The two main forms of cells are prokaryotic and eukaryotic
What are the two main forms of cells?
What are the two major differences?
Prokaryotic- The cells of two groups of single celled Microorganisms, bacteria and archaea.
Prokaryotic cells are much smaller than Eukaryotic cells,
Eukaryotic- All other forms of life, including plants and animals are composed of Eukaryotic cells.
Eukaryotic cells contain membrane enclosed organelles but prokayotic do not.
Eukaryotic cell
contains membrane-enclosed organelles, including a DNA-containing nucleus
Some organelles, such as the chloroplast, are limited only to certain cell types, that is, those that carry out photosynthesis
Prokaryotic
lack a nucleus or other membrane-bound organelles and are generally smaller than eukaryotic cells
Hierarchy of life unfolds in this order
- The Biosphere
- Ecosytems
- Communities
- Populations
- Organisms
- Organs
- Tissues
- Cells
- Organelles
- Molecules
The Biosphere
Consists of all life on earth and all the places where life exists
Ecosystems
Consists of all the living things in a particular area, along with all non-living components of the enviroment with which life interacts, such as
soil, water, atmospheric gases and light
Communities
The array of organisms inhabiting a particular ecosystem
Populations
Consists of all the individuals of a species living within the bounds of a specified area
Organisms
Individual living things
Organs
A body part that is made up of multiple tissues and has specific functions in the body.
Example,
Leaves, stems, roots and major organs of plants.
Tissues
A group of cells that work together, performing a specialized function.
Cells
is lifes fundamental unit of structure and function.
- some organisms consist of a single cell, which performs all the functions of life.
- Others are multicellular and feature a division of labor among specialized cells.
Organelles
The various functional components inside a cell.
Example, Chloraplasts exist in plants which are responsible for photosythesis
What is a Molecule
A chemical structure consisting of two or more units called atoms.
Example, within each chloroplast, millions of chlorophyll molecules are organized into systems that convert light energy to the chemical energy of food.
Chlorophyll
Is the pigment that makes a leaf green and it absorbs sunlight during photosynethesis.
- Within each chloroplast, millions of chlorophyll molecules are organized into systems that convert light energy to chemical energy for food.
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)
Chromosomes contain most of a cell’s genetic material in the form of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).
A DNA molecule holds hundreds or thousands of genes, each a stretch of DNA along the chromosome
Genes
are the units of inheritance that transmit information from parents to offspring
As cells grow and divide, the genetic information encoded by DNA directs their development
They encode the information neccesary to build all of the molecules syntheseized within a cell, which in turn establish the cells idenity and function.
DNA Molecule Shape
A DNA molecule is made of two long chains (strands) arranged in a double helix
Each link of a chain is one of four kinds of chemical building blocks called nucleotides, abbreviated A, T, C, and G
Nucleotides
Each DNA strand/chain in double helix is made up of four kinds of chemical building blocks called nucleotides.
The nucleotides encode the information in the genes
the building blocks of the genetic code, there are four of them
Adenine (A)
Thymine (T)
Cytosine (C)
Guanine (G)
A to T
And
C to G
DNA and Proteins
DNA provides blueprints for making proteins, the major players in building and maintaining a cell. proteins carry out cells activity
Genes control protein production indirectly, using RNA as an intermediary
Gene expression
Is the process of converting information from gene to cellular product
Gene expression is the process by which the instructions in our DNA are converted into a functional product, such as a protein.
Genomics
Large scale Analysis of DNA sequences
the study of sets of genes within and between species
Study of a all the DNA in an organism.
the branch of molecular biology dealing with the structure function and evolution and maping of genomes.
Genome
The entire “library” of genetic instructions that an organism inherits.
The entire set of genetic instrution
All of the organisms DNA
Proteomics
Refers to the study of sets of proteins and their properties.
Proteome
Is the entire set of proteins expressed by a cell or group of cells
Name the three important research developments that have made the genomic and proteomic approaches possible.
- High throughput technology- tools that can anylaze many biological samples rapidly.
- Bioinformatics is the use of computational tools to store, organize, and analyze the huge volume of data
- interdisciplinary research teams aim to learn how activities of all proteins and noncoding RNAs are coordinated in cells and whole organisms
Bioinformatics
is the use of computational tools to store, organize, and analyze the huge volume of data
What is the primary source of energy
The Sun
Photosynthesis
Plant leaves absorb sunlight, molecules within the leaves convert the energy of the sunlight to chemical energy for food, such as sugars.
this chemical energy of these producers is then passed to consumers that feed on the producers.(insects that feed plants)
What happens with energy in the ecosystem
Energy flows through an ecosystem, generally entering as light and exiting as heat
Chemical elements are recycled within an ecosystem
Climate change
A directional change to the global climate that lasts for three decadesor more.
Evolution
The scientific explanation for the unity and diversity of organisms- As well as for the adaption of organisms to their particular enviroments.
Name the three Domains of life
Bacteria (prokaryotic)
Archaea (prokaryotic
Eukarya (eukaryotic)
Domain Bacteria
Are the most diverse and widespread prokaryotes and are now classified into multiple kingdoms.
Domain Archaea
Includes multiple kingdoms. Some of the prokaryotes known as archaea live in earths extreme enviroments, such as salty lakes and boiling hot springs.
Domain Eukarya
includes three multicellular kingdoms: Plantae, Fungi, and Animalia
Plants produce their own food by photosynthesis
Fungi absorb nutrients
Animals ingest their food
Protists (single celled eukaryote)
Charles Darwin and the theory of natural selection
Darwin made two main points
Species showed evidence of “descent with modification” from common ancestors
Natural selection is the mechanism behind “descent with modification”
Darwin’s theory captured the duality of unity and diversity
Natural selection
The natural environment consistently “selects” for propagation of certain traits among naturally occuring variant traits in the population.
Science
Is a way of knowing an approach to understanding the natural world.
Science is derived from the latin verb meaning “to know”
Inquiry
A search for information and explanations of natural phenomena
Scientists use a process of inquiry that include…
Making observations,
forming logical explanations(hypothesis)
and
Testing them
Data
Qualitative
Quanatative
Recorded observations
Data fall into two categories
Qualitative data, or descriptions rather than measurements
For example, Jane Goodall’s observations of chimpanzee behavior
Quanatitive data (numbers), or recorded measurements, which are sometimes organized into tables and graphs
Inductive Reasoning
Using specific information to get an overall generalization of something.
first from specific information/observations to the overall big picture/generalization.
we see the sun rise in the east 25 times consecutively, so it must happen everytime.
“the sun always rises in the east” (big picture)
Through induction, generalizations are drawn from a large number of observations
Hypothesis
is a rational accounting for a set of observations, guided by inductive reasoning
It is an explanation on trial
A scientific hypothesis leads to predictions that
can be tested with additional observations or an experiment
Experiment
is a scientific test, often carried out under controlled conditions
Deductive reasoning
involves logic that flows in the opposite direction, from the general to the specific.
Big picture to specifics
big piture is All african americans arent intelligent.
specific is tyron is a dumbass
Controlled Experiment
One that is designed to compare an experimental group (the non-camouflaged models in this case) with a control group (the camouflaged models).
Experimental Variables
The factor that is manipulated and the effect of the factor on the system are both experimental variables
Difference between Independent and Dependent Variable
The factor manipulated by the researchers—color—is called the independent variable
The effect of the manipulated factor—amount of predation—is called the dependent variable
Scientific theory
Is much broder (bigger) in the scope than a hypothesis.
General enough to lead to new testable hypotheses
Supported by a large body of evidence in comparison to a hypothesis.
Example,
“Evolutionary adaptions arise by natural selection”
Technology
Is to apply scientific knowledge for some specific purpose
Science and technology are interdependent.
What is the difference between a single cell organism and a multicellular organism?
A single cell performs all the functions of life, and a multicellular organism has a division of labor among specialized cells.
What is unity underlying the diversity of life? Give an Example.
When two organisms so different share a common architecture. example a common genetic code.
example, cilia are extensions of cells that function in locomotion. They occur in eukaryotes as diverse as paramecium (found in pond water) and humans.
The cilia of the single-celled paramecium propel the organism through pond water.
The cells that line the human windpipe are equipped with cilia that help keep the lungs clean by sweeping a film of debris-trapping mucus upward.
Scientific method
The way that researchers answer questions about the natural world and physical world is often idealizd as the scientific method.
consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses.
