Chapter 1 Flashcards
Reductionism
An approach that reduces complex systems to simpler components that are more manageable to study.
Emergent Properties
Properties that emerge due to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases.
Systems Biology
The exploration of the network of interactions that underlie the emergent properties of a system.
Levels of Biological Organization
Biosphere, Ecosystem, Community, Population, Organism, Organ, Tissue, Cells, Organelles, Molecule
Species
A group whose members can only reproduce with other members of the group.
Eukaryotic Cell
Contain membrane-enclosed organelles, including a DNA containing nucleus.
Prokaryotic Cell
Found in bacteria and archaea. Lack a nucleus or other membrane-enclosed organelles. Generally smaller than Eukaryotic cells.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
Genetic material contained within chromosomes. Made up of two long chains, called strands, arranged in a double helix.
Genes
Sections of the DNA molecule.
Nucleotides
Chemical building blocks making up the chains of DNA. Abbreviated A, T, C, and G. Specific sequences of these four nucleotides encode the information in genes.
Gene Expression
The process by which the information in a gene directs the production of a cellular product.
Genome
The entire “library” of genetic instructions that an organism inherits.
Genomics
Studying whole sets of genes in one or more species.
Proteomics
The study of sets of proteins and their properties.
Proteome
The entire set of proteins expressed by a given cell, tissue, or organism.
Bioinformatics
The use of computational tools to store, organize, and analyze huge volumes of data.
Climate Change
A directional change to the global climate that lasts for three decades or more (as opposed to short-term changes in the weather).
Extinction
The permanent loss of a species.
Evolution
A process of biological change in which species accumulate differences from their ancestors as they adapt to different environments over time.
Domains
Three higher levels of classification of life. Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya.
Bacteria
Most diverse and widespread prokaryotes.
Eukarya
All organisms composed of eukaryotic cells.
3 Kingdoms of Eukarya
Plantae, Fungi, Animalia
Natural Selection
The mechanism of evolutionary adaptation by which the environment “selects” for the propagation of certain traits among naturally occurring variant traits in the population.
Hypothesis
An explanation, based on observation and assumptions, which leads to a testable prediction.
Experiment
A scientific test, often carried out under controlled conditions.
Inductive Reasoning
Drawing conclusions from observations and data.
Deductive reasoning
Extrapolating from general premises to specific results we should expect if the premises are true. “If… then”.
Theory
Broad in scope, generates new hypotheses, supported by a large body of evidence.
Technology
A method or device that applies scientific knowledge.
Controlled Experiment
Compares an experimental group with a control group.
Variable
A feature or quantity that varies in an experiment.
Independent Variable
The factor manipulated by experimenters.
Dependent Variable
The factor being measured that is predicted to be affected by the independent variable.
