Introduction: Themes in the Study of Life

Question 1

– the process of change that has transformed life here on Earth from its earliest beginnings to the diversity of organisms living today
– fundamental organizing principle of biology

Answer 1

evolution

Question 2

– posing questions about the living world and seeking-based answers
– central activities of biology

Answer 2

scientific inquiry

Question 3

some properties of Life

Answer 3

1. order
2. evolutionary adaptation
3. response to the environment
4. regulation
5. energy processing
6. growth and development
7. reproduction

Question 4

the overarching theme of biology; the idea that the organisms living on Earth today are the modified descendants of common ancestors

Answer 4

evolution

Question 5

the reduction of complex systems to simpler components that are manageable to study

Answer 5

reductionism

Question 6

Levels of Biological Organization

Answer 6

1. Biosphere – includes most region of lands, most bodies of water, and the atmosphere to an altitude of several kilometers
2. Ecosystems – consists of all living things in a particular area, along with all the nonliving components of the environment with which life interacts such as soil, water, atmospheric gases, and light
3. Communities – entire array of organisms inhabiting a particular ecosystem
4. Population – consists of all the individuals of a species living within the bounds of a specified area
5. Organisms – individual living things
6. Organs & organ system – organ: a body part consisting of two or more tissues & organ system: a team of organs that cooperate in a specific function
7. Tissues – group of similar cells
8. Cells – life’s fundamental unit of structure and function
9. Organelle – various functional components that make up cells
10. Molecules – a chemical structure consisting of two or more small chemical units called atoms

Question 7

construct models for the dynamic behavior of whole biological system

Answer 7

system biology

Question 8

The operation of any ecosystem involves two major processes:

Answer 8

1) Nutrient cycling
2) One-way flow of energy

Question 9

Two main forms of cell

Answer 9

eukaryotic cell & prokaryotic cell

Question 10

3 key research development to bring systems biology

Answer 10

1. High throughput technology – tools that can analyze biological materials very rapidly and produce enormous amount of data
2. Bioinformatics – which is the use of computational tools to store, organize, and analyze the huge volume of data that result from high-throughput methods
3. Formation of interdisciplinary teams – melting pots of diverse specialists that may include computer scientists, mathematicians, engineers, chemists, physicists, and, of course, biologists from a variety of fields

Question 11

is a regulatory motif common to life at all levels, from the molecular level to ecosystems and the biosphere

Answer 11

feedback

Question 11

accumulation of end product of a process slows that process

Answer 11

negative feedback

Question 12

in which an end product speeds up its production

Answer 12

positive feedback

Question 13

one of the founders of modern evolutionary theory who quoted “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.”

Answer 13

Theodosius Dobzhansky

Question 14

The Three Domains of Life

Answer 14

1. Bacteria – are the most diverse and widespread prokaryotes and are now divided among multiple kingdoms.
2. Archaea – live in Earth’s extreme environments, such as salty lakes and boiling hot springs.
3. Eukarya
    Protists
    Fungi
    Plantae
    Animalia

Question 15

On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection
articulated two main points:

Answer 15

1) Darwin presented evidence to support his view that contemporary species arose from a succession of ancestors.
“descent with modification” – evolutionary history of species

2) Propose a mechanism for descent with modification
natural selection –mechanism of evolutionary adaptation where the natural environment “selects” for the propagation of certain traits.

Question 16

Darwin’s observation from nature:

Answer 16

1. Individuals in a population vary in their traits, many of which seem to be heritable (passed on from parents to offspring).
2. A population can produce far more offspring than can survive to produce offspring of their own.
3. With more individuals than the environment can support, competition is inevitable.
4. Species generally suit their environments.

Question 17

science

Answer 17

– is derived from a Latin verb meaning “to know”
– a way of knowing about the natural world. It developed out of our curiosity about ourselves, other lifeforms, our planet, and the universe.

Question 18

the heart of science; a search for information and explanation, often focusing on specific questions.

Answer 18

inquiry

Question 19

two main types of scientific inquiry:

Answer 19

discovery science
hypothesis-based science

Question 20

 mostly about describing nature
 describes natural structures and processes as accurately as possible through careful observation and analysis of data
 can lead to important conclusions based on a type of logic called induction, or inductive reasoning

Answer 20

discovery science

Question 21

derive generalizations from a large number of specific observations

Answer 21

inductive reasoning

Question 22

is the use of the senses to gather information, either directly or indirectly with the help of tools such as microscopes that extend our senses

Answer 22

observation

Question 23

recorded observations; items of information on which scientific inquiry is based

Answer 23

data

Question 24

data in the form of recorded descriptions rather than numerical measurements

Answer 24

qualitative data

Question 25

data which are generally recorded as measurements

Answer 25

quantitative data

Question 26

 mostly about explaining nature
 can lead to a deductive reasoning type of logic

Answer 26

2. Hypothesis-based science

Question 27

the logic flows in the opposite direction, from the general to the specific

Answer 27

deductive reasoning

Question 28

– the proposing and testing of hypothetical explanations
– a tentative answer to a well-framed question—an explanation on trial
– usually an educated guess, based on experience and on the data available from discovery science

Answer 28

hypothesis