Introduction to Biology- lecture #1 & #2 Flashcards
how is biology defined?
as the scientific study of life
what is zoology?
study of animals
what is microbiology?
study of bacteria and viruses
what is botany?
study of plants
what is mycology?
the study of fungi
what is ecology?
the study of how different organisms interact with their environments
what is evolution the process of?
process of change that has allowed organisms to adapt to their environment
what are the 6 common features among all life forms? GIeOERR
ability to grow and develop
a highly regulated internal environment
complex Organization
ability to take in and utilize energy
ability to respond to environmental changes and stimuli
ability to reproduce one’s own kind
what does the ability to take in and utilize energy entail? what is energy used for?
energy is used to perform all of the necessary life functions
how does the evolution of adaptations work?
occurs over many generations
individuals with traits best suited to their environment will pass them on to their offspring
what does the hierarchy of organization consist of? in order from biggest to smallest
biosphere
ecosystem
community
population
organism
organs & organ systems
tissues
cells
organelles
molecules
what is reductionism?
the reduction of complex systems to simpler more manageable components
what is the biosphere?
all living things on earth
consists of all environments on earth that support life
incudes most areas of land, water bodies and the lower atmosphere (areas that are living)
within the bisphere the individual environments can be further broken down into what?
ecosystems
what do ecosystems encompass?
all living organisms and non-living matter
ecosystems include all components of the environment with which the living organisms interact, what are these components? (4)
air, soil, sunlight and water
what do communities consist of?
all of the different organisms that are living in a particular ecosystem
what is an example of a community?
university campus
what are populations?
all of the individuals of a particular species living within a particular area
what is an example of a population?
all the people on campus
what is an organism?
the individual unit of the population
what is an example of an organism?
one student on campus
what is an organ system?
groups of several organs which work together to perform specific functions (what makes up the individual)
what is an example of an organ system?
the nervous system, digestive system…
what are organs?
structures comprised of different tissues
what does an organ consist of?
2 or more tissue parts
what is an example of an organ?
the heart (its comprised of muscle tissue, connective tissue etc.)
what are tissues made of?
similar cell types and each tissue has a specific function
ex. human skin tissue
what are cells?
membrane bound structures that form the individual units of living matter
ex. human blood cells
what are organelles?
the various functional components present on the inside of the cell
what is an example of an organelle?
nucleus
what are molecules made up of?
a cluster of atoms
what is an example of molecules?
DNA, protein, sugar molecules, lipid…
can the hierarchy be flipped upside down?
yes, it can go in the opposite direction
organisms within an ecosystem interact with what?
both living and the non-living components of their environment