9/15/10

RSTN Chapter 1.1 Pgs 2-8

Intro to Bio

Biologists explore life from the microscopic to the global scale

Needs for life:

• Order
• Evolutionary adaptation- adaptations over many years in time so
organisms are best suited to their environment.
• Response to the Environment- responding to environmental stimuli.
• Regulation- helps organisms adapt to their environment and their bodies.
• Energy processing- nutrition from food to create energy.
• Growth and development
• Reproduction- not necessary for life as an individual but for a group as a
whole.

Levels of Biological Organization-

1. The biosphere
2. Ecosystems
3. Communities
4. Populations
5. Organisms
6. Organs and organ systems
7. Tissues
8. Cells
9. Organelles
10. Molecules

Ecosystems
• Organisms in an ecosystem are interdependent.
o Ex: A tree absorbs water and minerals and takes in carbon dioxide
from the air. From the water and minerals and CO2, it makes sugar
and oxygen, which is released into the air. Also the roots break up
rocks to make more soil. The tree also interacts with other soil
microorganisms and other animals eat its leaves and fruit.
• Two major processes in an ecosystem:
1. Cycling of nutrients.
• Ex: Minerals acquired by plants will be returned to the
soil by microorganisms.
2. Flow of energy from producers to consumers.
• Producers- photosynthetic organisms that make their
own food for energy.
 • Consumers- animals and other organisms that eat
producers and other consumers. Don’t make their
own food. Cant cook for shit.
o Energy flows through an ecosystem from producers to consumers,
but it requires changing of energy in different forms.
Cells intro:
• Cells can perform ALL activities required for life.
o Ex: splitting of cells
o Ex: Growth and repair of multicellular organisms.
o Ex: recycling of carbon.
• Cells are made up of chromosomes, which are filled with DNA, made
of genes.
o Each chromosome has one long DNA with thousands of genes
in each DNA strand.
o DNA are double helix, filled with our traits we get from our
parents.
 Each strand of DNA is make up of different combinations
of four chemical letters encoded on the genes.
• Genes program the cell’s production of large molecules called proteins.
o Different proteins have different roles in the body.
o Proteins maintain the cells.
• ALL forms of life have essential the SAME genetic code.
• Genome- entire list of genetic instructions an organism gets from their
parents.
• Every cell is surrounded by a membrane.
• Two types of cells:
o Prokaryotic
o Eukaryotic
 Eukaryotic cells have organelles, with the nucleus being
the biggest organelle, containing and protecting all of the
DNA.
 In prokaryotic cells, the DNA is not separated from the
rest of the cell.