BIOL 1201 Chapter : Partial Chapter 1
Biology
Unit 1
Chapter 1—Introduction: Themes in the Study of Life
Evolution—the rocess of change that has transformed life on earth from its earliest
beginnings to the diversity of organisms living today. Results in an organism’s
adaptation to it’s environment (ex: ghost flower in the small crevices able to get
water).
Basic Properties of Life:
1. Order—complex organization
2. Evolutionary adaptation—heritable response to the environment;
evolutionary response
3. Response to the environment—reaction to stimuli, behavioral and
physiological responses
4. Reproduction—if you don’t reproduce, you’re genetically dead
5. Energy processing—uptake and transformation if work. If you don’t eat,
you die.
6. Growth and development—directed pattern based on DNA
7. Homeostasis—maintenance of internal environment.
System—combination of components working together.
To know how a system works requires more than a list of parts, it also requires an
understanding of the interaction of those parts.
Emergent properties—characteristics due to the arrangement and interactions of
parts as complexity increases. Properties that result from the arrangement of parts.
An emergent property is more than just the sum of the parts of a system.
Systems biology—an approach that attempts to model the dynamic behavior of
whole biological systems based on a study of the interactions among the system’s
parts. Systems are often to complex to study, but examining their individual parts,
though simpler, may prevent understanding the emergent properties of the systems.
Reductionism—the approach of reducing complex systems to simpler components
that are more manageable to study
Organisms interact with other organisms and the physical environment. This
ultimately results in the cycling of nutrients in ecosystems.
Life requires energy transfer and transformation. A fundamental characteristic of
living organisms is their use of energy to carry out life’s activities.
Document Summary
Chapter 1 introduction: themes in the study of life. Evolution the rocess of change that has transformed life on earth from its earliest water). Basic properties of life: beginnings to the diversity of organisms living today. If you don"t eat: homeostasis maintenance of internal environment. System combination of components working together: growth and development directed pattern based on dna physiological responses. To know how a system works requires more than a list of parts, it also requires an understanding of the interaction of those parts. Emergent properties characteristics due to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases. Properties that result from the arrangement of parts. An emergent property is more than just the sum of the parts of a system. Systems biology an approach that attempts to model the dynamic behavior of whole biological systems based on a study of the interactions among the system"s parts.
