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Outline Chapter 1 Material Type: Notes; Class: Biology 1 - Introduction; Subject: Biology / Biological Sciences; University: Lehigh Carbon Community College; Term: Forever 1989;
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Introductory Biology, Bio 101
Read the entire chapter, but concentrate on the topics listed below. Applicable course objectives: Be able to characterize life in all its diverse forms. Unity in the properties and processes of life The levels of life The diversity of life Be able to explain how the process of natural selection leads to the evolution of populations. Be able to explain and apply the process of scientific reasoning. The Unity of Life Living organisms are characterized by: order (figure 1.1a) regulation (figure 1.1b) growth and development (figure 1.1c) energy utilization (figure 1.1d) response to their environment (figure 1.1e) reproduction (figure 1.1f) evolution (figure 1.1g) Be able to cite/recognize examples of each of these. Levels of Life Biologists can study life at these different levels: ecosystem, community, population, organism, organ system, organ, tissue, cell, molecule, atom (figure 1.2). Not all organisms can be studied at all these levels (e.g. single-celled bacteria do not have organs or organ systems.) Be able to explain/define these different levels. Life in Its Diverse Forms The Three Domains of Life: Humans have devised a classification system that groups different organisms together based on certain measurable characteristics. The three largest categories are the domains Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya (figure 1.8). Figure 1.7 shows just a small fraction of the incredible diversity in one small group within the domain Eukarya.
The universal genetic language of DNA: All life forms use DNA to encode their genetic (hereditary) information. Moreover, all life uses the same coding system (language) so it has been possible to take pieces of meaningful code (genes) from human cells and have bacteria or other cells read the code and make the specified product (figure 1.6). Evolution: Biology’s Unifying Theme Evolution – the term means change over time, and in the biological sense refers to measurable changes in characteristics of populations over time. The mechanism driving this change is natural selection, which is the “inescapable conclusion” drawn from two observations (p. 11). In natural selection the environment “drives” the evolutionary process, whereas the term artificial selection is used when humans are the driving force. The Process of Science Discovery Science (Descriptive Science) Investigates natural causes for natural phenomena (hence natural science.) Direct observations are those made with our unaided senses. Indirect observations are when special instruments are used to extend the range of human senses (e.g. microscopes, infra red cameras, radio telescopes). Hypothesis-Driven Science (Experimental Science) Uses the steps of the scientific method (figure 1.15) to learn about something by manipulating it. Avoiding bias in scientific work: single blind experiments (data collectors don’t know which subjects are in the experimental and control groups) double blind experiments (neither data collectors nor the human subjects in a study know who is in the experimental and control groups) repeatability (verifies that the results from a study are reliable) publication (allows others to scrutinize and criticize your work)