Chapter 1: Introduction: Themes in the Study of LIfe

Q: What is an ecosystem?
A: It is when each organism interacts continuously with its environment, which includes both nonliving factors and other organisms.

Q: Why is evolution considered the core theme of biology?
A: Evolution is the core theme because it is the idea that makes sense of everything we know about living organisms.

Q: How are structure and function correlated in biology?
A: Structure and function are correlated at all levels of biological organization; the form of a biological structure suits its function and vice versa.


1. Evolution is biology’s core theme.
2. Cells can be defined in two main forms: prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells.
3. Diversity of life was divided into five kingdoms: plants, animals, fungi, single-celled eukaryotic organisms, and prokaryotes.4. The three domains are named Bacteria, Achaea, and Eukarya. Bothe Bacteria and Achaea are all prokaryotic; All the Eukaryotes are now grouped in domain Eukarya
5. Discovery science and Hypothesis-Based science are the two main forms that scientist use to inquire their study nature.




Diagram: Figure 1.14 Classifying life.

To help organize the diversity of life, biologists classify species into groups that ate then combined into even broader groups.

This chapter is about elements and their structures. Elements are very interesting because of all their particles and many different groups. In an atom, electrons occupy specific energy shells; the electrons in a shell have a characteristic energy level.
Then, there are covalent bonds, ionic bonds, and weak chemical bonds. Covalent bonds are chemical bonds that form when atoms interact and complete their valence shells. Covalent bonds form when pairs of electrons are shared. Ionic bonds are when an atom transfers its electrons and both the atoms become ions, complete ones. A weak chemical bond is considering the hydrogen bonds.

Emergent properties: new properties that arise with each step upward in the hierarchy of life, owing to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases.

Biosphere: the biosphere includes most regions of land, most bodies of water, and the atmosphere to an altitude of several kilometers.

Ecosystems: an ecosystem consists of all the living things in particular area, along with all the nonliving component of the environment with which life interacts.

Community: the entire array of organisms inhabiting a particular ecosystem is called biological community.

Populations: a population consists of all the individuals of a species living within the bounds of a specified area.

Organism: Individual living things are called organisms.

Organs and organ system: the structural of life continues to unfold as we explore the architecture of the more complex organisms.

Tissues: an integrated group of cells with a common function, structure, or both.

Organelles: any of several membrane-enclosed structures with specialized functions, suspended in the cytosol of eukaryotic cells.

Feedback (negative, positive): Negative feedback, in which accumulation of an end product of a process slows that process. (most common form of regulation)
Positive feedback, in which an end product speeds up its production.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzjHA2eEsCI