CONCEPT 1.1: The study of life reveals unifying themes
• Biology is the scientific study of life
• We recognize life by what living things do
• Biology is a subject of enormous scope
• There are five unifying themes in Biology
– Organization
– Information
– Energy and Matter
– Interactions
– Evolution
Theme: New Properties Emerge at Successive Levels of Biological Organization
• Life can be studied at different levels, from molecules to the entire living planet
• This enormous range can be divided into different levels of biological organization
• Reductionism is an approach that reduces complex systems to simple components that are
manageable to study
, Emergent Properties
• Emergent properties result from the arrangement and interaction of parts as complexity
increases
• Emergent properties characterize nonbiological entities as well
– For example, a functioning bicycle emerges only when all of the necessary parts
connect in the correct way
Emergent Properties
• Emergent properties result from the arrangement and interaction of parts as complexity
increases
• Emergent properties characterize nonbiological entities as well
– For example, a functioning bicycle emerges only when all of the necessary parts
connect in the correct way
Structure and Function
• At each level of the biological hierarchy we find a correlation between structure and
function
• Analyzing a biological structure gives us clues about what it does and how it works
• Conversely, knowing the function of something provides insight into its structure and
organization
The Cell: An Organism’s Basic Unit of Structure and Function
• The cell is the smallest unit of organization that can perform all activities required for life
• The cell theory states that all living organisms are made from cells
• Every cell is enclosed by a membrane that regulates passage of materials between the cell
and its environment
• The cells of bacteria and archaea are prokaryotic, while all other forms of life are
composed of eukaryotic cells
• A eukaryotic cell has membrane-enclosed organelles, the largest of which is usually the
nucleus
• Biology is the scientific study of life
• We recognize life by what living things do
• Biology is a subject of enormous scope
• There are five unifying themes in Biology
– Organization
– Information
– Energy and Matter
– Interactions
– Evolution
Theme: New Properties Emerge at Successive Levels of Biological Organization
• Life can be studied at different levels, from molecules to the entire living planet
• This enormous range can be divided into different levels of biological organization
• Reductionism is an approach that reduces complex systems to simple components that are
manageable to study
, Emergent Properties
• Emergent properties result from the arrangement and interaction of parts as complexity
increases
• Emergent properties characterize nonbiological entities as well
– For example, a functioning bicycle emerges only when all of the necessary parts
connect in the correct way
Emergent Properties
• Emergent properties result from the arrangement and interaction of parts as complexity
increases
• Emergent properties characterize nonbiological entities as well
– For example, a functioning bicycle emerges only when all of the necessary parts
connect in the correct way
Structure and Function
• At each level of the biological hierarchy we find a correlation between structure and
function
• Analyzing a biological structure gives us clues about what it does and how it works
• Conversely, knowing the function of something provides insight into its structure and
organization
The Cell: An Organism’s Basic Unit of Structure and Function
• The cell is the smallest unit of organization that can perform all activities required for life
• The cell theory states that all living organisms are made from cells
• Every cell is enclosed by a membrane that regulates passage of materials between the cell
and its environment
• The cells of bacteria and archaea are prokaryotic, while all other forms of life are
composed of eukaryotic cells
• A eukaryotic cell has membrane-enclosed organelles, the largest of which is usually the
nucleus
