lOMoARcPSD|64109549
BIOD101 module 2
essential biology (Portage Learning Online)
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Module 2
Monday, January 20, 2025
3:52 PM
Characteristics of Life
Organisms - an individual, living creature.
7 widely accepted characteristics of living organisms:
Order (anatomical features)
Evolutionary adaptation
Regulation (tendency toward stability)
Energy processing (convert food to energy)
Growth and development
Response to their environment
Reproduction
Order - Highly ordered structures are comprised of the basic unit of life (the cell). Life is then structured
into developmental hierarchy, where cells give rise to tissues, tissues to organs, etc. The cell, being the
most basic unit of life, is also highly ordered since it contains organelles, cytoplasm, it conducts
metabolic processes, as well as undergoes adaptations.
Evolutionary Adaptation - It refers to smaller, genetic changes that allow for better survival of an
organism, like camouflage, or coat (such as fur) which provides better odds for survival.
Regulation - Living organisms are sensitive to temperature, environmental stress, pH requirements, etc.
and they need to maintain optimal levels (homeostasis), deviations for these optimal conditions require
regulatory processes, e.g. shivering to generate body heat.
Energy processing- Biochemical reactions are utilized to produce energy. The sum of these is referred to
as metabolism. Living organisms must obtain ATP or use metabolic processes to produce their own
energy. Many prokaryotes use organic substances metabolizing them via anaerobic metabolism, plants
use light and create energy via photosynthesis, and animals ingest food and use macromolecules as part
of aerobic respiration.
Growth and Development- All living things grow or change over the course of their life. A living thing
grows, matures, ages, and dies.
Response to Environment- Through adaptation, which is a change that allows an organism to become
better suited for their environment. A stimulus causes the organism to respond, these adaptations can
be physical or behavioral.
Reproduction - Living things must have a way of producing new and thriving generations to replace
previous ones. It may occur through sexual or asexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction examples are,
spore formation, binary fission, vegetative reproduction, budding, and fragmentation.
Levels of Organization, from broadest to smallest.
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BIOD101 module 2
essential biology (Portage Learning Online)
messages.pdf_cover_qr_code_label
messages.studocu_not_sponsored_or_endorsed_by_college
messages.downloaded_by
, lOMoARcPSD|64109549
Module 2
Monday, January 20, 2025
3:52 PM
Characteristics of Life
Organisms - an individual, living creature.
7 widely accepted characteristics of living organisms:
Order (anatomical features)
Evolutionary adaptation
Regulation (tendency toward stability)
Energy processing (convert food to energy)
Growth and development
Response to their environment
Reproduction
Order - Highly ordered structures are comprised of the basic unit of life (the cell). Life is then structured
into developmental hierarchy, where cells give rise to tissues, tissues to organs, etc. The cell, being the
most basic unit of life, is also highly ordered since it contains organelles, cytoplasm, it conducts
metabolic processes, as well as undergoes adaptations.
Evolutionary Adaptation - It refers to smaller, genetic changes that allow for better survival of an
organism, like camouflage, or coat (such as fur) which provides better odds for survival.
Regulation - Living organisms are sensitive to temperature, environmental stress, pH requirements, etc.
and they need to maintain optimal levels (homeostasis), deviations for these optimal conditions require
regulatory processes, e.g. shivering to generate body heat.
Energy processing- Biochemical reactions are utilized to produce energy. The sum of these is referred to
as metabolism. Living organisms must obtain ATP or use metabolic processes to produce their own
energy. Many prokaryotes use organic substances metabolizing them via anaerobic metabolism, plants
use light and create energy via photosynthesis, and animals ingest food and use macromolecules as part
of aerobic respiration.
Growth and Development- All living things grow or change over the course of their life. A living thing
grows, matures, ages, and dies.
Response to Environment- Through adaptation, which is a change that allows an organism to become
better suited for their environment. A stimulus causes the organism to respond, these adaptations can
be physical or behavioral.
Reproduction - Living things must have a way of producing new and thriving generations to replace
previous ones. It may occur through sexual or asexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction examples are,
spore formation, binary fission, vegetative reproduction, budding, and fragmentation.
Levels of Organization, from broadest to smallest.
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