Levels of Organization for Organisms

Levels of Organization
All living things have a structure that is based on specific organization of materials. While
science discovers
new levels all of the time, the life sciences tend to draw some distinctive lines of demarkation.

In Anatomy, you are responsible for knowing the levels of organization from the atom to the
organism.

Level of
Explanation Example
organization

atom is the smallest particle that maintains

its physical and chemical properties; note
oxygen,
that particles smaller than the atom have
nitrogen, gold
been discovered, but they do not maintain
these properties
atom

when two or more atoms are bonded water, carbon

together dioxide
molecule

proteins,
macromolecule when two or more molecules are bonded
lipids,
together to form large (gigantic!) molecules
carbohydrates
mitochondria,
organelles several macromolecules bonded together
nucleus, golgi
form these building blocks of a cell
apparatus
Below this level begins what scientists consider living
or alive

http://www.coldwater.k12.mi.us/nicholsk/courses/chs/Ana/levelorg.htm (1 of 3) [3/11/2009 9:21:19 AM]

Levels of Organization for Organisms

the smallest unit of life, a cell is a bacteria,

collection of organelles functioning together animal, plant
cells

tissues a collections of cells working together to epithelial,

perform a specific job connective

two or more types of tissues that work heart,

together to complete a specific task stomach, brain

organs

organ systems digestive,

several organs working in unison to
(systems) achieve a common goal
cardiovascular,
respiratory

human, dog,
several organ systems functioning together
tree

organism

groups of individual organisms of the same

population
species working together to achieve a bees, ants
common goal
community populations of different species of all of the
organisms human species

groups of different populations living in the wetlands, oak

ecosystem
same environment forest

http://www.coldwater.k12.mi.us/nicholsk/courses/chs/Ana/levelorg.htm (2 of 3) [3/11/2009 9:21:19 AM]

Levels of Organization for Organisms

desert,
a collection of ecosystems with similar
trundra,
climates
rainforest

biome

the earth's
all of the biomes on the planet earth living
biosphere occupants

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