Lecture 1

Introduction to Biology

The Diversity of Life

Biology is the study of living things Living things can be divided into six kingdoms

Archaea

Bacteria

Protista

Fungi

Plantae

Animalia

What is Life?

Biology is the study of life - but what does it mean to be alive?

Ludwig von Bertalanffy life is a system where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts Modern physiology life is an electron in search of a resting place

Living organisms and many non-living things share three properties

1. Complexity 2. Movement 3. Response to stimulation

Properties of Life

All living organisms share five basic properties 1. Cellular Organization

All living organisms are composed of at least one cell All living organisms use energy All living organisms maintain stable internal conditions All living organisms grow and reproduce All living organisms possess a genetic system that is based on DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)

2. Metabolism

3. Homeostasis
4. Growth and reproduction

5. Heredity

The Organization of Life

Living organisms function and interact with each other at many levels These levels are organized in a hierarchy of increasing complexity: 1. Cellular Level 2. Organismal Level 3. Population Level 2. 3. 1.

Life is an Emergent Property

Each higher level of organization contains novel properties not present at the simpler level of organization
Birth rate & death rate populations NOT individuals Evolution populations evolve biologically NOT individuals

These properties are termed emergent properties

They are a consequence of the structural organization that is the hallmark of life They characterize many aspects of the living world

Five Themes That Unify Biology

1. Evolution
The gene frequencies change in a species over time Causes include: Genetic drift Natural & artificial selection Founder effects All living organisms require energy The sun is the source of energy for most ecosystems Plants capture energy via photosynthesis They then act as an energy source for other organisms Interaction between organisms is critical for evolution Social behavior occurs when organisms of the same species live in direct contact Community dynamics occur when organisms of different species live in direct contact (Competition, Predation, Symbiosis)

2. The Flow of Energy

3. Interaction

4. Structure Determines Function

Biological structures are well suited to their function This is true at every level of organization
All living organisms act to maintain a relatively stable internal environment Maintaining homeostasis requires energy and a lot of signaling back-and-forth between cells

5. Homeostasis

How Scientists Think

Inductive Reasoning
Is used by scientists to develop hypotheses about how the world works

Deductive Reasoning

Uses accepted general principles as a guide to explain specific observations

Inference vs. Observation

An observation is limited to a description of actions or events without interpretation

An inference is a conclusion we draw based on what we observe Inference or observation?
Example 1 (The cat is happy) Example 2 (The cat is chewing on the plant leaves) Example 3 (The cat is sleeping) Example 4 (The cat is a female)

Theory and Certainty in Science

A theory is a set of hypotheses that have been tested many times and not rejected It indicates a high degree of certainty However, there is no absolute truth in science
So the acceptance of a theory is always provisional

Note:
To the general public, the word theory is often used to mean what a scientist would call a hypothesis, a lack of knowledge or a guess To scientists, a theory represents that of which they are most certain, explanations supported by a wealth of evidence and experimental data

The Limitations of Science

Science is limited to organisms and processes that can be observed and measured
Spiritual and religious phenomena are beyond the scope of science Most religious explanations do not allow formation of a realistic null hypothesis

There are also practical limits

Science can provide options and understanding Science cannot be relied upon to solve all problems For example, what constitutes acceptable risk cannot be answered by science!

Four Theories Unify Biology & This Class

1. The Gene Theory

The information that determines what an organism is like is encoded in its genes Genes are located along DNA molecules The entire set of DNA instructions that specifies a cell is termed its genome All living organisms are composed of cells Cells are the basic units of life All cells come from other cells Genes represent traits of an organism and are inherited as discrete units Chromosomal theory of inheritance: Genes are physically located on chromosomes All living organisms are related to one another in a common tree of life Diversity of the living world is the result of natural selection

2. The Cell Theory

3. The Theory of Heredity

4. The Theory of Evolution