BIOLOGY

INTRUCTOR:
HONE MAE ADOLFO-HERMINIGILDO, RN
THE SCOPE OF BIOLOGY

• Biology is the scientific study of life

• Interactions between different kinds of
organisms affect the lives of all

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1.1 Life’s levels of organization define the scope of
biology

• A structural hierarchy of life, from molecules to

ecosystems, defines the scope of biology
• An ecosystem consists of:
– all organisms living in a particular area
– all nonliving physical components of the
environment that affect the organisms
(soil, water)

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 • At the top of life’s
hierarchy is the
ecosystem ECOSYSTEM LEVEL
Eucalyptus forest

• Ecosystems include: COMMUNITY LEVEL

All organisms in
eucalyptus forest

– all the organisms POPULATION LEVEL

Group of flying foxes
ORGANISM LEVEL
in an area, which Flying fox
Brain
make up a
Spinal cord
ORGAN SYSTEM LEVEL
Nervous system

community ORGAN LEVEL

Brain
Nerve

– interbreeding TISSUE LEVEL

Nervous
tissue
organisms of the CELLULAR LEVEL

same species, a Nerve cell

population MOLECULAR LEVEL Figure 1.1

Molecule of DNA

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 • Organisms are
made up of:
– organ systems ECOSYSTEM LEVEL
Eucalyptus forest

– organs COMMUNITY LEVEL

All organisms in
eucalyptus forest

– tissues ORGANISM LEVEL

POPULATION LEVEL
Group of flying foxes

Flying fox

– cells ORGAN SYSTEM LEVEL

Brain
Spinal cord
Nervous system

– molecules ORGAN LEVEL

Brain
Nerve

TISSUE LEVEL
Nervous
tissue

CELLULAR LEVEL
Nerve cell

MOLECULAR LEVEL Figure 1.1

Molecule of DNA

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THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE
1.2 Scientists use two main approaches to learn
about nature

• In discovery science, scientists describe some

aspect of the world and use inductive reasoning
to draw general conclusions
– Example: scientists have
described how newborn
flying foxes cling to their
mother’s chest for the
first weeks of life

Figure 1.2

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 • In hypothesis-driven science, scientists use the
“scientific method”

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1.3 With the scientific method, we pose and test
hypotheses
Observation
• The main
steps of the Question

scientific
method Hypothesis

Prediction

Test does not Test supports

Test:
support hypothesis; hypothesis; make
Experiment or
revise hypothesis or additional predictions
additional
pose new one and test them
observation

Figure 1.3A

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 • Deductive reasoning is used in testing
hypotheses
– If a hypothesis is
correct, and we test it,
then we can expect a
particular outcome
• Case study: flashlight
failure

Figure 1.3B

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 • Experiments designed to test hypotheses must
be controlled experiments
• Control groups must be tested along with
experimental groups for comparison

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 • Case study: spider mimicry

Figure 1.3C

which spider jumped on fly)

Pounce rate (% of trials in

Control group Experimental group

(untreated flies) (wing markings masked)

Figure 1.3D

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 • Another test of the spider mimic hypothesis:
wing transplants
Number of stalk and
attack responses
by spiders

Wing
markings
Wing
waving

Normal Mimic with Mimic with Housefly Normal

spider mimic wing housefly with housefly
mimic transplant wing mimic wing
transplant transplant

Figure 1.3E Controls Experimentals

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EVOLUTION, UNITY, AND DIVERSITY
1.4 The diversity of life can be arranged into three
domains

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ORDER OF TAXA IN BIOLOGY

• (Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species)

• Dear King Philip Come Over For Good Soup
 • Most classification schemes group organisms
into three domains:
– Domain Bacteria
• No nucleus
• 1 chromosome

– Domain Archaea

Figure 1.4A, B

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 – Domain Eukarya - cells have a membrane
bound nucleus and organelles

Figure 1.4C-F

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1.5 Unity in diversity: All forms of life have
common features

• All organisms share a set of common features,

signs of unity in life’s vast diversity
– All are made of cells
– All have DNA as
their genetic
blueprint

Figure 1.5A

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 • DNA is made of chemical units called
nucleotides
• Each species has its own nucleotide sequence

Figure 1.5B

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 • The genetic information in DNA underlies all
of the features that distinguish life from nonlife
– Order and regulation
– Growth and development
– Use of energy from the environment
– Response to environmental stimuli
– Ability to reproduce
– Evolutionary change

Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings

1.6 Evolution explains the unity and diversity of
life

• Charles Darwin is a central figure in biology

• He synthesized the theory of evolution by
natural selection
– A theory in science is a
comprehensive idea with
broad explanatory power
• Evolution is the core theme
of biology

Figure 1.6A

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 • The theory of
natural selection
explains the
main mechanism (1) Population with varied inherited traits

whereby all
species of
organisms
change, or evolve (2) Elimination of individuals with certain traits

Figure 1.6B (3) Reproduction of survivors

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 • Evolution happens when populations of
organisms with inherited variations are
exposed to environmental factors that favor the
success of some individuals over others
– Natural selection is the editing mechanism
– Evolution is based on adaptations

Figure 1.6C

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1.7 Living organisms and their environments form
interconnecting webs

• The theory of natural selection applies to all

levels in life’s hierarchy
• Video: #75 (natural selection CCR)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTftyFboC_
M
• In an ecosystem, these interactions make up a
complex web of relationships

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 • A web of
interactions
in a rain
forest
ecosystem

Figure 1.7A

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 • Plants, or plant products, are the ultimate
sources of food in an ecosystem
– This African sunbird is consuming nectar, a
plant product

Figure 1.7B

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 • Chemical nutrients cycle within an ecosystem’s
web
– Energy Sun

flows in
Inflow
and out of
light
Loss
of
constantly energy heat
energy
Air Chemical
energy

Cycling
of
chemical
Organisms nutrients

Soil
Figure 1.7C ECOSYSTEM

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BIOLOGY AND EVERYDAY LIFE
1.8 Connection: Biology is connected to our lives in
many ways

• Biology is connected to a great number of

important issues
– Environmental
problems and
solutions
– Genetic engineering
– Medicine

Figure 1.8A

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 ACTIVITY
GIVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU CAN
APPLY HYPOTHESIS-DRIVEN
SCIENCE.
Process of
Science
(1.3)
 Observation
A farmer notices that his
neighbors wheat yields are
consistently higher than
his own.
 Testable
Question
What causes the other
farmers fields to produce
more grain?
 Possibilities
Farming Practices
 Variety of Seed
 Time of planting
 Summer fallow
 Fertilizing
 Pesticides
Outside Factors
Less moisture due to
varying weather patterns
Poor Soil
Other Neighbors fields
holding pests
 Hypothesis
The farmer thinks that it is
most likely the result of the
seed variety.
 Prediction
If the farmer plants the
same seed variety as his
more successful neighbor,
then his yields will be
higher than with the old
variety.
 Controlled
Experiment
Independent Variable – The
variable that will be
changed by the conductor
of the experiment.
The variety of wheat seed
 Controlled
Experiment
Dependent Variable – The
variable that will be
measured to determine the
effect of the Independent
Variable.
The wheat yield
 Controlled
Experiment
Controlled Variables – The variables
that may have an effect on the
dependent variable, but are not being
tested, so must remain the same.
Fertilizer, time of planting, seeding
rate, moisture, weather damage, etc.
 Controlled
Experiment
Controlled Variables – The
variables that will not be allowed
to change. Any measured
difference will be due to the
effect of the Independent
Variable.
Fertilizer, Pesticide, Time of
Planting, Weather
 Controlled
Experiment
Experimental Group- the group in
which the Independent variable is
changed.
Control Group- group in which the
independent variable is left
unchanged. Controls other possible
variables, used for comparison.
 Controlled
Experiment
The farmer 10 separate strips
and alternately plants 5 strips
to his old variety and 5 to the
new variety.
The field is treated exactly
the same for each variety.
Field
 Results
The farmer carefully harvests
one variety and then the
other.
The new variety yields a total
of 2,017 bushels, while his
old variety yields 2,156
bushels.
 Conclusions
The farmer decides that
the seed variety is not the
factor that causes his
neighbors yields to be
higher.
 Start Over
The farmer thinks the next most
likely variable is fertilizer.
He repeats his experiment, this
time using only one seed variety,
while fertilizing one set of strips
and not fertilizing the other.
 Results
The fertilized strips yield
2,562 bushels.
The unfertilized strips yield
1,985 bushels.
 Conclusions
The farmer decides that the
fertilizer made a drastic
difference in yield and then
compared the cost of the
fertilizer with the yield increase.
He then fertilized all of his
cropland before planting.
 (1.6)
Evolution explains
the Unity and
Diversity of Life
Sexual Selection
Gene Indicators
Preferential Mating
Individuals with “Good Gene”
indicators are selected more
for mating and pass on more
genes to the next generation.
Common Characteristics
of Living Things
Order – complex organization (cells)
Regulation – maintain internal
environment (Homeostasis)
Growth and Development
Utilize Energy
Respond to the environment
Reproduction
Evolution