Introduction

1. Levels of Organization in Biology

Molecular/Cellular:

sub-atomic particles-> atoms->molecules->organelles->cells

Organismal:

tissues-> organs-> organ systems-> organisms

Ecological:

populations-> communities-> ecosystems-> biosphere

2. Emergent Properties

With each step upward in the levels of organization, new properties emerge that were not present at the simpler levels

properties come about because of specific interactions between the 'parts'

example: amino acids ---> proteins

example: emergent properties associated with living organisms

Homeostasis (internal environment maintained)

Order (highly ordered structure)

Growth & Development (organisms have a characteristic pattern of reproduction)

Response to the environment (organisms respond to the environment by growth/behavior)

Energy Utilization (energy taken in and transformed to do work-either autotrophs or heterotrophs)

Adaptation (life evolves through natural selection)

Reproduction (organisms reproduce their own kind/genetic instructions passed on to offspring)

3. Reductionism

How do we study living systems?

-reduce complex systems to smaller, easier to study components:

(organelles instead of whole cells or individual organisms instead of populations or communities)

-each level of organization spawns different types of biologists