Biology 1 Topics 1 and 2- Concept and Manifestations of Life
Biology is the study of life
Topic 1
A. Manifestations and Characteristics of Life B. Theories on the Origin of Life
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The Concept of Life
What is LIFE?
• Most contemporary biologists define life as a particular set of processes that result from the organization of matter
Characteristics of All Forms of Life
All forms of life share common properties/characteristics 1. Organization and Order—the highly ordered structure that typifies life
Growth and development
Organization and Order
Reproduction Energy processing
Response to the environment
Homeostasis
2. Energy processing—the use of chemical energy to power an organism’s activities and chemical reactions 3. Metabolism/Homeostasis—an ability to control an organism’s internal environment 4. Response to the environment/Movement—an ability to respond to environmental stimuli
Evolutionary adaptation
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Biology 1 Topics 1 and 2- Concept and Manifestations of Life
Manifestations and Characteristics of Life 5. Reproduction—the ability of organisms to reproduce their own kind
1. Life is highly organized (ORGANIZATION).
6. Growth and development—consistent growth and development controlled by inherited DNA 7. Evolutionary adaptation— variation, change and adaptation
Biosphere
Regions of the Earth’s crust, water and atmosphere inhabited by living things
Ecosystem
Community plus the physical environment
Community
Interacting populations in a particular area
Population
Organisms of the same species in a particular area
Organism
Organism’s Organization and Order
Ecosystem: Forest in Madagascar
Biosphere Madagascar
• characteristics of life emerge from an organism’s organization
Community: All organisms in the forest
Population: Group of ring-tailed lemurs
Individual containing organ systems Organism: Ring-tailed lemur
Organ system
Composed of several organs functioning together
Organ
Group of tissues functioning together for a specific task
Tissue
Group of cells with common structure and function Structural and functional unit of living things; consists of organelles Specialized structure composed of complex molecules within a living cell
Cell Organelle Molecule Atom
Union of two or more atoms of the same or different element Smallest unit of an element composed of electrons, protons and neutrons
Spinal cord Organ system: Nervous system Brain
Organ: Brain
Nerve
Tissue: Nervous tissue
Cell: Nerve cell
Atom
Nucleus
Organelle: Nucleus
Molecule: DNA
Manifestations and Characteristics of Life
Manifestations and Characteristics of Life
2. Life requires a constant input of energy and raw materials (METABOLISM).
3. Life has strong internal control (HOMEOSTASIS)
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Biology 1 Topics 1 and 2- Concept and Manifestations of Life
Manifestations and Characteristics of Life
Manifestations and Characteristics of Life
4. Life reacts to the environment (IRRITABILITY & MOVEMENT).
5. Life reproduces itself (REPRODUCTION).
Irritability is a state of extreme sensitivity to stimulation of any kind.
Manifestations and Characteristics of Life
Manifestations and Characteristics of Life
6. Life grows (GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT).
7. Life varies and evolves (ADAPTATION & EVOLUTION).
Manifestations and Characteristics of Life 7. Life varies and evolves (ADAPTATION & EVOLUTION).
How did life BEGIN? African wild dog
Coyote
Fox
Wolf
Jackal
Thousands to millions of years of natural selection
Ancestral canine
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Biology 1 Topics 1 and 2- Concept and Manifestations of Life
Theories on the Origin of Life
• Louis Pasteur’s 1862 experiment disproves abiogenesis
1. ABIOGENESIS / SPONTANEOUS GENERATION •Life was created spontaneously from lifeless or inorganic matter
www.fotosearch.com/comp/ITS/ITS223/itf139053.jpg
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Theories on the Origin of Life
Theories on the Origin of Life
2. BIOGENESIS
3. SPECIAL CREATION
•Life comes from pre-existing life
http://www.artoftheprint.com/jpegimages/rausch_anton_mother_and_child.jpg
•Life was created by supernatural or divine forces
www.bibledirectories.com/.../What-is-it.html
Theories on the Origin of Life
Theories on the Origin of Life
4. INTERPLANETARY / COSMOZOIC THEORY
5. BIOGEOCHEMICAL THEORY
•Life originated on a distant planet •Also known as PANSPERMIA
•Life evolved from inorganic matter •Chemical and physical processes in Earth’s primordial environment eventually produced simple cells.
Panspermia Theory suggests that life seeds came from outer space and planets exchanged life. http://www.rogerwendell.com/images/evolution/dmns_recipe_for_life_09-02-2006.jpg
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Biology 1 Topics 1 and 2- Concept and Manifestations of Life
Debates about the origin of life abounds
Time Line of Life on Earth
• Laboratory simulations cannot prove that these kinds of chemical processes actually created life on the primitive Earth. • They describe steps that could have happened. • The origin of life is still subject to much speculation and alternative views. Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
• Alternatively, we can view the time line with a clock analogy.
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
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