BIOLOGY-101
Section 801
BIOL-101
Brookdale Community College
Mr. D. Fusco
BIOLOGY-101
Section 801
BIOL-101
Brookdale Community College
Mr. D. Fusco
Agenda
*Introduction to BIOL-101
*Personal Information
*Syllabus review
*Philosophy of Life Sciences (Chapter 1)
*Characteristics of Life
*Organization of Life
*Classification
*Scientific Method
Personal Information
First & Last Name
Address - Line 1
Phone Number
Address - Line 2
Email address
Emergency Contact: Name & Phone Number
Occupation (Please note if you are a F/T or P/T student)
Reason for taking course
Career Goals
One thing I should know about you
Icebreaker
•Milk Chocolate = Tell how you spent your summer
•Krackel = Name the reality show you would be on
(if you had to) and why
•Special Dark = Tell something that you have done
that you think no one else has done
•Mr. Goodbar = Share one of your favorite memories
Philosophy of Life Sciences
What is Biology?
•Biology is the scientific study of life - a VAST
topic
•Biologists ask questions such as:
•How a single cell develops into an organism
•How the human mind works
•How living things interact in communities
•There are many key themes that connect the
concepts of biology
Major theme of biology
•A striking unity underlies the
diversity of life; for example:
•DNA is the universal
genetic language
common to all organisms
•Unity is evident in many
features of cell structure
•Yet, all organisms (even
within the same species)
exhibit great diversity
What is Life?
•Life defies a simple, onesentence definition
•Life is recognized by what
living things do
•What do living things do?
•How do we identify
something living?
Fig. 1-3
Order
Response
to the
environment
Adaptation
Regulation
Reproduction
Energy
processing
Growth and
development
Characteristics of Life
•Life involves 7 characteristics
•All living things:
•Respond (to environment)
•Energy (use & acquire)
•Grow & develop (directed by genes)
•Reproduce (like produces like)
•Order (demonstrate)
•Adapt (over a longer period of time)
•Regulate (maintain homeostasis)
Organization of Life
•Life is highly organized
•Life can be studied at
different levels from
molecules to the entire
living planet
•New properties emerge
at each level in the
biological hierarchy
•The study of life can be
divided into different
levels of biological
organization
Fig. 1-4
Levels of Organization
The biosphere
10 µm
Cells
Organs and
organ systems
Cell
Ecosystems
Organelles
Communities
1 µm
Atoms
Tissues 50 µm
Molecules
Populations
Organisms
Organization
•Atoms are the simplest level.
•Two or more atoms comprise a
molecule. (Macromolecules are
large, biologically important
molecules inside cells.)
•Organelles are aggregates of
macromolecules used to carry
out a specific function in the
cell.
Organization
•Cells are the basic living
unit.
•Tissues are groups of cells
functioning together.
•Groups of tissues form
organs.
•Groups of organs function
together as organ systems.
•Organ systems functioning
together make up an
organism.
Organization
•A group of organisms within a
specified area make a population.
•The set of populations that inhabit
a particular area create a
community.
•All of the living things in the
community, as well as nonliving
components (such as soil, water,
and light) make an ecosystem.
•All of the earth’s ecosystems
combine to make up the
biosphere.
Classification
•Approximately 1.8 million species
have been identified and named to
date, and thousands more are
identified each year
•Estimates of the total number of
species that actually exist range
from 10 million to over 100 million
•Taxonomy is the branch of
biology that names and classifies
species into groups of increasing
breadth
Taxonomy
“taxis” = arrangement; “nomy” = science of
•Hence taxonomy
becomes the “science
of arrangement”
•Taxonomy involves
identifying and
classifying organisms
Aristotle
384-322 BC (Greece)
• 1st person to classify life
• Classified into two main
groups:
• Plants because they
are “planted” in the
ground
• Animals because they
are “animated”
Carolus Linnaeus
1707-1778 (Sweden)
• Father of taxonomy
• Binomial system of
nomenclature (“bi” = two,
“nom” = name)
• Scientific name (aka
Latin name)
• Consists of Genus and
species
Fig. 1-14
Species Genus Family Order
Class Phylum Kingdom Domain
Ursus americanus
(American black bear)
Ursus
Ursidae
Carnivora
Mammalia
Chordata
Animalia
Eukarya
Levels of Classification
D
• Domain (broadest)
D - Eukarya
e
• Kingdom
K - Animalia
r
• Phylum
P - Chordata
e
• Class
C - Mammalia
a
• Order
O - Carnivora
i
• Family
F - Ursidae
n
• Genus
G - Ursus
• Species (most specific)
S - americanus
c
s
g
Scientific Name
• 2 names (Genus & species)
African elephant
• GENUS is capitalized
Loxodonta africana
• species is lowercase
Wolf
• Latin
• Either in italics or underlined
Canis lupus
African lion
Panthera leo
Domains
•The three-domain system is
currently used
•Some scientists still refer to
5 kingdoms as well
•Domain Bacteria includes
most of the common bacteria
•Domain Archaea includes bacteria that live in extreme
environments (hot springs and salt lakes)
•Domain Eukarya includes all eukaryotic organisms
(those whose cells have a true nucleus)
Eukarya
•The domain Eukarya
includes three multicellular
kingdoms:
•Plantae
•Fungi
•Animalia
•Other eukaryotic organisms
were formerly grouped into a
kingdom called Protista,
though these are now often
grouped into many separate
kingdoms
Kingdoms
Each kingdom will be discussed
according to:
1. Cell Type (pro- vs. eu- karyotic)
• Monera (combine
Bacteria & Archaea)
2. Organization (uni- vs. multi- cell)
• Protista
3. Acquiring energy (absorb, ingest, • Fungi
or photosynthesize)
• Plantae
4. Reproduction (asexual or sexual)
• Animalia
5. Motility (motile or nonmotile)
6. Example(s)
Monera (Bacteria)
• Prokaryotic (NO nucleus)
• Unicellular
• Absorb food
• Asexual reproduction
(binary fission)
• Motile, nonmotile
• Example: bacteria
•Escherichia coli
•Helicobacter pylori
Protista
• Eukaryotic
• Unicellular or
Multicellular
• Absorb, ingest, or
photosynthesize
• Asexual or sexual
reproduction
• Motile or nonmotile
• Example: Ameba, Paramecium, Euglena, Seaweed
Fungi
• Eukaryotic
• Multicellular
• Absorb food (hyphae)
• Asexual or sexual
reproduction
• Nonmotile
• Example: Mushroom
(Agaricus bisporus); Yeast
(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)
Plantae
• Eukaryotic
• Multicellular
• Photosynthesize (make
their own food)
• Sexual reproduction
• Nonmotile
• Example: Rose (Rosa
macdub)
Animalia
• Eukaryotic
• Multicellular
• Ingest food
• Sexual reproduction
• Motile
• Example: Chimpanzee
(Pan troglodytes)
Question?
Where
are the
viruses?
Are viruses alive?
•Virus means “poison”
•Originally, they were
considered biological
chemicals
•Because of their
pathogenic properties,
researchers saw a
parallel with bacteria
•Let’s look again at the
characteristics of life
Fig. 1-3
Order
Response
to the
environment
Adaptation
Regulation
Reproduction
Energy
processing
Growth and
development
Are viruses alive?
•Viruses cannot reproduce
or carry out metabolic
activities outside of a host
cell
•Most biologists would agree
that they are NOT alive since
they do not exhibit all of the
characteristics of life
•Viruses lead a “borrowed
life”
Scientific Inquiry
•The word Science is derived
from Latin and means “to
know”
•Inquiry is the search for
information and explanation
•There are two main types of
scientific inquiry: discovery
science and hypothesisbased science
•The goal of science is to
understand natural phenomena
Discovery Science
•Discovery science describes natural structures and
processes
•This approach is based on observation and the analysis of
data
•Data are recorded observations or items of information
•Data fall into two categories
•Qualitative, or descriptions, rather than
measurements
•Quantitative, or recorded measurements, which are
sometimes organized into tables and graphs
Inductive Reasoning
•Discovery science often
employs inductive reasoning
•Inductive reasoning draws
conclusions through the logical
process of induction
•Repeat specific observations
can lead to important
generalizations
•For example, “the sun
always rises in the east”
Hypothesis-Based Science
•Observations can lead us to
ask questions and propose
hypothetical explanations
called hypotheses
•A hypothesis is a tentative
answer to a well-framed
question
•A scientific hypothesis leads
to predictions that can be
tested by observation or
experimentation
Limitations of Hypotheses
•A hypothesis must be testable and falsifiable
•Hypothesis-based science often makes use of two or
more alternative hypotheses
•Failure to falsify a hypothesis does not prove that
hypothesis
•For example, you replace your flashlight bulb, and it
now works
•This supports the hypothesis that your bulb was burnt
out, but does not prove it (perhaps the first bulb was
inserted incorrectly)
Deductive Reasoning
•Hypothesis-based science
involves the use of
deductive reasoning
•Deductive reasoning uses
general premises to make
specific predictions
•For example, if organisms
are made of cells (premise
1), and humans are
organisms (premise 2), then
humans are composed of
cells (deductive prediction)
Scientific Method
•The scientific method is an
idealized process of inquiry
•Hypothesis-based science is
based on the “textbook” scientific
method but rarely follows all the
ordered steps
•Discovery science has made
important contributions with very
little dependence on the so-called
scientific method
•However, we will identify steps in
order to grasp its parts
Scientific Method Parts
•Identify a problem/question
•Make observations/research
•Create a testable hypothesis
•Design a controlled experiment
•Analyze results and make a
conclusion
Case Study: Investigating Mimicry in
Snake Populations
•Many poisonous species are brightly
colored, which warns potential predators
•Mimics are harmless species that
closely resemble poisonous species
•Henry Bates hypothesized that this
mimicry evolved in as an adaptation that
reduces the chances of a harmless
species being eaten
•This hypothesis was tested with the
poisonous eastern coral snake (top) and
its mimic the nonpoisonous scarlet king
snake (bottom)
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Hypothesis
•Both species live in the
Carolinas, but the king
snake is also found in
regions without poisonous
coral snakes
•If predators inherit an
avoidance of the coral
snake’s coloration, then the
colorful king snake will be
attacked less often in the
regions where coral snakes
are present
Experiment
•To test this mimicry hypothesis,
researchers made hundreds of
artificial snakes:
•An experimental group
resembling king snakes
•A control group resembling
plain brown snakes
•Equal numbers of both types
were placed at field sites,
including areas without poisonous
coral snakes
Conclusion
•After four weeks, the
scientists retrieved the
artificial snakes and
counted bite or claw
marks
•The data fit the
predictions of the
mimicry hypothesis: the
ringed snakes were
attacked less frequently
in the geographic region
where coral snakes were
found
Controlled Experiment
•A controlled experiment compares an experimental
group (the artificial king snakes) with a control group (the
artificial brown snakes)
•Ideally, only the variable of interest (the color pattern of
the artificial snakes) differs between the control and
experimental groups
•A controlled experiment means that control groups are
used to cancel the effects of unwanted variables
•A controlled experiment does not mean that all unwanted
variables are kept constant
Theories & Laws
•In the context of science, a theory is:
•broader in scope than a hypothesis
•general, and can lead to new testable hypotheses
•supported by a large body of evidence in comparison
to a hypothesis
•Example: theory of evolution
•In the context of science, a law is:
•described as an “accepted theory”
•supported by a larger population (usually outside of the
scientific community) than a theory
•Example: law of gravity
Limitations of Science
•In science,
observations and
experimental results
must also be
repeatable
•Science cannot
support or falsify
supernatural
explanations, which
are outside the bounds
of science
Science & Technology
•Science and technology
are interdependent
•The goal of technology
is to apply scientific
knowledge for some
specific purpose
•Biology is marked by
“discoveries,” while
technology is marked by
“inventions”
Science & Society
•The combination of science
and technology has dramatic
effects on society
•Example, the discovery of DNA
allowed for advances in DNA
technology
•Ethical issues can arise from
new technology, but have as
much to do with politics,
economics, and cultural values
as with science and technology
Review Questions
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15.
Explain the unity and diversity of life.
Name and describe the 7 characteristics of life.
Correctly identify the various levels of organization from a molecule to the biosphere.
Describe the contributions of Aristotle and Linnaeus to taxonomy.
Define, in order, the 8 levels of scientific classification.
Name and describe the 3 domains.
Identify 5 major kingdoms, along with important characteristics of each.
Explain how viruses are classified and why.
Define scientific inquiry and name 2 types.
Define describe 2 different types of data.
Name and describe 2 different types of reasoning.
Explain the use of the scientific method and its “textbooks” parts.
Explain a controlled experiment.
Differentiate between hypothesis, theories, and laws.
State 2 limitations of science and explain the relationship between science and
technology.