BIO173 Biology

Life’s Organization
What is Biology?

 The study of life and living organisms

What is Life?

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Levels of Life’s Organization

 Subatomic Particles – Protons, Neutrons, Electrons

 Atom

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Levels of Life’s Organization

 Atom – Basic unit of matter (The Elements)

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Levels of Life’s Organization

 Molecule – Group of atoms bonded together (infinite possibilities)

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Levels of Life’s Organization

 Organelle – Membrane bound structure in a cell that performs

specific function

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Levels of Life’s Organization

 Cell – Basic unit of life

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Levels of Life’s Organization

 Tissue – Many of the same type of cell working together for a

specific function

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Levels of Life’s Organization

 Organ – Many tissues working together for a specific function

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Levels of Life’s Organization

 Organ System – Many organs working together for a specific

function

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Levels of Life’s Organization

 Organism – Individual entity that embodies the properties of life

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Pyramid of Life’s Organization

Increasing
Complexity

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Levels of Life’s Organization

 Organism – Individual entity that embodies the properties of life

 Population – Group of one species of organism in the same habitat
 Community – Group of populations of two or more different species
in the same habitat
 Ecosystem – Complex set of relationships between a community
and the nonliving components of the environment
 Biome – Distinct communities that have formed in response to a
shared physical climate
 Biosphere – Regions of the surface, atmosphere and hydrosphere
of the Earth occupied by living organisms, includes the non-living
components

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Emergent Property
 Characteristics of a system that does not appear in any of its component
parts

What is Life?

 Life is an emergent property

 Where does it emerge?

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Cell is Where Life Begins

Nonliving

Increasing
Complexity

Living

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Summary
 Atoms are the basic unit of matter

 The cell is the basic unit of life

 Life is a property that emerges at the level of the cell

 Organisms can be single celled or multicellular

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