AP BIO UNIT 1.1.1-1.1.3

The Biosphere

Consists of all life on earth and all the places where life exists (like bodies of water, land)

Ecosystems

consists of all the living things in a particular area ( grasslands, deserts) along with all the nonliving components of the environment with which life interacts with (soil, water)

Communities

The array of organisms INHABITING a particular ecosystem. These forms of life belong to a species.

Populations

consists of all the individuals of a species living within the bounds of a specified area. For example, a population of mule deer.

Organisms

Individual living things like an animal, fungi, and bacterium

Organs

A body part that is made up of multiple tissues and has specific functions in the body. for example, leaves, stems, and roots are all main organs of a plant.

Tissues

a group of cells that work together performing a specialized function.

Cells

life’s fundamental unit of structure and function

Organelles

the various functional components present IN cells

Molecules

a chemical structure consisting of two or more units called atoms

Prokaryotic cells

the cells of two groups of single celled micro-organisms- bacteria and archaea. Lacks a nucleus and other membrane enclosed organalles. Smaller than Eukaryotic cells

Eukaryotic cells

other forms of life, including plants and animals, are composed of eukaryotic cells. contains membrane enclosed organelles. Contains a nucleus. Larger than prokaryotic cells.

BOTH PROKARYOTIC AND EUKARYOTIC CELLS

contain a cell membrane, cytoplasm, ribosomes, and DNA (genetic material) and have the ability to reproduce and divide

Energy flow (one way stream)

light energy comes from the sun —> plants convert sunlight to chemical energy —> organisms use chemical energy to do work —> heat is lost from the ecosystem

Chemical CYCLE

plants take up chemicals from the soil + air —> chemicals in plants are passed to organisms that eat the plants —> decomposers such as fungi and bacteria break down leaf litter and dead organisms which return chemicals to the soil

smallest to largest

molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, the biosphere