Biol 114 Week 1: Unifying themes of Biology and the Biological Hierarchy

Flashcards covering the nature of science, the meanings of theory, pattern vs. process, proximate vs. ultimate explanations, Cell and Evolutionary Theories, the Biological Hierarchy, emergent properties, and key distinctions among ecosystem, biome, and biosphere.

What is science as described in Week 1 notes?

Science is the process of identifying patterns and asking questions to understand those patterns; more specifically, it is the process of disproving hypotheses to focus on the true answer.

How is a scientific theory defined, and how does it differ from a non-scientific use of the word 'theory'?

In science, a theory is a well-supported umbrella concept that explains patterns and integrates related, demonstrated hypotheses, backed by extensive evidence. In non-scientific terms, a theory is often a guess with little evidence.

What are Pattern and Process in the context of theories?

Pattern is the general observations of repetition in a system; Process is the mechanism by which the pattern occurs; theories may involve multiple processes (proximate and ultimate).

What is the distinction between proximate and ultimate processes?

Proximate processes are short-term mechanisms or conditions; ultimate processes are long-term causes or evolutionary reasons that explain the pattern.

What did Albert Einstein say about proof in science, according to the notes?

No amount of experimentation can prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong.

What are the two main ideas of Cell Theory?

1) All organisms are made of cells. 2) All cells come from pre-existing cells.

What does the note mean by Life is continuous in Cell Theory?

All cells trace back to a common ancestral cell; life is continuous through cellular lineage (e.g., a fertilized egg to the trillions of cells in an organism).

What is Evolutionary Theory, in brief?

All life is the product of evolutionary processes; evolution is the heritable change in a population over time.

What is Natural Selection?

The primary mechanism of evolution; traits that improve reproductive success become more common in a population over time.

What are the two general ideas within Evolutionary Theory?

1) Evolution explains variation, its origin, and responses to changing environments. 2) All species are related through common ancestry.

What is the Biological Hierarchy? List the levels from atoms to the biosphere.

Atoms, molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs and organ systems, organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere.

What is an organism in the context of these notes?

An organism is an individual; it may be single-celled or multicellular and is typically a collection of organ systems; organisms are the unit acted on by natural selection.

What is a population?

A population is a collection of individuals of the same species, typically interbreeding; evolution occurs at the population level.

What is a community?

A community is a collection of populations of different species living together in the same area.

What is an ecosystem?

An ecosystem is a community plus its abiotic factors (water, temperature, geology, sunlight, etc.).

What is a biome, and how does it relate to ecosystems?

A biome is a collection of very similar ecosystems, largely bounded by climate and weather; ecosystems are parts of biomes, but the terms are not perfectly interchangeable.

What is the biosphere?

All ecosystems (biomes) together; energy flows in as sunlight and heat energy leaves; climate and climate change are major concerns of biosphere science.

What is an emergent property?

A property that arises when units at one level combine to form the next higher level; it is often greater than the sum of the parts and helps define the next level.

Give an example of emergent properties as discussed in the notes.

Reproduction is an emergent property of the organismal level (organ systems alone cannot reproduce); evolution is emergent at the population level (populations evolve, not individuals); safety in numbers and resource sharing are emergent at the group level.