PlayPosit Test

• Instruction to access PlayPosit Test on Canvas course page:

  • Go to the Canvas course page on any device, including phone (via app).

  • Find the "Lecture Questions" module on the Homepage.

  • Locate the assignment titled "9/5/25 Introduction to Biology."

  • Open the video and wait for the instructor to begin the questions.

S.T.E.M. Study Lounge

• Location: 2nd (ground) floor of the Environmental Sciences building.

• Signing in procedure:

  • Scan the QR code.

  • Type in your full name.

• Available resources: Accessible to all UWGB students across various classes.

• Open hours: Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.

• Peer mentors available: Monday to Friday, 11 AM to 2 PM.

Course Information

• Course Title: 9/5/25: Introduction to Biology

• Course Code: BIO 201 Cellular and Molecular Biology

• Instructor: Dr. Jon Kaletka

Course Schedule

• Monday, September 8th: Chemistry and Biology

  • Reading: Chapter 2

  • Assignment: Reading Assessment

• Wednesday, September 10th: Chemistry of Water

  • Reading: Chapter 2

  • Assignment: None

• Friday, September 12th: Macromolecules

  • Reading: Chapter 3

  • Assignments: Reading Assessment; Quiz

Learning Objectives

• After this class, students will be able to:

  • Name examples of biological life.

  • Explain why definitions in biology can be difficult.

  • Define core concepts in biology.

  • Order the different levels of biological organization, including taxonomy.

  • Define the three domains of life.

  • Write the correct binomial nomenclature for an organism.

Lecture Outline

• What is biology?

• Organizational levels of biology.

• Taxonomical classification.

Discussion: What is Biology?

• Biology defined as the study of life.

Defining Life

• Discussion on how to define life:

  • Existence of an individual human being or animal.

  • Condition that differentiates animals and plants from inorganic matter.

  • Includes capacities for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change until death.

• Life characteristics include:

  • Homeostasis

  • Organization

  • Metabolism

  • Growth

  • Adaptation

  • Response to stimuli

  • Reproduction

• Life ultimately leads to mortality; no organism is immortal.

Complexity in Biology

• The definitions of life and categories in biology can be complex and often ambiguous:

  • Situations exist with gray areas and exceptions.

  • Labels do not always reflect biological reality.

  • Biology employs simplified terms to communicate concepts, but complexity is common.

Teaching Biology

• Challenge in teaching biology is due to its complexity.

Core Concepts in Biology

• Core concepts developed by numerous biology faculty include:

  • Evolution: Change in populations over time influenced by molecules, organisms, and environment, explaining life diversity.

  • Structure and Function: Structure influences function across various scales (e.g., ribosomes, DNA).

  • Genetic Information: Flow, exchange, and storage of genetic information critical for life processes.

  • Energy and Matter: Pathways and transformation of energy and matter essential for life processes.

  • Living Systems: Organisms interact within both external and internal environments.

Relation of Core Concepts to Course Units

• Evolution: Explored in Unit Four.

• Structure and Function: Discussed in Unit One.

• Information Flow, Exchange, and Storage: Covered in Units Three and Four.

• Pathways and Transformation of Energy and Matter: Discussed in Unit Two.

• Living Systems: Explored in Units Two and Four.

Levels of Biological Organization

• Levels of biological organization include:

  1. Atoms

  2. Molecules and Macromolecules

  3. Cells

  4. Tissues

  5. Organs

  6. Organisms

  7. Populations

  8. Communities

  9. Ecosystems

  10. Biosphere

• Lower levels of organization affect higher levels (e.g., molecules influence cells).

Taxonomy

• Taxonomy defined as the categorizing of living organisms.

• Taxonomical classification of living things:

  • Domain (Eukarya)

  • Kingdom (Animalia)

  • Phylum (Chordata)

  • Class (Mammalia)

  • Order (Primates)

  • Family (Hominidae)

  • Genus (Homo)

  • Species (sapiens) - Example: Human (Homo sapiens)

Domains of Life

• The three domains of life include:

  • Eukarya: Notable eukaryotes include animals, plants, and fungi, primarily multicellular organisms.

  • Bacteria: Includes organisms like Salmonella and E. coli, key components of microbiomes.

  • Archaea: Previously classified as bacteria; often extremophiles, now recognized within microbiomes.

Observation of Biological Diversity

• Recognizes that only a small fraction of life is visible or understood, encompassing various lesser-known bacterial and archaeal lineages.

Binomial Nomenclature

• Describes how organisms are named according to genus and species.

• Examples:

  • Genus species: Homo sapiens

  • Common short form: H. sapiens

Species Definition Challenges

• Challenge in defining species, particularly in bacteria: A bacterial species shares 97% of genetic material.

• Examples provided:

  • Salmonella bongori vs. Salmonella enterica subgroups illustrate the diversity within a single genus.

Review Questions

• What is a single, living thing called?

  • Types include Population, Atom, Organism, Community.

• Identify the correct binomial nomenclature for Salmonella enterica.

• Variations of the name presented to emphasize proper usage and classification.