BIOD210 Modules 1-7ExamsGenetics Final Exam;BIO210
Final Exam Study Guide/Genetics/;BIO 210 Final Exam
Review
process of science:
The natural sciences include fields of science related to the physical world and its
phenomena and processes.
As such, science and biology are restricted to natural explanations of phenomena, not
super-natural (god, magic, space aliens, etc.) explanations
scientific reasoning - Inductive reasoning: is a form of logical thinking that uses related
observations to arrive at a general conclusion. (qualitative)
-start with data
-infer conclusions from data
-tend to do qualitative research
Deductive reasoning: is a form of logical thinking that uses a general principle, theory,
or law to forecast specific results
-start with a theory
-confirm a hypothesis
-tend to do quantitative research
Scientific Method - The scientific method consists of a series of well-defined steps. If a
hypothesis is not supported by experimental data, a new hypothesis can be proposed.
Historians credit Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) as the first to define the scientific
method.
biology - study of life and and their interactions with one another and their environments
(so far life is restricted to planet Earth)
The first form of life on Earth were microorganisms - Formerly called blue-green algae,
these (a) cyanobacteria, shown here at 300x magnification under a light microscope,
are some of Earth's oldest life forms. These (b) stromatolites along the shores of Lake
Thetis in Western Australia are ancient structures formed by the layering of
cyanobacteria in shallow waters. (credit a: modification of work by NASA; credit b:
modification of work by Ruth Ellison; scale-bar data from Matt Russell)
What is Science? - Science can be defined as knowledge that covers general truths or
the operation of general laws, especially when acquired and tested by the scientific
method
,The scientific method is a method of research with defined steps that include
experiments and careful observation.
Process of Science: peer review - Scientific progress is typically made through the
publication of peer-reviewed literature.
Peer review involves a blind process whereby scientists submit the details of their
experiments, results and interpretations, and reviewers determine the veracity and merit
of that work for publication.
peer review - Peer-reviewed publications (papers) typically follow a format of
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion (sometimes)
Literature Cited
basic vs applied science - Basic science or "pure" science seeks to expand knowledge
regardless of the short-term application of that knowledge (immediate goal = knowledge
for knowledge's sake, may not result in a practical approach)
Applied science aims to use science to solve immediate problems (problems as defined
by the researcher)
makes it possible to improve a crop yield, find a cure for a disease or save animals
threatened by natural disasters
properties of life (how we know something is alive) - Order
Sensitivity or response to stimuli
Reproduction
Growth and development
Regulation
Homeostasis
Energy processing
1) order - how it is structured, organisms are highly organized, coordinated structures
that consist of one or more cells -inside each cell, atoms comprise molecules,
comprising cell organelles etc.
2) sensitivity or response to stimuli - organisms respond to diverse stimuli (plants bend
toward a source of light, climb on fences, respond to touch) EX: mimosa (leaves will
instantly droop and fold when touched, returns to normal minutes later
3) Reproduction - single celled organisms reproduce by first duplicating their DNA, then
dividing it equally as the cell prepares to divide to form 2 cells
,4) Adaptation - all living organisms exhibit a "fit" to their environment, a consequence of
evolution by natural selection (EX: heat resistant Archaea that live in boiling hot hot-
springs) all adaptions enhance reproductive potential
5) Growth and Development - organisms grow and develop as a result of genes
providing specific instructions that will direct cellular growth and development
6) regulation / homeostasis - require multiple regulatory mechanisms to coordinate
internal functions -nutrient transport and blood flow
7) energy processing - All organisms use a source of energy for their metabolic
activities
some capture energy from the sun and convert it into chemical energy in food
Levels of organization - Atoms
Molecules- groups of atoms, smallest unit of most chemical compounds
Macromolecules
Organelles
Cells- smallest functional unit of life
Tissues- groups of cells
Organs and organ systems- groups of cells
Organisms- individual living thing
populations- group of organisms of one type that live in the same area
communities- populations that live together in a defined area
Ecosystems- community and its nonliving surroundings
Biosphere- part of the earth that contains all ecosystems
phylogenetic tree of life - Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
- the closer together the branches are = more related
-the length of each individual branch = time, how long they've been around
bacteria and archaea= prokaryotes, single celled organisms lacking intracellular
organelles
3 Domain System introduced by Carl Woese divides cellular life into:
Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryote domains
-life on earth began 3.8 billion years ago
-humans have described around 2 million species
-there may be as many as 30-50 million species that currently occupy earth
-more than 99% of life on earth from 3.8 billion years ago is extinct
Based on molecular tools to examine relationships
, Evolution - Natural selection acts on individuals, because individuals experience
differential reproductive success. But, only populations evolve.
Evolution = a change through time in the gene/allele frequencies of a population.
Evolution = descent with modification
Species change through time and are related through common
Evolution by natural selection occurs when heritable variation leads to differential
reproductive success.
ways evolution can take place - Natural Selection is one major way that evolution can
take place
There are other ways, too, including genetic drift, gene flow, and mutation.
is evolution random - (Yes) and NO!
Mutations and genetic drift can be random
But natural selection is not random! And natural selection plays a massive role in
evolution.
Natural Selection is nonrandom, unequal reproductive success
Darwin's observations were distilled into four simple postulates: - 1. Individuals vary-
variation exists among individual organisms that make up a population
2. Variation is heritable - offspring resembles
3. Organisms produce many more offspring than will survive- survival and reproductive
success is highly variable. this sets up for competition for resources (no competition =
everyone would have equal chance of survival)
4. Better adapted individuals leave more offspring
-adaptions that enhance utilization of resources are likely to result in increased
reproduction compared to the individuals lacking those adaptions. if the adaption is
heritable it will spread through the population
adaption and evolutionary fitness - An adaptation = a heritable trait that increases the
fitness of an individual.
Evolutionary fitness = contribution of individual to the next generation, relative to the
contribution of others.
The fittest have the most offspring, simply.... They aren't necessarily the fastest or the
strongest... just the best adapted.
