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Study of Life
Themes
AP Biology
2007-2008
Themes
 Science as a process of
inquiry

questioning & investigation
 Evolution
 Energy transfer
 Continuity & Change
 Relationship of structure to function
 Regulation
 Interdependence in nature
 Science, technology & society
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Science as a process of inquiry
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Science as a process of inquiry
 Built on repeatable observations &
testable, falsifiable hypotheses
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Evolution
 Core theme of biology
 Connects EVERYTHING…
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Charles Darwin
"Nothing in biology
makes sense except in
the light of evolution."
-- Theodosius Dobzhansky
March 1973
Geneticist, Columbia University
(1900-1975)
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2007-2008
Natural selection
 Evolutionary change is a
product of the process of
natural selection
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Organisms
don’t adapt;
Organisms have
adaptations.
Evolution explains unity & diversity
 Unity

what do organisms have in common &
why do similarities exist?
 common biochemistry & physiology
 evolutionary relationships
 connected through common ancestor
 Diversity

but why are there
differences?
 natural selection
 adaptations allow different
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individuals to survive
in different environments
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Organizing systems
 Making sense out of the diversity
 Hierarchical
scheme
Eastern gray squirrel
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Sciurus
Biology
carolinensis
3 Domains of Life
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Bacteria
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Archaea
Eukarya
Rules for Naming Organisms
• The International Code for
Binomial Nomenclature contains
the rules for naming organisms
• All names must be approved by
International Naming Congresses
(International Zoological
Congress)
• This prevents duplicated names
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*Classification Groups
• Taxon ( taxa-plural) is a
category into which related
organisms are placed
• There is a hierarchy of groups
(taxa) from broadest to most
specific
• Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class,
Order, Family, Genus, species

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*Hierarchy-Taxonomic Groups
BROADEST TAXON
 Domain
 Kingdom

Phylum (Division – used for plants)

Class

Order

Family

Genus
Most

Species
Specific
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 Dumb
 King
 Phillip
 Came
 Over
 For
 Gooseberr
y
 Soup!
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Continuity & change
 Continuity of life is based on heritable
information in the form of DNA
DNA – the genetic
material – carries
biological information
from one generation
to the next
 Cornerstone of
evolutionary change as
well

You
can make more,
a lot like you!
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T
R
A
I
T
Energy transfer
 It takes ENERGY to keep
stuff from falling apart!
 At the cellular level
 Photosynthesis harvest
 Respiration - use
 At the ecosystem level
 Energy Flow
 sun > producers > consumers

Nutrient Cycling
 Materials used to build
bodies go round ‘n
round….
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DECOMPOSERS
ENTROPY RULES!
RULE, too!
nutrients
Energy Harvesting and Nutrient
Cycling…
You think
they’re eating…
They’re actually harvesting
energy and cycling
nutrients!
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Form follows function
 The alignment of structure & function is
seen at all levels of biology
organism
cell
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organ
organelle
Regulation
 Organisms need to maintain a “steady state”
in the face of changing conditions


maintain homeostasis
achieve this through feedback
 monitor the body like a thermostat
 turn on when it’s needed, off when its not
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Regulation
 But individual
organisms are not
the only biological
entities that
regulate…
 Entire ecosystems
undergo regulation
as well



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Predator / prey
relationships
Nutrient cycling
And this leads us
to….
Interdependence
 No organism is an island standing alone

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communities, ecosystems
Science, technology & society
 Science & particularly technology profoundly change society

TV, computers, cell phones, DNA technologies, medicine…

ethics
 Science & technology must function within the rules of society
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Themes
 Science as a process of
inquiry

questioning & investigation
 Evolution
 Energy transfer
 Continuity & Change
 Relationship of structure to function
 Regulation
 Interdependence in nature
 Science, technology & society
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Why study themes of Biology?
 Biology is an ever expanding body of
knowledge
too much to memorize it all
 need to generalize
 create a framework upon which to
organize new knowledge
 themes are the key to understanding
the true nature of living organisms
 DON’T drown in the details!

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ANY
QUESTIONS?
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