Unifying Themes in Biology
- Page ID
- 184162
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Unifying themes connect concepts from many fields of biology.
Systems - All levels of life have systems of related parts
A system is an organized group of interacting parts.
- A cell is a system of chemicals a processes
- A body system includes organs that interact
- An ecosystem includes living and nonliving things that interact
Structure and function - are related in biology
Structure determines function
- Proteins with different structures have different functions
- Intestinal muscle cells have a different structure and function than heart muscle cells
- Different species have different structures with different functions
Homeostasis - organisms must maintain homeostasis to survive in diverse environments
Homeostasis is the maintenance of constant internal conditions
- Homeostasis is usually maintained through negative feedback
- Negative feedback systems return a condition to its normal point
Evolution - explains the unity and diversity of life
Evolution is the change in living things over time
- The genetic makeup of a population of a species changes
- Can occur through natural selection of adaptations
- Adaptations are inherited traits that benefit a species that are passed to future generations
Watch the video below for more insight into the four unifying themes of biology. https://youtu.be/ibhnP5suqK8