Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.
All systems are composed of parts that interact w/ each other. These interactions result in characteristics not found individually. From the molecular level to the ecosystem level exhibits properties of biocomplexity and diversity. These 2 properties allow organisms to adapt to changes in the environment.
At a molecular level, the subcomponents of a biological polymer determine the properties of that polymer. At the cellular level, organelles interact with each other as part of a coordinated system that keeps the cell alive, growing and reproducing. Interactions and coordination between organs and organ system determines essential biological activities for the organism as a whole. Internal and external factors can activate responses in the organisms. At the population level, as the environmental conditions change, community structure changes both physically and biologically. Interaction between living organisms and their environments result in the movement of matter and energy.
Interactions like competition and cooperation play important roles in the activities of biological system. Competition between cells may occur under conditions of resource limitation, while the cooperation between them can improve efficiency in the body of the organism. A population is often measured in terms of genomic diversity and its ability to respond to change.
At a molecular level, the subcomponents of a biological polymer determine the properties of that polymer. At the cellular level, organelles interact with each other as part of a coordinated system that keeps the cell alive, growing and reproducing. Interactions and coordination between organs and organ system determines essential biological activities for the organism as a whole. Internal and external factors can activate responses in the organisms. At the population level, as the environmental conditions change, community structure changes both physically and biologically. Interaction between living organisms and their environments result in the movement of matter and energy.
Interactions like competition and cooperation play important roles in the activities of biological system. Competition between cells may occur under conditions of resource limitation, while the cooperation between them can improve efficiency in the body of the organism. A population is often measured in terms of genomic diversity and its ability to respond to change.
Enduring understanding 4.A: Interactions within biological systems lead to complex properties
Cellular level: organelles interact with each other and their environment as a part of a coordinated system that allows the cells to live, grow and reproduce. Interactions of different parts at the subcellular level determine the functioning of the entire cell, which would not happen with the activities of individual organelles alone.
Interactions between regulated gene expression and external stimuli, such as temperature or nutrients levels or signal molecules, result in the specialization of cells, organs and tissues. Organisms exhibit complex properties due to interactions of their constituent parts, and interactions and coordination between organs and organ systems provide essential biological activities for the organism as a whole.
As environmental conditions change, the structure of the community changes both physically and biologically, resulting in variety or patterns in a community. Communities are comprised of different populations of organisms that interact with each other in either negative or positive ways. Community ecology seeks to understand the manner in which groupings of species are distributed in nature, and how they are influenced by their abiotic environment and species interactions. The physical structure of a community is affected by abiotic factors, such as the depth and flow of water in a stream, and also by the spatial distribution of organisms, such as in the canopy of trees. The number to this distribution defines the structure of a community. At the ecosystem level interactions among living organisms result in the movement of matter and energy. Ecosystems include producers, consumers, decomposers, a pool of organic matter and the physiochemical environment that provides the living conditions for the biotic components. Matter, but no energy, can be recycled within an ecosystem through biogeochemical cycles. Energy can be only transformed into another type.
Interactions between regulated gene expression and external stimuli, such as temperature or nutrients levels or signal molecules, result in the specialization of cells, organs and tissues. Organisms exhibit complex properties due to interactions of their constituent parts, and interactions and coordination between organs and organ systems provide essential biological activities for the organism as a whole.
As environmental conditions change, the structure of the community changes both physically and biologically, resulting in variety or patterns in a community. Communities are comprised of different populations of organisms that interact with each other in either negative or positive ways. Community ecology seeks to understand the manner in which groupings of species are distributed in nature, and how they are influenced by their abiotic environment and species interactions. The physical structure of a community is affected by abiotic factors, such as the depth and flow of water in a stream, and also by the spatial distribution of organisms, such as in the canopy of trees. The number to this distribution defines the structure of a community. At the ecosystem level interactions among living organisms result in the movement of matter and energy. Ecosystems include producers, consumers, decomposers, a pool of organic matter and the physiochemical environment that provides the living conditions for the biotic components. Matter, but no energy, can be recycled within an ecosystem through biogeochemical cycles. Energy can be only transformed into another type.
Essential knowledge: 4.A.5 Communities are composed of populations of organisms that interact in complex ways.
c. Mathematical models and graphical representations are used to illustrate population growth patterns and interactions.
2. A population can produce a density of individuals that exceeds the system’s resource availability.
When there are more organisms than resources in a environment, the population size declines until it is in its carrying capacity and everything is in equilibrium. Carrying capacity is the total amount of organisms an environment can sustain without degradation.
3. As limits to growth due to density-dependent and density independent factors are imposed, a logistic growth model generally ensues.
These two factors affect the carrying capacity. Independent factors usually affect the organisms by reducing the amount of needed resources e.g. natural disasters. It can reduce the amount of food of the organisms. Dependent factors can kill the population e.g. diseases. Logistic growth model has a S shape until the environment reaches carrying capacity again.
Essential knowledge 4.A.6 Interactions among living systems and with their environment result in the movement of matter and energy.
a. Energy flows, but matter is recycled.
When an organism dies, it is used by another organism to gain nutrients needed for survival. For example, autotrophs decompose organic material to gain energy. If a photosynthetic organism dies, its matter will be used by a consumer (herbivore) and the energy contained in it will be used by the secondary consumer (carnivore).
b. Change in regional and global climates and its atmospheric composition influence patterns of primary productivity.
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Organisms have adaptations for their own environment, but if this changes due to contamination, or any other human intervention, productivity may stop. For example, when farmers use a lot of chemicals that may kill plants, as these plants die, less oxygen is produced and as a result other species die too. Chemicals can cause acid precipitation, and this falls into the rivers, it affects the nutrient availability.
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Enduring understanding 4.B: Competition and cooperation are important aspects of biological systems.
Competition and cooperation play important roles in the activities of biological systems at all levels of organization. Every chemical reaction relies on the cooperation between particular enzymes and specific substrates, coenzymes and cofactors. Similar cells may compete with each other when resources are limited. Competition of resources also determines which organism is more successful to produce offspring. The cooperation of parts extends to the organisms that depend on the coordination of organs and organ systems. Cooperation within organisms increases efficiency in the use of matter and energy. Population interactions influence the patterns of species distribution and abundance, and global distribution of ecosystems changes significantly over time.
Essential knowledge 4.B.3: Interactions between and within populations influence patterns of species distribution and abundance.
a. Interactions between populations affect the distributions and abundance of populations.
1. Competition, parasitism, predation, mutualism and commensalism can affect population dynamics.
1. Competition, parasitism, predation, mutualism and commensalism can affect population dynamics.
All of these interactions play an important role in the existence of a community because most species depend on others to survive. For example epiphytes need trees or big plants to grow and obtain their nutrients. This interaction is not harmful, it benefits one of the two species who is involved in the interaction. Predation for example, is harmful for the prey, but this interaction is very important in a community because predators help to control the population size of preys, maintaining and stable community.
2. Relationships among interacting populations can be characterized by positive and negative effects, and can be modeled mathematically (predator/prey, epidemiological models, and invasive species).
Predation: One specie, the predator kills and eats the other, the prey.
Most predators have acute senses that enable them to find potential preys. In the other hand preys have special adaptations such as, cryptic coloration, Mullerian mimicry to protect themselves.
Herbivory: Interaction in which an organism eats parts of a plant or alga. Like predators, herbivores also have specialized adaptations, for example some insects can distinguish between toxic and nontoxic plants.
Parasitism: symbiotic interaction in which one organism, the parasite, derives its nourishment from another organism, its host, which is harmed in the process.
Mutualism: interspecific which benefits both species.
Commensalism: an interaction that benefits one of the two species, but neither harms or helps the other
Most predators have acute senses that enable them to find potential preys. In the other hand preys have special adaptations such as, cryptic coloration, Mullerian mimicry to protect themselves.
Herbivory: Interaction in which an organism eats parts of a plant or alga. Like predators, herbivores also have specialized adaptations, for example some insects can distinguish between toxic and nontoxic plants.
Parasitism: symbiotic interaction in which one organism, the parasite, derives its nourishment from another organism, its host, which is harmed in the process.
Mutualism: interspecific which benefits both species.
Commensalism: an interaction that benefits one of the two species, but neither harms or helps the other