,
, www.downloadslide.net
becomes a tree or a dog, how the human mind works, or While limited to a handful of images, Figure 1.2 remind
how the different forms of life in a forest interact. When us that the living world is wondrously varied. How do biolo
questions occur to you as you observe the natural world, you gists make sense of this diversity and complexity? This open
are thinking like a biologist. More than anything else, biol- ing chapter sets up a framework for answering this question
ogy is a quest, an ongoing inquiry about the nature of life. The first part of the chapter provides a panoramic view of
At the most fundamental level, we may ask: What is life? the biological “landscape,” organized around some unifyin
Even a child realizes that a dog or a plant is alive, while a themes. We then focus on biology’s core theme, evolution,
rock or a car is not. Yet the phenomenon we call life defies a which accounts for life’s unity and diversity. Next, we look
simple, one-sentence definition. We recognize life by what scientific inquiry—how scientists ask and attempt to answe
living things do. Figure 1.2 highlights some of the properties questions about the natural world. Finally, we address the
and processes we associate with life. culture of science and its effects on society.
Figure 1.2 Some properties of life.
▼ Order. This close-up of a sunflower
illustrates the highly ordered
structure that characterizes life.
▲ Regulation. The regulation of blood
flow through the blood vessels of this
jackrabbit’s ears helps maintain a
constant body temperature by
▲ Evolutionary adaptation. The overall adjusting heat exchange with the
appearance of this pygmy sea horse surrounding air.
camouflages the animal in its environment.
Such adaptations evolve over countless
generations by the reproductive
success of those individuals with ▼ Reproduction.
heritable traits that are best suited to Organisms (living
their environments. things) reproduce
their own kind.
▲ Energy processing. This
butterfly obtains fuel in ▲ Response to the
the form of nectar from environment.
flowers. The butterfly The Venus flytrap
will use chemical energy on the left closed
stored in its food to its trap rapidly in
power flight and other response to the
work. environmental
stimulus of a
▲ Growth and development. grasshopper
Inherited information carried by landing on the
genes controls the pattern of open trap.
Animation: Signs of Life growth and development of organ-
Video: Sea Horse Camouflage isms, such as this oak seedling.
chapter 1 Biology and Its Themes 5
URRY0435_11_C01_GE_PRF.indd 51 1
, www.downloadslide.net
becomes a tree or a dog, how the human mind works, or While limited to a handful of images, Figure 1.2 remind
how the different forms of life in a forest interact. When us that the living world is wondrously varied. How do biolo
questions occur to you as you observe the natural world, you gists make sense of this diversity and complexity? This open
are thinking like a biologist. More than anything else, biol- ing chapter sets up a framework for answering this question
ogy is a quest, an ongoing inquiry about the nature of life. The first part of the chapter provides a panoramic view of
At the most fundamental level, we may ask: What is life? the biological “landscape,” organized around some unifyin
Even a child realizes that a dog or a plant is alive, while a themes. We then focus on biology’s core theme, evolution,
rock or a car is not. Yet the phenomenon we call life defies a which accounts for life’s unity and diversity. Next, we look
simple, one-sentence definition. We recognize life by what scientific inquiry—how scientists ask and attempt to answe
living things do. Figure 1.2 highlights some of the properties questions about the natural world. Finally, we address the
and processes we associate with life. culture of science and its effects on society.
Figure 1.2 Some properties of life.
▼ Order. This close-up of a sunflower
illustrates the highly ordered
structure that characterizes life.
▲ Regulation. The regulation of blood
flow through the blood vessels of this
jackrabbit’s ears helps maintain a
constant body temperature by
▲ Evolutionary adaptation. The overall adjusting heat exchange with the
appearance of this pygmy sea horse surrounding air.
camouflages the animal in its environment.
Such adaptations evolve over countless
generations by the reproductive
success of those individuals with ▼ Reproduction.
heritable traits that are best suited to Organisms (living
their environments. things) reproduce
their own kind.
▲ Energy processing. This
butterfly obtains fuel in ▲ Response to the
the form of nectar from environment.
flowers. The butterfly The Venus flytrap
will use chemical energy on the left closed
stored in its food to its trap rapidly in
power flight and other response to the
work. environmental
stimulus of a
▲ Growth and development. grasshopper
Inherited information carried by landing on the
genes controls the pattern of open trap.
Animation: Signs of Life growth and development of organ-
Video: Sea Horse Camouflage isms, such as this oak seedling.
chapter 1 Biology and Its Themes 5
URRY0435_11_C01_GE_PRF.indd 51 1
