6 Unifying Principles of Life

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6 Unifying Principles of Life

• Biology I

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1) Evolution

• A change in the characteristics of a population
  over time.
• EXAMPLE ANIMAL KINGDOM
• In a population of giraffes the population
  changes from shorter neck giraffes to longer
  necked giraffes. Due to Natural Selection Longer
  necked giraffes were surviving and reproducing
  better than shorter necked giraffes.

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2) Homeostasis

• The ability to maintain an internal balance in
  response to environmental changes.
• EXAMPLE PLANT KINGDOM
• Plants respond to changes in humidity by opening
  and closing tiny opening on their leaves. This
  allows them to maintain a balance of water levels
  inside the plant.

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3) Energy, Matter, Organization

• Organisms are organized with matter made of
  atoms, which are organized into molecules, which
  are organized into cells.
• In order to maintain organization of the cells,
  living things need energy.
• Some organisms have Eukaryotic Cells, while
  others have Prokaryotic Cells
• Some organisms are made of one cell while others
  are made of many cells

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Energy, Matter and Organization (contd)

• EXAMPLE MONERA KINGDOM
• Bacteria are made of a single prokaryotic cell
  composed of DNA molecules and other cell parts
  made of elements such as Carbon, Hydrogen,
  Nitrogen, and Oxygen Atoms. Bacteria require
  energy to keep their cell in tact.

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4) Continuity

• Reproduction and Inheritance of genetic material
  (DNA)
• Some organisms reproduce sexually 2 parents pass
  on ½ DNA
• other organisms reproduce asexually 1 parent
  passes on all of their DNA.
• EXAMPLE PROTIST KINGDOM
• This single celled amoeba reproduces asexually by
  growing and dividing into 2 identical amoeba
  cells. The new amoeba cell has the same exact DNA
  as the original parent.

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5) Development

• The ability to grow and develop
• Grow Change in size
• Develop Change in internal and external
  characteristics
• EXAMPLE ANIMAL KINGDOM
• The butterfly grows and develops through 4 major
  stages in its lifetime.

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6) Ecology

• The interaction of living things with each other
  and their environment
• EXAMPLE KINGDOM FUNGI
• These orange bracket fungi grow in the rainforest
  of Australia. These decay wood found in the
  rainforest. These are used by humans to cure
  sores on the mouth and lips due to their
  antibiotic contents.