Chapter 1.1, Problem 2MI

Summary Introduction

To identify:

Four types of information that can be gained while studying biology.

Introduction:

The term biology is derived from two different Greek words, they are bios and logos. Bios means life, and logos means study. Biology is defined as the science of life, which involves the study of living organisms and the factors affecting them.

Explanation of Solution

The study of living organisms is a very broad topic. It involves many specialized fields, which cover the morphology, anatomy, physiology, origin, behavior, distribution, evolution, and phylogeny of living things.

Based on these studies, the following information about living beings can be obtained:

1. Organization of an organism: Living things differ widely from one another. Some organisms are unicellular and some are multicellular. Even among the multicellular organisms, some of them exhibit only tissue-level organization and some are made up of complex organ systems. The study of biology helps in understanding structural composition, physiological details, and how these structures are organized to perform all activities required for living.
2. Ecological interactions: Every organism belongs to a single species, and each species play a specific role in its niche. The study of ecology, which is a branch of biology, helps in understanding the importance of each organism and its interaction with other organisms. It also provides an idea about the environmental conditions of different regions and adaptations of living things according to the conditions.
3. Genetic organization and reproduction: Genetics plays a major role in determining the characteristics of an organism. Genetic studies and genetic engineering are a major part of the modern world. Reproduction through the selection of specific plants and animals which are being practiced since long term eventually leads to an emergence of crops and pets from the wild strains. Now, genetic engineering also plays a major role in drug making, as well as identification and curing diseases.
4. Evolution: Biology also deals with the origin and phylogenetic study of organisms, which gives an idea about how organisms have evolved in the past. It also involves the study of activities that would have occurred in past; this knowledge could be applied to the modern world to understand the possible threats and diseases to new organisms.