Levels of organization

Emergent Properties of Life. Atoms assemble into molecules. Molecules organize into cells. Cells generate tissue and organs. Organisms consist of organ systems and give rise to populations and communities. Communities interact with abiotic factors in and ecosystem. The sum totality of these ecosystems give rise to the biosphere. Credit: jeremy Seto [CC-BY-NC-SA]

Properties of life

  • Order – organisms are complicated assemblages of molecules and give rise to higher level organization while interplaying with other organisms and abiotic factors in the environment
  • Sensitivity or Response to Stimuli – organisms interact and react to their environment to gather resources and evade damage
  • Reproduction– all organisms reproduce, even at the individual cellular level
  • Growth and development – organisms follow directions set forth by genetic information in DNA
  • Homeostasis – the ability of an organism to maintain consistent internal conditions
  • Energy Processing – All energy on Earth derives from the solar radiation. The ability to capture this by autotrophs (self-producers of energy) allow for the transformation of chemical energy for heterotophs (feeder from others)
Autotrophs are primary producers that fix carbon dioxide and break water to produce organic compounds and oxygen by photosynthesis. These are used by heterotrophs as source of food and energy. Cellular respiration releases back carbon dioxide and water.

Sources

  1. Auto- and heterotrophs. Derivative by Mikael Häggström, using originals by Laghi l, BorgQueen, Benjah-bmm27, Rkitko, Bobisbob, Jacek FH, Laghi L and Jynto, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. ↑