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1: Introduction to Biology

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    175229

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    • 1.1: What is different about this approach to Introductory Biology
      Traditional introductory classes teach biology from the molecules of life first, culminating in ecosystem-level science. In this book, we are going to do the exact opposite! We have all looked outside to see the environment, so why not start with the familiar and then move to the levels that we cannot see with our naked eyes?
    • 1.2: Themes and Concepts of Biology
      Biology is the science of life. All living organisms share several key properties such as order, sensitivity or response to stimuli, reproduction, adaptation, growth and development, regulation, homeostasis, and energy processing. Living things are highly organized following a hierarchy that includes atoms, molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems. Organisms, in turn, are grouped as populations, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere.
    • 1.3: The Process of Science
      Biology is the science that studies living organisms and their interactions with one another and their environments. Science attempts to describe and understand the nature of the universe in whole or in part. Science has many fields; those fields related to the physical world and its phenomena are considered natural sciences. A hypothesis is a tentative explanation for an observation.
    • 1.4: Working with Data
      The first important point about data is that data are - meaning that the word “data” is plural (though some people disagree with me on this). You might also wonder how to pronounce “data” – I say “day-tah” but I know many people who say “dah-tah” and I have been able to remain friends with them in spite of this. Now if I heard them say “the data is” then that would be bigger issue…
    • 1.5: Descriptive Statistics and Graphing
      This page explains data summarization methods, highlighting summary calculations (mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation) and visualizations (tables, graphs) that depict data relationships. It emphasizes clarity and accuracy in graphical displays. Additionally, it covers hypotheses in scientific research, differentiating between biological and statistical hypotheses, and outlines the role of independent and dependent variables.

    Thumbnail: Fluorescent coral in the Caribbean. (Trevor Rivers).

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