What is Zoology and why

do you study it?

• study of animals
• there are 8.7 million species on earth only 1.2
million (13.7%) are known
• functionality, structure, ecological role and
importance, evolution
Few sub-disciplines
of Zoology:
A B
1. Entomology
2. Herpetology
3. Carcinology C D
4. Ichthyology
5. Ornithology
6. Malacology

Does it include study E F

of humans?
Life & The Science
of Zoology
• Attributions of life
• Scientific method and
applications
• Theory
How do we define life?
Living vs. Non-living
• The building blocks (atoms) that make up all living things are the
same ones that make up all nonliving things
Levels of organization
• Atoms – fundamental units of matter
• Molecules – consists of atoms
• Cells – basic unit of life
• Organisms – comprised of cells
• Populations – group of inter-breeding organisms of the same
species
• Communities – mix of various populations
• Ecosystem – communities interacting with their environment
• Biosphere – comprised of all ecosystems on earth
General Properties of Living Systems
1. Chemical uniqueness
2. Complexity and hierarchical organization
3. Reproduction
4. Possession of a genetic program
5. Metabolism
6. Development
7. Environmental interaction
8. Movement
 Chemical uniqueness
• Macromolecules - nucleic
acids, proteins, carbohydrates,
and lipids

carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, hydrogen,

nitrogen, and other elements nitrogen, and other
+ carbohydrates, lipids, elements
proteins, nucleic acids
Complexity and hierarchical organization
cells for reproduction/
• hierarchy of levels that includes, Individual spheroid
metabolic function
in ascending order of
complexity, macromolecules,
cells, organisms, populations,
and species

Population of Volvox globator

Reproduction
• Life does not arise spontaneously but
comes only from prior life through
reproduction → increase in numbers
• Cell is considered as the smallest unit
of life
• Cells come from pre-existing cells (cell
theory)
• Heredity and variation in offspring
• What if heredity is perfect?
• How seahorses reproduce?
Possession of a genetic program
• Nucleic acids a.k.a DNA
• Nucleotides → DNA → amino acids → protein
Metabolism
• include digestion, acquisition of energy (respiration), and
synthesis of molecules and structures, to maintain the living
system
• destructive (catabolic) and constructive (anabolic) reactions
Development
• characteristic changes that an organism undergoes from its
origin to adult form (size, shape, features, etc)
Environmental interaction
• Irritability – how organisms respond to a certain stimuli
• Homeostasis – internal environment is kept within certain
ranges of composition, temperature, and other conditions
Movement
• Metabolism helps yield energy that living systems use to initiate
movement for: reproduction, growth, response to stimuli
General Properties of Living Systems
1. Chemical uniqueness
2. Complexity and hierarchical organization
3. Reproduction
4. Possession of a genetic program
5. Metabolism
6. Development
7. Environmental interaction
8. Movement
Quick review:
Do the following have life?
1. Red blood cells
2. Onion
3. Salmonella
4. Dengue virus
5. Bone marrow
How living things differ?
• Biodiversity
• Based on observable characteristics

PROKARYOTES EUKARYOTES
(archaea, protists, fungi,
(bacteria) plants and animals)
Taxonomy
• System of naming and classifying species
• Standardized two-part scientific name initiated by
Carolus Linnaeus a.k.a. The Linnaean System
• (1) Genus epithet – group of species sharing a unique
set of features; (2) specific epithet – designate one
species
• Genus and species are always italicized
• Panthera – genus of big cats
• Panthera leo lions
• P. tigris tiger
• P. pardus leopards
Taxonomy
• Individuals of a species share a unique set of traits which serve as their
“taxon” (rank):
1. Morphological – structural, phenotypic
2. Biochemical – molecular component
3. Behavioural – response to stimuli

Species – genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, domain

Three domains and LUCA
The Science of Nature
Critical thinking – judging the quality of information before accepting it
Aside from the given content of information you look into: its supporting
evidence; bias; and alternative interpretations
Ask yourself:
1. What message am I being asked to accept?
2. Is the message based on facts or mere opinion?
3. Is there a different way to interpret the facts?
4. What biases might the presenter have?
5. How do my own biases affect what I am learning?
 • Curiosity
Observation • Asking questions

• Prediction
Hypothesis • “If-then” process

How
Science Empirical Test
• Tests designed to
support or falsify

Works
• Data
Conclusion • Decision

• Evaluation
Report
As simple as
Observations of crab larvae

The null hypothesis is that larval growth rates for crabs in

undisturbed habitats are the same as those in polluted
habitats

Empirical test by gathering data on larval growth rates in:

1) Undisturbed crab population (Control)
2) Population exposed to chemical pollutant (Experimental)

Consistent differences in growth rate between the two

sets of populations. One then concludes that the chemical
pollutant does alter larval growth rates.

Report/publish the data.

Why use scientific
method in
psychological
research:
1. To find ways to measure
and describe behavior
2. To understand why, when,
and how events occur
3. To apply this knowledge to
solving real world
problems
Theory
• powerful hypothesis explaining a wide variety of related phenomena
• Example: Darwin’s Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection

Light and melanic forms of the moth

More of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution

1 2
More of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution

3 4
More of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution

5
Summary
• Properties that define the living systems
• Scientific method
• Darwin’s theory of evolution