Fundamentals of Organismal Biology

📋 Course Outline

1. Characteristics of Living Organisms
2. Homeostasis and Feedback
3. Anatomy vs Physiology
4. Countercurrent Exchange System
5. Endothermy vs Ectothermy
6. Homeothermy vs Poikilothermy
7. Osmoconformers vs Osmoregulators
8. Hormones and Glands
9. Reproductive Processes

📖 1. Characteristics of Living Organisms

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Characteristics of Living Organisms: Traits that distinguish living entities from non-living matter, including growth, reproduction, metabolism, response to stimuli, and homeostasis (see section 2).
• Physiological Responses: Immediate, functional reactions of organisms to environmental stimuli, such as sweating to cool down or shivering to generate heat (examples of responses to heat and cold).
• Behavioral Responses: Actions taken by organisms to adapt or respond to environmental changes, like seeking shade or burrowing to escape extreme temperatures (examples of responses to heat and cold).
• Long-term Adaptation: Genetic or phenotypic changes that enhance survival in specific environments over generations, such as thick fur in cold climates or increased sweat gland efficiency in heat (examples of long-term adaptation to heat and cold).
• Homeostasis: The maintenance of a stable internal environment despite external fluctuations, fundamental to living organisms’ survival (see section 2).
• Evolutionary Adaptation: The process by which populations develop traits that…