Characteristics of Living Things

Organism – any living thing

Animal, Plant, Fungus,

Bacteria or Protist

• All organisms are made of one or more cells• Cells are the basic unit of structure and function• To survive, need everything to work together.• Levels of organization:• Cells• Tissues• Organs• Systems• Organism• Population• Community• Biome

• All organisms have a method of making more of their own kind.

• Some organisms need a partner some can reproduce by themselves.

• Reproduction is necessary for the continuation of the species.

• All organisms increase in size and/or weight.

• Some living things have a period of growth, some grow for their entire life.

• Development means to mature or to become more complex.

• Metamorphosis and puberty are examples of development.

• Organisms attempt to maintain a steady internal operating condition.

• Temperature, water content, salt concentration, pH, pressure and chemical balance are all conditions monitored to maintain homeostasis.

• Populations of living things change over time to survive in their environment.

• The “best” organisms are the ones that survive to reproduce.

• Natural Selection

• “Survival of the fittest”

• Events or conditions in the environment cause living things to react.

• The events and changes in the environment are called Stimuli.

• The reactions and adjustments are called responses.

• All forms of life require energy to remain alive.• Stored energy is constantly used-up and must

be replaced.• Autotrophs can make their own food through

photosynthesis.• Heterotrophs must hunt and gather energy in

the form of food.

• Living things are either unicellular (one cell) or multicellular (more than one cell)

• Living things can either make their own food/energy (autotroph) or need other sources to obtain food/energy (heterotroph.)