Big Ideas in AP Biology

Big Idea I. Evolution

• Evolution is the core theme in biology

• Descent from a common ancestor with modification

• Natural Selection as the main mechanism that drives the evolution of adaptive evolutionary novelties

Big Idea II. Energy Transfer• Life does not occur without energy exchanges• For example:

Photosynthesis and respiration

Big Idea III. Continuity and Change

• All species tend to maintain themselves from generation to generation using the same genetic code.

• However, there are genetic mechanisms in place that can lead to change over time, or evolution.

Watson and Crick’s discovery of DNA structure led to

technological breakthroughs.

Hierarchy of Organization:

Big Idea IV. Interactions

• Molecular interactions

• Cellular interactions

• Organismal interactions

• Community interactions

Feedback

• Feedback mechanisms regulate life processes.

Relationship of Structure to Function

• The way that anything works is correlated to its structure.

Mitochondrial Cristae (folds)

The microscope led to an understanding of the cellular

basis of life

Interdependence in Nature

• Includes both biotic and abiotic factors

VIII. Science as a Process

• Scientific Method

• Hypothesis characteristics:

• educated guess based on background information• testable

• Controlled experiment characteristics:• control group and constants• experimental group(s)• independent and dependent variables

The Hypothesis:

re ject hypothesis

hypothesis becom es theory

verify

test repeatedly

support hypothesis

m odify or abandon hypothesis

re ject hypothesis

experim ent

hypothesis