Name: biological hierarchy from atoms to biosphere
Uploaded: 2026-06-01T06:28:18.280Z
Duration: 1 min 9 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

Pennsylvania State Academic Standards

9-12

Life Science

Structure and Function

3.1.9-12.B

Levels of Organization

The biological world is organized as a hierarchy, the largest of which is the biosphere, containing all of life on Earth.Within the biosphere are many different ecosystems like this forest. Ecosystems consist of many communities that are made up of populations of different species, sharing resources and interacting with one another and the surrounding environment.At the organism level, organ systems within the body work together to ensure survival and reproduction.An organ is made of different tissues. For example, the largest organ, the skin, contains epithelial tissue, connective tissue, nervous tissue, and muscle tissue. Each tissue includes millions of cells, the basic structural and functional unit of life.Inside cells are organelles, functional compartments like mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and golgi apparatus, which build, break down, and transport many different molecules like proteins.These interconnected levels help structure the biological world.

levels of organization

Biological organization is the classification of biological structures, ranging from atoms at the bottom of the hierarchy to the Earth&#x27;s biosphere. Each level of the hierarchy represents an increase in complexity that builds upon the previous level.Molecules Are Composed of Atoms, and Biomolecules Are Assembled from Molecules:The most basic levels include atoms, molecules, and biomolecules. Atoms, the smallest unit of ordinary matter, are composed of a nucleus and electrons. Molecules comprise two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds, most commonly covalent, ionic, or metallic bonds. Biomolecules are molecules found in living organisms, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates. Biomolecules are often polymers&#x2014;large molecules created from smaller, repeating units. For instance, proteins are composed of amino acids, and nucleic acids are composed of nucleotides. Biomolecules can be endogenous or exogenous. Endogenous means that the biomolecule is produced inside a living organism. Biomolecules can also be consumed; for example, a cow gets carbohydrates from digesting grass (exogenous), but the grass must produce the carbohydrates through photosynthesis (endogenous).Organelles Are Cellular Compartments Built from Biomolecules:The next hierarchical level is comprised of subcellular structures called organelles. Organelles are made up of biomolecules and compartmentalize eukaryotic cells. The word organelle means &#x22;little organ&#x22; as it has specialized functions within a cell. For example, the lysosome allows the degradation of molecules without detrimental effects on other structures within the cell, and chloroplasts enable plants to perform photosynthesis.Organisms Can Have One, Multiple, or Several Trillions of Cells:The next level of biological organization is the cell. Organisms can be unicellular (i.e., consist of a single cell) or multicellular. Scientists estimated that the human body consists of 37 trillion cells.Tissues, Organs, and Organ Systems Are Formed by Specialized Cells:In complex organisms such as plants and animals, cells form tissues, organs, and organ systems. Tissues are groups of cells that have similar structures and functions. For example, connective tissues, one of the four types of animal tissue, are found between organs. Organs are groups of tissues that carry out a specific function or set of functions and may be comprised of either similar or different tissue types. The heart, for example, is found in most animals and pumps blood throughout the body to provide other organs with oxygen and nutrients as well as remove waste products. Finally, groups of organs make up organ systems that work together to carry out vital processes. For example, the animal&#x27;s cardiovascular system is comprised of the heart, vessels, and blood. In plants, a diverse set of tissues create the root and shoot system that provides different functions.Individual Organisms Create Populations and Communities:Several organisms of the same species that exist at the same place and time form populations. Communities are composed of individuals of different species at the same location and time. Communities can include multiple species. Ecosystems are comprised of not just the living (biotic) community but also the non-living (abiotic) environmental factors that influence the community. For example, an oasis is an ecosystem that may contain populations of date palms, fig trees, and small lizards found at the same location and time. This community lives and interacts with an environment of fertile soil and fresh water in an otherwise arid environment. The biosphere comprises all areas (air, soil, and water) on Earth that harbors living organisms. As such, the biosphere is composed of many ecosystems.

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Education

JoVE Core

Biology

Plant Biology

Diversity, Classification & Evolution

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

biological hierarchy from atoms to biosphere

Biological organization describes how living things are arranged from the smallest parts to the largest Earth system. Each level adds complexity and builds on the level before it. The hierarchy begins with atoms and ends with the biosphere.

Atoms are the smallest units of ordinary matter. They contain a nucleus and electrons. Two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds form molecules, and those bonds are often covalent, ionic, or metallic. Biomolecules are molecules found in living organisms. They include proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates. Many biomolecules are polymers, which are large molecules made from smaller repeating units. Proteins are built from amino acids, and nucleic acids are built from nucleotides. Biomolecules can be endogenous, meaning made inside an organism, or exogenous, meaning taken in from outside. For example, a cow gets carbohydrates from digesting grass, but the grass had to make those carbohydrates through photosynthesis.

Above biomolecules are organelles. Organelles are subcellular structures made of biomolecules. They compartmentalize eukaryotic cells and carry out specialized jobs. The word organelle means little organ. A lysosome breaks down molecules without harming other parts of the cell. Chloroplasts let plants carry out photosynthesis.

The next level is the cell. An organism may be unicellular, with one cell, or multicellular, with many cells. Scientists estimate that the human body contains about 37 trillion cells. In complex plants and animals, cells also work together to form tissues, organs, and organ systems.

Tissues are groups of cells with similar structure and function. Connective tissue is one animal tissue type and is found between organs. Organs are groups of tissues that perform a specific function or set of functions. The heart is an example. It pumps blood through the body to deliver oxygen and nutrients and remove waste products. Organ systems are groups of organs that work together. The cardiovascular system includes the heart, vessels, and blood. In plants, different tissues form the root and shoot system, which carry out different functions.

Individual organisms also form larger biological groups. A population is a group of the same species living in the same place at the same time. A community includes different species living in the same place at the same time. An ecosystem includes the living community and the non-living, or abiotic, factors that affect it. An oasis can contain date palms, fig trees, and small lizards, along with fertile soil and fresh water in an otherwise arid area. The biosphere is the largest level. It includes all parts of Earth, such as air, soil, and water, where living organisms are found. The biosphere contains many ecosystems.

Biological Hierarchy from Atoms to Biosphere

biological-hierarchy-from-atoms-to-biosphere

characteristics of life

Key Traits Shared by Living Things

Biology studies life and living organisms. It looks at their structure, function, development, interactions, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. The field is broad and includes anatomy, physiology, ethology, genetics, and other specialized branches. Living things share several key traits. They are made of cells, contain heritable genetic material, can adapt and evolve, use metabolism to manage energy, interact with their environment, maintain homeostasis, reproduce, and grow and change.

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Biological organization describes how living things are arranged from the smallest parts to the largest Earth system. Each level adds complexity and builds on the level before it. The hierarchy begins with atoms and ends with the biosphere. Atoms are the smallest units of ordinary matter. They contain a nucleus and electrons. Two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds form molecules, and those bonds are often covalent, ionic, or metallic. Biomolecules are molecules found in living...

taxonomy

Taxonomy and Biological Naming

Taxonomy is the system scientists use to classify and name living organisms by shared traits. It organizes life into a series of ranked groups that use Latin names. The smallest taxonomic units are genus and species, and these two levels are used to give each organism a formal name. This naming system is called binomial nomenclature, and Carolus Linnaeus formalized it in the 18th century. Linnaeus’s hierarchy is still used today, although it has been expanded. From the broadest group to the...

phylogeny

Phylogenetic Trees and Evolution

Phylogenetic trees show how organisms are related through evolution. They map the diversification of organisms or groups of organisms over time. In biology, a named group is called a taxon, and the plural is taxa. Taxa can be broad or narrow. They may include all birds, which form the class Aves, or a smaller group such as all species of daisies in the genus Bellis. A phylogeny can focus on one genus or cover an entire kingdom. It is usually shown as a branching diagram called a phylogenetic...

key terms and concepts

Explore biological hierarchy from atoms to the biosphere. Learn how molecules, cells, tissues, organs, populations, and ecosystems fit together in living systems.

Biological Hierarchy from Atoms to Biosphere | JoVE K12

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Louisiana Student Standards for Science

High School

Life Sciences

from-molecules-to-organisms-structures-and-processes

From Molecules To Organisms: Structures And Processes

HS-LS1-2

ohios-learning-standards-and-model-curriculum

Ohio’s Learning Standards and Model Curriculum

Human Anatomy and Physiology

Levels Of Organization

Hierarchy of Organization

Tennessee Academic Standards

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

BIO1.LS1.1

Virginia  Standards of Learning

HIgh School

BIO.6

BIO.6.a

LS.3

LS.3.a

Minnesota Academic Standards in Science

2.2.1 9L.2.2.1.2

new-jersey-student-learning-standards-for-science

New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science

south-carolina-college-and-career-ready-science-standards

South Carolina College and Career Ready Science Standards

B-LS1-2.

new-york-state-science-learning-standards

New York State Science Learning Standards

HS-LS1-2.

Georgia Standards of Excellence

SB6.c

Florida Department of Education

Earth and Space Science

SC.912.E.7

SC.912.E.7.3

Next Generation Science Standards

What are Cells?

Cells are the smallest and basic units of life, whether it is a single cell that forms the entire organism, e.g., in a bacterium or trillions of them, ...

Cell Size

Cell sizes vary widely among and within organisms. Bacterial cells range between 1-10 micrometers (&#x3BC;m)and are considerably smaller than most ...

Eukaryotic Compartmentalization

One of the distinguishing features of eukaryotic cells is that they contain membrane-bound organelles, such as the nucleus and mitochondria, that carry ...

Prokaryotic Cells

Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains&#x2014;Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common organisms, such as ...

Cytoplasm

The cytoplasm consists of organelles and a framework of protein scaffolds called the cytoskeleton suspended in an aqueous solution, the cytosol. The ...

The Nucleus

The nucleus is a membrane-bound organelle that acts as a control center in a eukaryotic cell. It contains chromosomal DNA, which controls gene expression ...

Endoplasmic Reticulum

Endoplasmic ReticulumThe endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an extensive network of membranous sacs and tubules in eukaryotic cells, continuous with the outer ...

Ribosomes

Ribosomes translate genetic information encoded by messenger RNA (mRNA) into proteins. Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells have ribosomes. Cells that ...

Golgi Apparatus

As they leave the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER), properly folded and assembled proteins are selectively packaged into vesicles. These vesicles are ...

Lysosomes

Lysosomes are membrane-enclosed spherical sacs derived from the Golgi apparatus. The most important function of the lysosome is degrading macromolecules ...

Peroxisomes

Peroxisomes and mitochondria are two important oxygen-utilizing organelles in eukaryotic cells. Mitochondria carry out cellular respiration&#x2014;the ...

Introduction to the Cytoskeleton

Overview of the Cytoskeleton
The cytoskeleton is a network of protein filaments present within the cell, having three distinct filaments ...

Introduction to Actin

Actin is a highly conserved cytoskeletal protein found abundantly in eukaryotic cells. It constitutes 10% weight of the total cellular protein in muscle ...

overview-of-myosin-structure-and-function

Overview of Myosin Structure and Function

Myosins are a family of molecular motor proteins, first identified in the skeletal muscles, where they are responsible for muscle contraction. Along with ...

Microtubules

Microtubules are the thickest cytoskeletal filaments with a diameter of 25 nm. In prokaryotic organisms, microtubules are commonly found in locomotory ...

The Structure of Intermediate Filaments

The intermediate filaments are one of three widely studied cytoskeletal filaments. They are so named as their diameter (10 nm) is in between that of ...

Types of Intermediate Filaments

The intermediate filaments are an essential component of the cytoskeleton. Presently six types of intermediate filament have been identified. Type I and ...

Gap Junctions

Multicellular organisms employ a variety of ways for cells to communicate with each other. Gap junctions are specialized proteins that form pores between ...

The Extracellular Matrix

In order to maintain tissue organization, many animal cells are surrounded by structural molecules that make up the extracellular matrix (ECM). Together, ...

Tissues

Cells with similar structure and function are grouped into tissues. A group of tissues with a specialized function is called an organ. There are four main ...

Plant Cell Wall

The plant cell wall gives plant cells shape, support, and protection. As a cell matures, its cell wall specializes according to the cell type. For ...

Plasmodesmata

The organs in a multicellular organism&#x2019;s body are made up of tissues formed by cells. To work together cohesively, cells must communicate. One way ...

Cell Structure

Background
Cells represent the most basic biological units of all organisms, whether it be simple, single-celled organisms like bacteria, or large, ...

Visualizing Onion and Cheek Cells
ExpandImmediately before the experiment, wash and peel onion bulbs for the class.
Remove the entire brown outer skin and ...

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

The genome of most prokaryotic organisms consists of double-stranded DNA organized into one circular chromosome in a region of cytoplasm called the ...

Binary Fission

Fission is the division of a single entity into two or more parts, which regenerate into separate entities that resemble the original. Organisms in the ...

Genomic DNA in Eukaryotes

Eukaryotes have large genomes compared to prokaryotes. To fit their genomes into a cell, eukaryotic DNA is packaged extraordinarily tightly inside the ...

The DNA Helix

Overview

Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the genetic material responsible for passing traits from generation to generation in all organisms and most ...

DNA as a Genetic Template

Two structural features of the DNA molecule provide a basis for the mechanisms of heredity: the four nucleotide bases and its double-stranded nature. The ...

DNA Packaging

Overview

Eukaryotes have large genomes compared to prokaryotes. In order to fit their genomes into a cell, eukaryotes must pack their DNA tightly inside ...

Organization of Genes

Overview

The genomes of eukaryotes can be structured in several functional categories. A strand of DNA is comprised of genes and intergenic regions. ...

Chromosome Structure

A functional eukaryotic chromosome must contain three elements: a centromere, telomeres, and numerous origins of replication.
The centromere is a DNA ...

The Central Dogma

The central dogma explains the flow of genetic information from DNA nucleotides to the amino acid sequence of proteins.
RNA is the Missing Link Between ...

Mutations

Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations ...

Proteins: From Genes to Degradation

Students who demonstrate understanding can construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA determines the structure of proteins which carry out the essential functions of life through systems of specialized cells.  Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the identification of specific cell or tissue types, whole body systems, specific protein structures and functions, or the biochemistry of protein synthesis.

3.1.9-12.A

Characteristics of Life

Biology is a natural science that studies life and living organisms, including their structure, function, development, interactions, evolution, ...

Biological organization is the classification of biological structures, ranging from atoms at the bottom of the hierarchy to the Earth&#x27;s biosphere. ...

Taxonomy

Taxonomy is the science of defining and naming groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics. It uses a hierarchy of increasingly ...

Phylogeny

Phylogeny is concerned with the evolutionary diversification of organisms or groups of organisms. A group of organisms with a name is called a taxon ...

Students who demonstrate understanding can develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.  Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include interactions and functions at the molecular or chemical reaction levels.

Functions of Life

Human life is characterized by a variety of functions that are essential for survival and well-being. These functions include metabolism, movement, ...

Requirements for Human Life

The Earth and its atmosphere have provided humans with air, water, and food, but these are not the only requirements for survival. Humans also require a ...

What is Homeostasis?

Maintaining homeostasis requires that the body continuously maintain its internal conditions. Each physiological condition has a particular set point, ...

Negative and Positive Feedback

Homeostatic Imbalance

Homeostasis is the maintenance of a stable internal environment within the body, which is crucial for the proper functioning of cells, tissues, organs, ...

Students who demonstrate understanding can plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis.  Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the cellular processes involved in the feedback mechanism.

3.1.9-12.C

Biological Hierarchy from Atoms to Biosphere

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