Regents Biology Review

Regents Biology Review: Key Biology Knowledge for the Living Environment Exam

• The Regents Living Environment Exam is a four-part exam that tests biology content knowledge and laboratory skills.

• Levels of organization in life include populations, trophic levels, food chains, and ecosystems, with autotrophs and heterotrophs playing important roles.

• Competition and natural checks in ecosystems help maintain stability, while carrying capacity limits population growth.

• Homeostasis is essential for survival, and organisms have specialized cells and systems to maintain it.

• Cells are the basic unit of life, with eukaryotic cells being more complex than prokaryotic cells.

• Genes, inherited from parents, determine traits, but expression can be modified by the environment.

• DNA is transcribed into mRNA, which is translated into proteins, and the sequence of amino acids determines protein structure and function.

• Gel electrophoresis is used for forensic analysis, paternity testing, and studying evolutionary relationships.

• Transgenic organisms are created for agriculture and industry using genes from multiple organisms.

• Evidence from gel electrophoresis, embryonic development, fossil records, and morphology help construct the tree of life and gather evidence for evolution.

• Mutations, caused by mutagens, can lead to variations in populations and passed onto offspring if they occur in sex cells.

• The Regents website provides resources and sample questions for the Living Environment Exam.Evolution and Adaptation: Key Concepts in Biology

• Evolution is the change in the frequency of different alleles over time.

• Natural selection favors organisms that are better adapted to their environment.

• Antibiotic resistance can arise in populations through natural selection.

• Genetic diversity within a species increases its chances of survival in changing environments.

• Behavioral, structural, and reproductive adaptations have helped organisms survive for millions of years.

• A phylogenetic tree or cladogram is a tool for comparing evolutionary histories and relatedness among species.

• Different branching patterns on a tree indicate how closely related different species are.

• Individuals do not evolve, populations evolve through changes in allele frequencies.

• Extinction can occur when a species lacks adaptive characteristics for survival.

• The fossil record shows the history of life on Earth and the many extinct species.

• These concepts are covered in the New York State Living Environment or Biology curriculum.

• The next part of the video series will cover additional topics for exam review.