What is the level of organization of life?

Life on our home planet is represented by an extremely wide spectrum of the most diverse creatures. The characteristics peculiar to them are determined by a number of factors - the degree of evolutionary development, the environmental conditions and so on. The three fundamental properties characteristic of any organic matter are the exchange of substances and energy with the whole environment (this is the main sign of all living things), in irritability (that is, the ability to react to external influences) and reproduction (reproduction of one's own kind). The levels of organization of life, whose biology is very rich on Earth, is the hierarchical structure of organized biosystems. The hierarchy in this sphere, as a rule, is built on the principle of complicating the structure of organisms. Most biologists distinguish seven stages in the development of life: molecular-genetic, followed by the cellular level, tissue level, organ, ontogenetic (in other words - organismic), population-species, ecosystem and global. Let us consider them in more detail.

The levels of organization of life on Earth

Molecular-genetic. This level is represented by the smallest particles of organic matter, various macromolecules: nucleic acids, carbohydrates, proteins and other organic substances. Very important biological processes originate here, like coding and transmission of hereditary information, metabolism, assimilation, energy conversion and so on.

Cellular level of organization of life. The cell is a structural and functional unit of all organisms on the planet. Therefore, the processes that take place here constitute the basis for the development of all living things.

Tissue level. It is a collection of cells that are similar in origin, structure and functions. This also includes intercellular substance.

Organic level of organization of life. Any organ is a certain isolated part of the body that has a certain shape, location, structure, and also performs a specific function.

Organism level (or ontogenetic). The organism is an integral unicellular or multicellular living system, capable of independent functioning, maintenance of homeostatic processes. The body is an ordered set of cells, tissues, organs.

Population (or species) level of organization of life. The species is a collection of individuals that are similar in structure and have a common origin. Such individuals freely interbreed, giving fertile and viable offspring. At the population (species) level, the process of speciation takes place, stimulated by the processes of evolution.

Ecosystem (or biogeocenotic). Biogeocenosis is the historically formed set of organisms of various species that interact with a variety of natural factors in a single area.

Global (biospheric) level of organization of life. The biosphere is a system of higher rank, encompassing all phenomena and processes of life in the hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere, and integrating all ecosystems into a single complex. On the biosphere level, all the living organisms of the planet are connected.