Educational Model: Levels of Biosystems

Part of the IUMC (Innovative Educational and Methodological Complex) "Ecology: Constructing the Biosphere," developed in 2008 by D. A. Shabanov, A. G. Kozlenko, and M. A. Kravchenko by order of the NTFP (National Training Foundation) of the Russian Federation (more about this project is in the article "Innovation and Reality"; reasons why this complex is not used are briefly described in the column "Textbooks: Straight into the Day After Tomorrow"). This model is posted here for use in the educational process. The model demonstrates the hierarchy of levels of biosystem organization (for details, see the "Levels of Biosystem Organization" section of the textbook "Ecology: Biology of Interactions") and their interconnections. Each level includes several examples characterized by seven parameters, presented as tabs on the right side of the text window. These parameters are: "Essence" — the name and a brief description of the objects under consideration. "Diversity" — the forms in which biosystems of this type exist. "Subsystems" — the parts from which the objects under consideration are composed; systems of the lower level. "Supersystems" — systems that include the objects under consideration; systems of a higher level. "Functions" — processes that occur in the objects under consideration; functions of these objects in higher-level systems. "New properties" — properties absent in lower-level systems taken separately and emerging in the systems under consideration (i.e., their emergent properties). "Development" — features of the prehistory and possible future of these objects. Descriptions of parameters for biosystem examples at different levels include references to examples of biosystems at the same, higher, and lower levels (indicated by red color and corresponding arrows next to the reference). Instructions for working with the model are located at the very bottom of its window; if the instructions do not fit in the window, they can be scrolled up and down with the arrows to their right. Some tasks that can be solved while working with the model: 1. Describe the higher and lower levels of a particular biosystem. 2. Compare emergent properties of different biosystem levels. 3. Apply the approach used in the model to characterize a biosystem not described in the model.