Multicellular Organisms live in & get Energy from a variety of

Environments• Multicellular organisms meet their needs

in different ways

• Plants are producers

• Animals are consumers

• Most fungi are decomposers

Multicellular organisms meet needs in different ways

• Have cells that are SPECIALIZED– In multicellular organisms, different jobs are

done by different (specialized) cells.

• Are ADAPTED to live in different ENVIRONMENTS

• SEXUAL REPRODUCTION leads to DIVERSITY

SPECIALIZED CELLS

• Cells in multicellular org. are specialized for specific jobs. (skin, muscle, nerve)

• Groups of similar cells form tissues.

• Different tissues working together form organs; organs working together form organ systems.

• Together cells->tissues-> organs->organ systems form organisms

• Nervous system: helps respond to changing conditions

• Muscular system: allows movement & gives heat

• Circulatory: delivers oxygen & removes carbon dioxide

ADAPTED to live in different ENVIRONMENTS

• Adaptation = inherited characteristic that increases chance of an organism’s surviving & producing offspring that also reproduce.

• May be how it gets energy, processes materials, shape/structure of body, or a form of behavior.

• If this difference gives organism an advantage, offspring will survive & reproduce more.

• Digestive :breaks down food into usable forms• ORGAN SYSTEMS let multicellular organisms get

ENERGY, process lots of materials, respond to environmental changes, and reproduce.

ADAPTED for different ENVIRONMENTS

• Different species of fox have different adaptations that let them survive in different environments.

• FENNEC FOX: a desert fox, large ears (releasing lots of heat) and sand colored fur

• ARCTIC FOX: small ears,legs & nose (keeps heat in). White winter fur for snow.

• RED FOX: In grasslands & woodlands; average ears, reddish brown fur tipped in white & black for blending in.

• Adaptations due to differences in genetic material

SEXUAL REPRODUCTION leads to diversity

• Multicellular organisms reproduce sexually; genetic material of 2 parents comes together giving offspring with genetic material from both.

• MEIOSIS: special form of cell division that makes sperm cells in males & egg cells in females; these sex cells only have 1 copy of DNA (other cells all have 2 copies)

• FERTILIZATION: sperm combines with egg to make 1 fertilized cell with DNA from both parents (1/2 from egg; ½ from sperm)

• One fertilized cell becomes 2; then 2 becomes 48163264 and so on.

SEXUAL REPRODUCTION• As cells divide, they start to specialize &

different tissues & organs form.• Many multicellular organisms can reproduce

by asexual reproduction.• Budding = second organism grows off, or

buds, from another.• Asexual reproduction can occur quicker &

more often, but limits diversity (have same genetic material as parents).

• In sexual reproduction, there is a chance for a new combination of characteristics in offspring, which may help it in some way.