In module 1 we reached the systems level. Many organ systems together make up an organism and it is with the organism that we begin module 2. An organism has the unique property of being an independent living entity - a bacterium, fungus, protist, plant or animal. Above the organism level a group of interbreeding individuals of one species is called a population. The unity of life was illustrated extensively in module 1 when we saw that a precise structural order and the resulting set of properties defined life.
Life is also very diverse and the vast diversity of species can sometimes seem almost overwhelming.
This is the question which we ask in the first part of module 2. We shall look at the way in which this vast assortment of species is linked together examples from each of the kingdoms of living organisms. Living organisms and their environments are of course intimately connected. In addition, you should ensure that you spend sufficient time in private study to enable you to derive most benefit from the material. Your attendance will be monitored and, if deemed unsatisfactory, you may be withdrawn from the module or prevented from taking the final examination.