1. 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

2. 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

3. SPECIALIZED CELLS Nervous system: helps respond to changing conditions
Muscular system: allows movement & gives heat
Circulatory: delivers oxygen & removes carbon dioxide
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

5. 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.

6. 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

8. 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 48163264 and so on.

9. 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.