classification Flashcards
Taxonomy
Science of classifying organisms
Binomial Nomenclature
Two- word system that is used to name organisms
Reasons why we classify
- Enables the organisation of organisms into groups which lets the scientists see the information about the organisms and the relationships between them.
- makes it easier for ALL scientists to communicate information about the organism as the scientific names are in latin
Some of the benefits of classification include:
- Personal Safety
- Quarantine
- Medicine
- Conservation
- Forensics
Benefits of classification for Personal Safety?
– It is critical to identify the difference between poisonous and harmless, pests or carriers of disease
Benefits of classification for Quarantine
know which animals or plants are banned from entering our country.
Benefits of classification for Medicine
identify infectious bacteria or fungi so can prescribe correct drugs.
Benefits of classification for
recognize endangered species so they can be protected and their habitats preserved
Benefits of classification for
to identify plant or animal material to be used in legal matters.
All living things have certain characteristics in common which they..
o Collect or make Energy for immediate or later use.
o Respond to stimuli or changes in its environment
o Grow as it gets older
o Reproduces
o Passes on Genetic information
o Produces wastes
o Are made from Cells
Identification of an organism can be based on a study of:
- A whole Specimen
- Part of a Specimen
feathers, hair, teeth, bones, shells - Fossils
- Microscopic Fragments
cells, pollen grains, scales, hair. - Genetic material
analysis of DNA - Indirect evidence
tracks, burrows, nests, scratchings, droppings
Taxonomists look at:
- Homologous structures
- Analogous structure
- Chemical tests
- Life studies
- Embryology
Homologous structures
Structures that have a very similar structure but may Look different in different organisms
Analogous structure
Structures in different organisms that have looked similar, have similar functions
Chemical tests
o analyse blood to find similarities or differences.
o If they are related the blood will show similarities in molecular composition.
o The more common chemicals – the more closely related they are.
Life studies
o involves studying the stages in life of an organism.
o E.g. ferns and flowering plants
o reproduce differently
Embryology
o the study of embryo development.
o If embryos are similar in appearance at some stage, then the organisms are related.
o The longer time that the embryos are similar, the more closely related they are.
o E.g. all vertebrate embryos start with gill slits and a tail; as they develop they start to differ.
Levels of Classification
- These levels start at a few very large domains, then groups or kingdoms and progresses down to many very small groups (species).
All living things are now classified into 3 Domains:
o Bacteria
o Archaea
o Eukaryotes
Eubacteria Domain
o All bacteria are prokaryotic
o Cell walls made of peptidoglycan (which means the cell wall will stain a purple colour in a Gram stain) so they are classified as gram-positive bacteria
o Reproduce by binary fission
o Some are photosynthetic – make own food
o Some are chemosynthetic – nitrogen-fixing and sulphur-oxidising bacteria
Archaea Domain - Extremophiles
they thrive in extreme environments, such as
o Salt lakes - halophiles
o Acidic water
o Alkaline water
o Oxygen lacking marshes & swamps – methanogens (produce methane)
o Hot springs – thermophiles
Cell walls without peptidoglycan (which means the cell wall will not hold the stain making it a pink colour) so they are classified as gram negative bacteria and they are pathogenic.
Eukaryotes
Cells that have a membrane around the nucleus and contain organelles which have a special function.
All Eukaryotes are classified into 4 Kingdoms
o Plants
o Fungi
o Protists
o Animals
Phylum
- The Phylum is the next level following kingdom in the classification of living things. It is an attempt to find some kind of physical similarities among organisms within a kingdom.