Horlicks_ClassIX_Biology_Diversity_in_living_organisms.pdf

BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS

Diversity in living organisms 1) Every living organism is unique, and this uniqueness is the basis of the vast diversity displayed by organisms in our world. 2) This huge diversity is the result of evolution which has occurred over millions of years. 3) Classification is the method of arranging organisms into groups on the basis of similarities and differences. 4) The massive biological diversity can only be studied by classification, i.e. arranging organisms into groups based on their similarities and differences. 5) Different characteristics are used to determine the hierarchy of classification. 6) Prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell organisation is the primary characteristic of classification, because this feature influences every detail of cell design and capacity to undertake specialised functions. 7) Being a unicellular or multicellular organism forms the next basic feature of classification and causes huge differences in the body design of organisms. 8) The next level of classification depends on whether the organism is autotrophic or heterotrophic. Further classification depends on the various levels of organisation of the bodies of these organisms. 9) The evolution of organisms greatly determines their classification. 10) Organisms which evolved much earlier have simple and ancient body designs, whereas the recently evolved younger organisms have complex body designs. 11) Older organisms are also referred to as primitive or lower organisms, whereas the younger organisms are also referred to as advanced or higher organisms. 12) The diversity of life forms found in a region is biodiversity. 13) The region of megadiversity is found in the warm and humid tropical regions of the Earth. 14) Aristotle classified organisms depending on their habitat. 15) Robert Whittaker proposed the five-kingdom scheme of classification, based on the cell structure, nutrition and body organisation of organisms. 16) The main characteristics considered in the five-kingdom scheme of classification are i) Presence of prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. ii) If eukaryote, whether the organism is unicellular or multicellular. iii) Whether the cells possess or lack cell wall and whether they can prepare their own food. 17) The categories or taxa used in the classification of organisms are kingdom, phylum/division, class, order, family, genus and species. The smallest unit of classification is species, whereas the highest unit is kingdom.

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS 18) The five kingdoms proposed by Whittaker are Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia. Carl Woese further divided Monera into Archaebacteria and Eubacteria. 19) Prokaryotic one-celled organisms such as bacteria, cyanobacteria and mycoplasma are included in Monera. 20) Monerans show either autotrophic or heterotrophic nutrition. The cell wall may be present or absent.

21) Unicellular eukaryotic organisms such as protozoans, unicellular algae and diatoms are grouped under Protista. They may be autotrophic or heterotrophic and may use appendages for locomotion. Paramecium

Amoeba

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS Euglena

22) Fungi, such as yeast and mushrooms, include heterotrophic, eukaryotic organisms, which are normally saprophytes. Their cell walls are composed of chitin. Their reserve food material is glycogen. Aspergillus

Penicillium

Agaricus

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS

23) Lichens are symbiotic associations of certain fungi with blue green algae. The fungus absorbs water and mineral matter and supplies it to the algae. The algae, in turn, prepare food and supply it to the fungus. Example: Fruticose lichens. 24) Multicellular, autotrophic eukaryotes possessing a cell wall are included under kingdom Plantae. 25) Classification of plants is done at three levels on the basis of i) Presence or absence of well-differentiated body. ii) Presence or absence of vascular tissue. iii) Ability to bear seeds, which could be naked or enclosed in fruits. 26) The important divisions of Plantae are Thallophyta, Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae and Angiospermae. 27) Thallophytes, Bryophytes and Pteridophytes possess inconspicuous reproductive organs and are called Cryptogams. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms are grouped under Phanerogamae, because they possess well-differentiated, seed-producing reproductive tissues. 28) Thallophytes (or algae) are the simplest plants lacking well-differentiated body design. They are autotrophic and lack mechanical and conducting tissues. Example: Spirogyra. Ulothrix

Cladophora

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS Spirogyra

29) Bryophytes, such as moss and Riccia, show a differentiated plant body lacking true vascular tissues. They are simple land plants confined to shady damp places. They are also called amphibians of the plant kingdom. Marchantia

Funaria

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS 30) Plants grouped under Pteridophyta show a well-differentiated plant body with vascular tissues for conduction. Example: Ferns. They do not have flowers and do not produce seeds. Marsilea

Fern

31) Gymnosperms, such as pines and deodar, are phanerogams bearing naked seeds. The xylem lacks vessels and the phloem lacks companion cells. Pinus

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS Cycas

32) In Angiosperms or flowering plants, the seeds are enclosed in fruits. 33) Cotyledons are present in the embryos of seeds. Cotyledons are called seed leaves because in some cases they emerge and become green when the seed germinates. 34) Monocotyledons possess seeds with a single cotyledon, whereas dicotyledons are plants with two cotyledons in the seeds. 35) Monocots show fibrous root system, parallel venation of leaves and flowers with three (or multiple of three) petals. 36) A tap root system, reticulate venation of leaves and flowers with five (or multiple of five) petals are features of dicotyledons.

37) Organisms grouped under Animalia are eukaryotic, multicellular, heterotrophic and lack a cell wall.

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS 38) Animals are further divided into ten groups: Porifera, Coelenterata, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Echinodermata, Protochordata and Vertebrata.

Classification of animals

39) The symmetrical arrangement of an organism along a central axis such that the body is divided into equivalent right and left halves by one plane only is called bilateral symmetry. 40) A type of symmetry having only one body axis through which the body can be divided in multiple planes to give mirror image halves is called radial symmetry.

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS 41) In Porifera or sponges, the body is perforated by numerous pores and shows a cellular level of organisation. In addition, a hard exoskeleton and canal system are present. Sponges are nonmotile. Mouth, digestive cavity and anus are absent. Example: Sycon. Sycon

Spongilla

42) Coelenterates are radially symmetrical and show a cavity called coelenteron between the epidermis and the gastrodermis. Some like Hydra are solitary forms, whereas others like corals live in colonies. They possess special stinging cells (cnidoblasts) bearing stinging organelles called nematocysts. Hydra

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Sea Anemone

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS 43) Platyhelminthes includes the flat worms which are bilaterally symmetrical, dorsoventrally flattened, triploblastic and acoelomate. They may be free-living (Planaria) or parasitic (tape worm). The digestive cavity is present with a single opening, the mouth (anus is absent). Liver-fluke

Planaria

44) The body of nematode worms is cylindrical, bilaterally symmetrical, triploblastic and pseudocoelomate. They are usually parasitic. The alimentary canal is straight and complete with mouth and anus. Sexes are separate. Example: Ascaris.

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS 45) Annelids are triploblastic, bilaterally symmetrical with true coelom and found in diverse habitats. Segmentation and extensive organ differentiation are seen. The alimentary canal is tube-like, complete and extends straight from the mouth to the anus. Examples: Earthworm and Nereis. Nereis

Earthworm

Leech

46) Arthropoda is the largest phylum of the Animal Kingdom and contains triploblastic, bilaterally symmetrical and segmented animals. These animals possess jointed legs and an open circulatory system. The alimentary canal is complete; mouth and anus lie at opposite ends of the body. Examples: Butterfly, centipede, crab, spider etc. Palaemon (prawn)

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Palamnaeus (scorpion)

Aranea (spider)

Periplaneta (cockroach)

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS 47) In phylum Mollusca, organisms show bilateral symmetry, soft body, open circulatory system and reduced coelom. The body is divided into an anterior head, a muscular foot and a hard dorsal visceral mass. Excretion is done by a pair of metanephridia or kidneys. Examples: Chiton, Pila. Chiton

Pila

Octopus

48) Echinodermata includes spiny skinned organisms with calcareous skeleton. They are triploblastic, coelomate, marine and free-living. The body cavity is modified into a unique water vascular system which moves respiratory and locomotary organs, the tube feet or podia. Examples: Starfish and Holothuria. Antedon (feather star)

Holothuria (sea cucumber)

Asterias (star fish)

49) All chordates have a notochord, dorsal nerve cord and paired pharyngeal gill slits or pouches. They are triploblastic, coelomic and bilaterally symmetrical. 50) Vertebrates and Protochordates are grouped under Chordata. 51) Protochordates possess a notochord at some stage of their life. Examples: Balanoglossus, Amphioxus. 52) The notochord is a long flexible rod-shaped support structure that runs along the back of the animal separating the nervous tissue from the gut. 53) The nerve cord is a dorsal tubular cord of nervous tissue above the notochord of a chordate.

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BIOLOGY DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS 54) Vertebrates show a true vertebral column and endoskeleton. Complex body organisation and differentiation are seen. 55) The five classes of vertebrates are Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia. Pisces Aquatic

Amphibia Both land and water

Skin

Covered with scales/plates

Control of body temperature Number of heart chambers Respiration

Cold-blooded

Smooth skin with mucus glands and lacking scales Coldblooded

Mode of reproduction Locomotion Examples

Habitat

2

Gills

3

Reptilia Some terrestrial, others aquatic Water-proof skin with scales

Aves Terrestrial (aerial)

Mammalia Usually terrestrial, few aquatic

Mostly covered with feathers

Coldblooded

Warmblooded

Covered with hair and contains sweat and oil glands Warmblooded

3 (except crocodiles)

4

4

Lungs

Lungs

Lungs

Oviparous

Gills, lungs or skin Oviparous

Oviparous

Oviparous

Viviparous

Tail and fins

Limbs

Limbs

Limbs

Rohu, shark, sea-horse, sting ray

Frog, salamander, toad

Crocodile, snake, turtle, lizard

Wings and limbs Pigeon, ostrich, hen, duck

Human, whale, bat, lion

56) The endoskeleton in fish may be cartilaginous or bony. 57) Mammary glands in mammals produce milk to nourish the young ones. 58) The binomial nomenclature, developed by Carolus Linnaeus, uses two names to identify an organism. The first name is the generic name beginning with a capital letter, whereas the second name is the species name which begins with a small letter.

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