DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS
Introduction
- Biodiversity term is used to define the diversity of life forms.
- Biodiversity is a word more often used to refer to the variety of life forms found in a particular geographic region.
- Diversity of life forms of a geographic region provides stability in the respective region.
Base of Classification
- Greek thinker Aristotle first classified animals based on their place of residence whether they lived on land, in water, or in the air.
- Later, all the living organisms are identified and categorized on the basis of their body design in form and function.
- The idea of evolution was first described by Charles Darwin in 1859 in his book namely – The Origin of Species.’
- Charles Darwin first described this idea of evolution in 1859 in his book, ‘The Origin of Species.’
Hierarchy of Classification Groups
- Some biologists, namely Ernst Haeckel (1894), Robert Whittaker (1959), and Carl Woese (1977) have attempted to classify all living organisms into broad categories and named them ‘Kingdoms.’
- Whittaker categorized into five kingdoms namely:
- Monera
- Protista
- Fungi
- Plantae
- Animalia
- Further, these kingdoms have been classification by naming the sub-groups at various levels as:
- Let’s discuss each kingdom in brief:
Monera
- The organisms of Monera kingdom do not have a defined nucleus or organelles, neither do any of them show multi-cellular body designs.
- The examples of this monera kingdom are bacteria, anabaena, blue-green algae or cyanobacteria, and mycoplasma.
Protista
- The organisms of Protista kingdom include many kinds of unicellular eukaryotic organisms.
- The examples of Protista kingdom are algae, euglena, diatoms, and protozoans, etc.
Fungi
- The organisms of fungi kingdom are heterotrophic eukaryotic organisms.
- The organisms of this kingdom use decaying organic material as their food and therefore, they are also known as saprophytes.
Plantae
- The organisms of this kingdom are multicellular eukaryotes with cell walls.
- The organisms of plantae are autotrophs and they use chlorophyll for making their food (i.e. photosynthesis).
- All plants are examples of plantae kingdom.
Animalia
- The organisms of Animalia kingdom are all organisms which are multicellular eukaryotes without cell walls.
- Organisms of Animalia kingdom are heterotrophs.
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