TCSHTSC

• Hierarchical taxonomic system of classification

  Organizing the known species of organisms into a hierarchical taxonomy
• Levels in the taxonomic hierarchy (from lowest to highest)

  • Species
  • Genus
  • Family
  • Order
  • Class
  • Phylum
  • Kingdom
  • Domain
• Binomial nomenclature


  The genus is used as the first word of a scientific name, which is always capitalized and italicized
• Example of binomial name


  • Panthera leo (the lion)
• Taxonomic classification of humans

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Mammalia
  • Order: Primates
  • Family: Hominidae
  • Genus: Homo
  • Species: sapiens
• Biological species concept


  A species is a group of actually or potentially interbreeding natural populations which are reproductively isolated from other such groups
• Lineage species concept


  Species are groups of organisms that share a pattern of ancestry and descent and which form a single branch on the tree of life
• Morphological species concept


  Species can be differentiated from other species by their physical features and can be identified by their morphological attributes
• Biodiversity


  Biological diversity or the variety of life on Earth, in all its forms
• Forms of biodiversity


  • Genes
  • Bacteria
  • Entire ecosystems such as forests or coral reefs
• Sustainability


  The ability to exist and develop without depleting natural resources for the future
• High biodiversity


  • A region supports a wide variety of species
• Low biodiversity


  • An area supports only a few species
• Rainforest


  • Has the highest biodiversity because it has a high amount of rainfall which is suitable for plants, thus many plant species could be found
• Types of rainforests


  • Tropical rainforests
  • Temperate rainforests
• Tropical rainforests


  Found in places near the equator, example is the Amazon in South America
• Temperate rainforests


  Found in places near the cooler coastal areas further north or south of the equator