Classification

• what is classification?

  grouping organisms based on their similarities and differences
• what is taxonomy?

  the study of classification
• what is taxonomic hierarchy?

  a system where larger groups are split into smaller ones
• how many levels of taxonomic groups are there?

  8
• what is the order of taxonomic groups?

  Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
• what happens to the number of groups and the number of organisms in the groups as you move down the taxonomic hierarchy?

  the number of groups increases but the number of organisms in each group decreases
• what is the binomial naming system?

  the scientific naming of a species with a latin name of two parts - the first part is genus, the second part is species
• what are the rules for a binomial name?

  genus has a capital letter and species has a lowercase letter

  names are written in italics or underlined if they're handwritten
• what is an advantage of the binomial naming system?

  it avoids the confusion of using common names and can give info about the relationships between organisms
• what are the 5 kingdoms?

  prokaryotae, protoctista, fungi, plantae, animalia
• example and features of prokaryotae?

  example: bacteria

  features:

  prokaryotic --> ring of dna

  unicellular

  saprophytic or autotrophic

  have a cell wall

  have chloroplasts

  no membrane-bound organelles

  small ribosomes
• example and features of protoctista?

  example: algae

  features:

  eukaryotic + membrane-bound organelles

  unicellular

  heterotrophic or autotrophic: parasitic do both

  have a cell wall

  some have chloroplasts
• example and features of fungi?

  example: mushrooms, mould, yeast

  features:

  eukaryotic + membrane-bound organelles

  saprophytic: some are parasitic

  multicellular or unicellular

  have a cell wall made of chitin

  no chloroplasts
• example and features of plantae?

  example: ferns

  features:

  eukaryotic + membrane-bound organelles

  autotrophic

  multicellular

  have a cell wall made of cellulose

  have chloroplasts

  most are sesile (dont move)
• features of animalia?

  eukaryotic + membrane-bound organelles

  heterotrophic

  multicellular

  no cell wall

  no chloroplasts
• define evolution?

  the gradual change in the characteristics of organisms over time
• define autotrophic?

  organisms that synthesise complex organic molecules from inorganic molecules via photosynthesis
• define heterotrophic?

  organisms that acquire nutrients by ingesting other organisms
• define saprophytic?

  organisms that acquire nutrients by releasing extracellular enzymes, then absorbing the products - mainly of decaying material
• define taxonomic hierarchy?

  large groups of organisms split into smaller ones, then ranked by size