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Characteristics of Living Organisms and Biodiversity
Jun 9, 2024
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Review flashcards
Characteristics of Living Organisms
Segregating Living and Non-Living
Certain characteristics distinguish living organisms from non-living matter
Characteristics can be definitive or non-definitive
Growth
Living organisms
(cellular or unicellular) grow via cell division
Multicellular organism: cell division increases mass
Unicellular organism (e.g., amoeba): cell division results in two new organisms
Plants
: grow via cell division throughout life
Animals
: grow up to a certain age; cell division occurs mainly to replace lost cells
Non-living objects (e.g., rocks) can grow externally (e.g., sand deposition)
Internal vs External Growth
: Internal growth is a characteristic of living organisms
Reproduction
Unicellular organisms: growth and reproduction lead to an increase in cell number
Multicellular organisms: reproduction creates offspring; can be sexual or asexual
Sexual
: seen in higher organisms (humans, animals)
Asexual
: seen in lower organisms (e.g., yeast - budding, flatworm - fragmentation)
Some organisms (e.g., sterile worker bees) do not reproduce but are still considered living
Conclusion
: Reproduction is not a definitive characteristic
Metabolism
Organisms produce and convert chemicals into biomolecules through metabolic reactions
Metabolism occurs in all living organisms
In vitro reactions
: isolated metabolic reactions are not considered living
Conclusion
: Metabolism is a definitive feature of living organisms
Cellular Organization
Living organisms are made up of cells
Not observed in non-living matter
Conclusion
: Cellular organization is a definitive feature
Consciousness
Living organisms sense and respond to environmental stimuli
Examples: sunflower facing the Sun, humans wearing woolens in winter
Conclusion
: Consciousness is a definitive feature
Summary
Definitive characteristics of living organisms: Metabolism, Cellular Organization, Consciousness
Biodiversity and Classification
Biodiversity
Earth's diversity: millions of species of fungi, plants, animals
Every species: group of similar individuals sharing a common gene pool, interbreeding freely
Approximately 1.7 to 1.8 million known species
Nomenclature
Standardized naming to avoid confusion
Identification
: knowing the correct description
Scientific Naming
: Based on principles from ICBN (plants) and ICZN (animals)
Example: Ficus religiosa (sacred fig)
Binomial nomenclature: Generic name + Specific epithet
Devised by Carolus Linnaeus
Formatting: Italics in print, underlined when handwritten
Capitalization: Genus starts with a capital letter, specific epithet with a lowercase letter
Taxonomy and Classification
Classification: grouping based on observable characters
Taxa
: Groups with specific characteristics (e.g., mango trees, dogs)
Systematics
: Study of organisms' relationships, including identification, classification, nomenclature, and evolutionary relationships
Taxonomic Categories
Classification hierarchy: Kingdom, Phylum/Division, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
Species
: Basic unit, group with fundamental similarities
Genus
: Group of related species
Family
: Group of related genera
Order
: Collection of related families
Class
: Group of related orders
Phylum/Division
: Group with common features
Kingdom
: Largest category; all animals (Animalia), all plants (Plantae)
Characteristics decrease in commonality from Species to Kingdom
Importance of Taxonomy
Simplifies the study of organisms
Tools: Herbariums, Botanical Gardens, Museums, Zoos, Keys
Herbarium
: Collection of dried plant specimens
Botanical Gardens
: Cultivated plant collections
Museums
: Collections of preserved plants and animals
Zoos
: Wild animals in protected environments
Keys
: List of questions for identification and classification
Other Taxonomical Aids
Flora: Information about plants in a region or period
Manuals: Help identify plant and animal species in an area
Monographs: Detailed description of a single taxon
Conclusion
Taxonomical aids are crucial for studying and conserving biodiversity
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