Unit 1 - Classification
1.1 Characteristics of living things
Biology is the study of living things, which are often called organisms. Living organisms have
seven features or characteristics which make them different from objects that are not alive.
THERE ARE 7 CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS (MRS. GREN)
M – Movement - an action by an organism causing a change of position or place
R – Respiration - the chemical reactions in cells that break down nutrient molecules and release
energy
S - Sensitivity - the ability to detect and respond to changes in the environment
G – Growth - a permanent increase in size
R – Reproduction - the processes that make more of the same kind of organism
E – Excretion - removal from organisms of toxic materials and substances in excess of
requirements
N – Nutrition - – taking in of materials for energy, growth and development
Species – a group of organisms that can reproduce and produce fertile offspring
Binomial System – an internationally agreed system in which the scientific name of an
organism is made up of two parts showing the genus and species
The first name of the genus organism belongs to (always with a capital letter) And the
second name is the name of its species (with always a small letter)
1.2 - Classification
Classification means putting things into groups.
The main reason for classifying is to make it easier to study them.
The first person who tried to classify organisms in a scientific way was a Swedish
naturalist called Linnaeus.
He introduced his system of classification in 1735. He recognized 12000 different
species.
Species - a group of organisms that can reproduce and produce fertile offspring.
There are 7 groups of classification
Kingdom -> Phyla -> Classes -> Orders -> Family -> Genera -> Species
Horse like mammals - Equus
Dog like mammals – Canis
1.3 Keys
A key is a way of leading you through to the name of your organism by giving you two
descriptions at a time, and asking you to choose between them. Each choice you
make then leads you to another pair of descriptions, until you end up with the name of
your organism.
This kind of key is called a dichotomous key.
Dichotomous means branching into two and refers to the fact that you have two
descriptions to choose from at each step.
1.4 The kingdoms of living organisms.
Characteristics of animals
- Multicellular
- Cells have nucleus, but no cell walls or chloroplasts.
- Feed on organisms substances made by other living organisms.
Characteristics of plants
- Multicellular
- Cells have a nucleus, cell walls made of cellulose and often contain chloroplasts.
- Feed by photosynthesis
- May have roots, stems and leaves.
Characteristics of Fungi
- Usually multicellular
- Have nuclei have cell walls not made of cellulose.
- Do not have chlorophyll
- Feed by parasitic nutrition.
Characteristics of protoctist
- Multicellular or unicellular
- Cells have a nucleus
- Cells may or may not have a cell wall and chloroplasts.
- Some feed by photosynthesis and others feed on organic substances made by other
organisms
Characteristics of prokaryotes
- Often unicellular
- Have no nucleus
- Have cell walls not made of cellulose
- Have no mitochondria
1.5 Classifying Animals
Phylum Vertebrates
Phylum vertebrates are - Class fish, Class reptiles, Class amphibians, Class
mammals, Class birds.
Characteristics of Class Fish
- Vertebrates with scaly skin
- Have gills
- have fins
Characteristics Of Class Reptiles
- Vertebrates with scaly skin
- lay eggs with rubbery shells
Characteristics Of Class Amphibians
- Have moist and scale-less skin.
- Eggs laid in water. Larva lives in water
- Adult often lives on land
- Larvae have gills and adults have lungs.
Characteristics of Class Birds
- vertebrates with feathers
- Lay eggs with hard shell
- Endothermic
- Have beak
- Heart has four chambers
Characteristics Of Class Mammals
- Vertebrates with hair
- Have placenta
- Young feed on milk from mammary glands
- Endothermic
- Have diaphragm
- Heart has four chambers
- Have different types of teeth
Sessile - to be fixed in one position.
Phylum Arthropods
Characteristics of Phylum Arthropods
- Several pairs of jointed legs
- Exoskeleton
Characteristics of Insects
- Arthropods with three pairs of jointed legs
- Two pairs if wings
- Breathe through a tracheae
- Body divided into head thorax and abdomen
Characteristics of Crustaceans
- Arthropods with more than four pairs of jointed legs
- Not millipedes or centipedes
- Breath trough gills
Characteristics of Arachnids
- Arthropods with four pairs of jointed legs
- Breathe through gills called book lungs
Characteristics of Myriapods
- Body consists of many segments
- Each segment has jointed legs
1.6 Classifying Plants
Plants are divided into two groups - ferns and flowering plants
Characteristics of Ferns
- Plants with roots, stems and leaves
- Have leaves called fronds
- Do not produce flowers
- Reproduce by spores
Characteristics of Flowering Plants
- Plants with roots stems and leaves
- Reproduce sexually by means of flowers and seeds.
- Seeds are produces inside the ovary in the flower.
Flowering Plants can be divided into two main groups. Monocotyledonous and
Dicotyledonous often abbreviated to monocots and dicots.
Characteristics of Monocots
- Strap shaped leaves
- Parallel veins
- Only one cotyledon in their seeds
Characteristics of Dicot
- Broad leaves
- Network of branching leaves
- Two cotyledon in their seeds
