The Living World

The Living World Illustration

Objective

  • Bio Diversity
  • Characters of Living
  • Classification, Taxonomy and Systematics

Bio Diversity

  • Life on Earth - 4.6 Billion Years ago. (460 crore Years)
  • Estimated Eukaryotes - 8.7 Million (87 Lakhs) - Survey - Mora et al (2011).
  • Discovered Livings - 1.7 to 1.8 Million (17 to 18 Lakhs).
    NCERT
  • Yet to be discovered in Land - 86%
    Yet to be discovered in seas - 91%
  • Homosapiens - Topmost in Hierarchy - - Co exist
    Dependant - other plants and animals - For Food, Shelter, Labour in farming, etc
  • Bio diversity Term - Walter Rosen (1985)
    Defined by E D Wilson
  • Ecosystem Term - A G Tansley (1935)

Characters of Living

  • Growth - Increase in Number and Mass - Non Defining Character (Exceptions) - Even mountain Grow
  • Reproduction - Production of Young ones - Non Defining Character - Mules, Sterile bees, Infertile couples
  • Movement - Non Defining - Plants won't move
  • Cellular Organization - Defining Character (No Exceptions)
    NCERT
  • Metabolism - Defining Character
  • Self Consiousness - Defining Character

Classification, Taxonomy and Systematics

  • Classification - Grouping based on Characters
  • Taxon (Plural - Taxa) - Specific Group - At any Level
  • Classification - Use - Conveinient study
    Calssification - Use - Compare and Differntiate
    Calssification - Use - Understand evolution
  • Taxonomy - Science of Arrangement - Classification, Description, Identification, Naming
    NCERT
  • Taxonomy - Term - Augustin Pyramus de Candole (1813)
    NCERT
  • Father of Taxonomy (Calssical) - Aristotle
    NCERT
  • Father of Modern Taxonomy - Carolus Linnaeus
    NCERT
The Living World - Levels of Ecological Organization and Ecological Concepts
Figure 1.1: Schematic representation of biological hierarchy and taxonomy in the living world.
Table 1: Differentiation of Three Kingdom and Five Kingdom Classification
Taxonomic Rank Description / Feature Example (Human) Example (Mango)
Kingdom Highest broad taxonomic rank grouping organisms based on core cellular plans. Animalia Plantae
Phylum / Division Major subgroup within a kingdom sharing distinct structural organization. Chordata Angiospermae
Class Collection of related orders sharing common anatomical traits. Mammalia Dicotyledonae
Order Assemblage of families exhibiting similar vegetative and reproductive features. Primata Sapindales
Family Group of related genera with less similarities compared to genus. Hominidae Anacardiaceae
Genus Aggregated group of closely related species sharing common adaptations. Homo Mangifera
Species Basic fundamental unit of taxonomic classification with interbreeding capability. sapiens indica
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