1. Adaptations and Classifications: Is There a Connection?
A powerpoint presentation to follow “natural selection”

2. *Adaptation: any trait that aids the chances of survival and reproduction of organism
“variation” and “adaptation” not the same:
“variations” are raw materials upon which natural selection acts
“adaptations” are products of natural selection; aid survival and over time, all members of population inherit

3. *Adaptations are produced slowly– small changes or modifications over time; slight variations in traits of previous generation that helped organism survive

4. *TYPES OF ADAPTATIONS:
STRUCTURAL: deal with anatomy- usually aid in feeding
ex. Shape of beak or tooth
PHYSIOLOGICAL/ BEHAVIORAL: deal with functions in organisms
*physiological: adaptation with chemical basis associated with org’s function;
ex. Spider’s web, clotting of blood
*behavioral: result from response of org. to external environment
ex. Migration, plants grow toward light

5. *for the next few slides, determine what adaptations are present.

9. Anybody know why the pufferfish “puffs” up?

10. *Knowing what we know about adaptations, does this separate animals into distinct groups?
YES!
*SPECIES: group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring in nature
*B/C mating between different species is rare, genes seldom pass from one gene pool to another.

11. How does this relate to classification?
Now, for the second part...
How does this relate to classification?
What do I mean, "classification?"
Feel like we're playing 20 questions?

12. *Why classify things?
*Biologists classify organisms in categories = taxa (taxon)
*Purpose: to bring order to things; help identify unknown org’s
*Also aids in naming organisms- common names vary from country to country; scientific names don’t

13. HISTORY: Aristotle- 2 groups of organisms: plants, animals
*Plants were classified according to size and structure
*Animals were classified according to where they lived
*Carolus Linnaeus (18th century):
system based on one characteristic: structural features
*two org’s with same features- same species
*BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE: each organism is given a two-word Latin name:
1st word: noun: genus to which organism belongs
2nd word: adj: specific name
Put together = species

14. *ex.: Cats belong to genus Felis; wildcat is Felis sylvestris while a house cat is Felis catus.
*Notice: first letter of genus is capitalized but species is not. Always underline or italicize scientific names.

15. DETERMINING RELATIONSHIPS: *Fossils used, homologous structures used
*Biochemistry and development: studied embryos
*Molecular basis: DNA!!!!!!!!!!!!
MOST ACCURATE TO DETERMINING RELATIONSHIPS!!!
*Compare N bases in DNA-- #’s and types;
In other words, by studying base sequences, can determine how closely related organisms are

16. *Phylogeny: evolutionary history of organism based on fossil evidence, biochemistry, etc.
*Don’t panic, that’s as far down that “path” that we’re going to go…

17. System of Classification: A Pyramid of Information
*Seven taxa form a series:
*KINGDOM (BROADEST) *PHYLUM
*CLASS *ORDER *FAMILY *GENUS *SPECIES
**EACH OF THESE CAN ACTUALLY BE SUBDIVIDED (i.e. “subspecies” are breeds or varieties)

18. KINGDOM
PHYLUM
CLASS
ORDER
FAMILY
GENUS
SPECIES

19. EXAMPLE:
Taxon: house cat dog human
Kingdom Animalia Animalia Animalia
Phylum Chordata Chordata Chordata
Class Vertebrata Vertebrata Vertebrata
Order Carnivora Carnivora Primates
Family Felidae Canidae Hominidae
Genus Felis Canis Homo
Species Felus catus Canis familiaris Homo sapiens

21. Most biologists use 5 Kingdom approach:
1. Animals
2. Plants
3. Monerans
4. Protists
5. Fungi
*Reasons for more than just Plants vs. Animals:
*Many microorganisms and others have characteristics of both
Ex. Where would mushrooms fit? Don’t move like plants but aren’t autotrophic (photosynthesis)
*Helps to identify if eukaryotic or prokaryotic

22. Monerans Protists Plants Fungi Animals prokaryotic All organisms
usually unicellular
Protists
eukaryotic
autotrophic
Plants
multicellular
Absorbs food
Fungi
heterotrophic
Ingests food
Animals