1. Biological Classification
A look at the grouping of living organisms.

2. Classification
Classification is the process of grouping things by their shared traits.
At least 1.7 million different organisms identified on Earth.
Taxonomy is the scientific study of how things are classified.
Carolus Linneaus was a Swedish scientist who came up with classification system for living things in the 1750’s.
He also came up with a way of naming organisms scientifically called binomial nomenclature (2-part name).
The 2 names that identify an organism scientifically are the genus & species.
Organisms in the same genus share similar characteristics. For example: All cats are in the genus Felis. All dogs are in the genus Canis.
Organisms in the same species are so similar that they can mate & produce fertile offspring.
Ex. Of scientific names: (notice that genus is capitalized but species is NOT).
Felis domesticus (house cat),
Felis tigris (tiger),
Canis lobo (wolf)
Homo sapien (man)

3. Classification Today
1. Sex female Sex male---5     2. Hair color red---Susan     2. Hair color brown or blond Hair color blonde---Jane 3. Hair color brown---4     4. Glasses worn---Donna     4. Glasses not worn---Linda 5. Pants jeans---Caleb 5. Pants slacks---6     6. Hair color black--James     6. Hair color brown--Zach
Sample Dichotomous Key
Classification uses the following criteria (characteristics) to classify organisms.
Structure
How it develops in life (Life cycle)
DNA
7 Levels of Classification
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Dichotomous Key on the Web

4. 6 Kingdoms 1) Archeobacteria
One celled prokaryotic (no nucleus) organisms that are either autotrophic (make their own food) or heterotrophic (can’t make their own food)
2) Eubacteria
Similar to archeobacteria except they have different chemical makeup.
3) Protista
All are eukaryotes (cells with a nucleus). Can be unicellular or multicellular.
4) Fungi
Except yeasts, all are multicellular heterotrophs. Includes mushrooms & molds.
5) Plants
6) Animals

5. Bacteria
There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people on the Earth.
Bacteria cells are prokaryotes (no nucleus) & they lack other cell organelles (like mitochondria).
Bacteria have 3 cell shapes. (Determined by chemical makeup of its cell wall).
Spherical
Rod shape
Spiral
Bacteria cell structures & functions
Cell membrane – controls movement of materials in & out of cell.
Cytoplasm – gel like material that organelles float in.
Ribosomes – make proteins.
DNA – genetic material loose in the cytoplasm.
Flagella – long whip-like strands that help bacteria move.

6. Bacteria (continued) Energy needs. Autotrophes – make their own food.
From the Sun
From chemicals in their environment.
Heterotrophes – don’t make their own food. They consume (eat) other bacteria or materials.
Reproduction
Binary fission – a type of asexual reproduction that resembles mitosis where one cell makes an identical copy of itself.
Conjugation – a type of sexual reproduction where one cell transfers its genetic material to another cell though a thin threadlike material. The cell that receives the new DNA then undergoes binary fission.
Survival
Many bacteria survive by forming endospores – a small thick wall that acts as armor to protect the cell’s DNA from heat, cold, chemicals, etc.
Uses
Some bacteria cause diseases (usually Eubacteria), but most types of bacteria are harmless or even helpful. (They decompose compounds into more useful chemical & some are even used in the food industry).

7. Protista
*Often called the “junk drawer” kingdom because it contains many organisms that don’t easily fit anywhere else.
They all are eukaryotic (have a nucleus).
Almost all live in moist areas.
May be unicellular or multicellular.
Some heterotrophes, some autotrophes.
Plant like protist (algae) with flagella

8. Protista (cont.) Ameba with pseudopod 3 basic categories
Animal-like protists – also called protozoans.
Move (in response to food, chemicals or light).
Pseudopods – move by small bulges in the cell membrane. Ex. Amebas.
Cilia – tiny hair-like structures that move in a wave pattern & make bacteria move. Ex. Paramecium
Flagella – whip-like hairs that move the bacteria.
Sporazoans – not characterized by how they move but because they are parasites (organisms that live on & harm another organism called a host.)
Heterotrophic
Unicellular
Plant-like protists (also called algae)
Autotrophic
Make most of Earth’s oxygen (photosynthesis).
Unicellular Ex. Diatoms & euglenas
Unicellular colonies- groups of unicellular protists together (not specialized).
Multicellular- many special cells for different functions. Ex. Kelps & seaweeds.
Fungus – like protists
Heterotrophes
Have cell walls
Reproduce by spores (tiny cells that can grow a whole new organism).
Ameba with pseudopod

9. Fungi Reproduce by spores. Eukaryotes Heterotrophes
Grow in warm, moist places.
Cell Structure
Some unicellular Ex. Yeasts
Some multicellular Ex. Molds & mushrooms.
Hyphae – branching, thread-like tubes that make up the body of multicellular fungi.
How the hyphae are arranged determines how the fungus looks.

10. Fungi (cont.) How fungi eat: Reproduction Decomposers
Parasites Ex. Athlete’s Foot Fungus
Reproduction
*Asexual
spores
Budding – no spores produced. A small yeast cell grows from the body of a larger parent cell & then breaks off & lives independently.
Sexual
2 hyphae grow together & produce spores that are a combination of both parents.
A yeast cell reproducing by budding

11. Plants Left: plant basics/Right: vascular tissue
Plant characteristics:
multicellular
eukaryotic
autotrphes (through photosynthesis)
Most plants have vascular tissue, leaves, roots, & stems.
*Vascular tissue is a system of small tube-like structures that carry water & nutrients throughout the plant & also act to support the plants growing structure.
Plants like mosses without vascular tissue are called nonvascular plants (they also don’t have true roots or stems).
*Leaves are the place where most photosynthesis takes place because they have the most chloroplasts (organelle that changes light energy to food).
*Stomata are pores in a leaf that allow CO2 in to plant & H2O vapor out.
*Roots are organs that anchor the plant to the ground & absorb nutrients & water from the ground.
*Stems are organs that carry substances back & forth from roots & leaves.
Left: plant basics/Right: vascular tissue

12. Plants (cont.) Top: pine tree (gymnosperm) Bottom: flower (angiosperm)
Plant groups
Nonvascular plants
mosses
liverworts
Vascular Plants
Seedless
Club mosses (not true mosses).
Ferns
Seeds
Gymnosperms – seeds are in cones or “naked”. Ex. Conifers like pine trees.
Angiosperms – “flowering plants” seeds are protected by covering called a fruit. Ex. Most flowers, grasses, & fruits.
Top: pine tree (gymnosperm)
Bottom: flower (angiosperm)

13. Plants (cont.) Seed parts Plant reproduction
Plants reproduce in 2 stages:
Spore stage – tiny organisms cells are produced.
Fertilization – a plant sperm & egg unit to make the genetic information for the new spores. (Sexual reproduction).
zygotes are fertilized eggs.
Embryos are more developed zygotes.
Seeds – a protective covering for the embryo of a new organism. They have 3 parts:
embryo
stored food (endosperm)
seed coat for protection
Cones- the reproductive structures of gymnosperms. There are male & female cones. Male cones have pollen (sperm) & female cones have ovules (eggs).
Flowers – the reproductive part of angiosperms. A flower has both male reproductive parts (Stamens) & female reproductive parts (Pistils).

14. Animals Animal Diversity Web Above: Invertebrate (no backbone) animals
Animal Characteristics
Multicellular
Cells are specialized (nerve cells, bone cells, etc.).
Heterotrophes
Most reproduce sexually (unite sperm & egg)
Animal Adaptations
Adaptations are characteristics that allow an animal to survive in its environment & reproduce.
Herbivores – plant eaters.
Carnivores – meat eaters
predators – hunt for food
prey – animals hunted for food
Omnivores – eat both plants & meats.
Animals have many specific adaptations that allow them to find food, escape predators & capture prey.
Above: Invertebrate (no backbone) animals
Below: Vertebrate (backbone animals

15. Animals (cont.) Animal Classification
There are about 35 phyla in the animal kingdom.
How animals are classified:
Backbones
Vertebrates – animals with backbones.(5% of all species)
Invertebrates – animals without backbones. ( 95% of all species)
Symmetry – how an animal’s body is balanced.
Bilateral symmetry – you can draw a line in an animal & get 2 mirrored halves.
Radial Symmetry – many lines can be drawn & get equal portions.
Above: radial symmetry
Below: bilateral symmetry

16. Animals (cont.) Complete metamorphosis
4 stages
1.Egg
2. Larva
3. Pupa.
4. Adult
In the larva stage an insect often looks like a worm.
** In the pupa stage an insect is covered in a protective covering (cocoon).
Incomplete metamorphosis (gradual)
3 stages.
Egg
Nymph (small version of adult)
Adult
Top: complete metamorphosis
Bottom: incomplete (gradual) metamorphosis