1. Classifying Living Things
Chapter 2
Why Classify?
Quiz 2A

2. to arrange things into groups
Classify
to arrange things into groups
Classification: the process of grouping things based on their similarities

3. the science of classifying organisms into groups
Taxonomy
(from Gk. taxis –
arrangement, order)
the science of classifying organisms into groups

4. How does a good classification system help?
Generalization: by learning about individual’s you may also learn about the whole group.
It makes information about specific organisms easier to organize and find.

5. The Classification Hierarchy
First recorded classification of organisms was attempted by Aristotle the Greek scientist and philosopher.

6. Aristotle’s Classification System
Plants
HERBS - if they lacked woody parts
SHRUBS - if they had several short woody stems
TREES - one large woody stem .

7. Aristotle’s Classification System

8. Animals FISH – swim BIRDS - fly LAND ANIMALS - walk
Aristotle’s Classification System
Animals
FISH – swim
BIRDS - fly
LAND ANIMALS - walk

9. artificial classification system
based on appearance
(physical characteristics)
Aristotle's system was used for approximately 2,000 years.
(used into the 1600’s)

10. Carolus Linnaeus
In the 1700's Carolus Linnaeus, a Swedish-naturalist, discovered problems in the systematic arrangement for botany and began to sketch his own classification method.

11. Species Plantarum Systema Naturae
Carolus Linnaeus set forth a new classification system in his works (books he wrote).
Species Plantarum
Systema Naturae

12. Species Plantarum published 1753
forms the basis for plant classification

13. Systema Naturae published 1758
forms the basis for animal classification

14. Carolus Linnaeus
Linnaeus is known as the father of modern biological classification or the father of taxonomy.

15. Carolus Linnaeus
Linnaeus also established the modern scientific method of naming plants and animals.
His system is also an artificial classification system (based on physical characteristics).
It has more flexibility than the previous systems.
It is still used today.

16. Linnaeus's 7 Basic Levels of Classification
His system has 7 basic levels (largest --->smallest)
kingdom
phylum (division)
class
order
family
genus
species
Species are often divided into sub-species (or varieties – like dogs). Subphyla & subclasses may also be used.

17. The more classification levels that two organisms share, the more characteristics they have in common.

18. As you move down the levels there are fewer kinds of organisms in each group.

19. Levels of Classification
Some classification systems have an eighth level – domain – that is a level higher than kingdom.

20. Organisms are placed into domains and kingdoms based on their cell type, their ability to make food, and the number of cells in their bodies.

21. Unicellular prokaryotes
The "true bacteria". Examples: Enteric bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella typhus, Legionella, Heliobacter pylorii (cause of many ulcers), Neisseria gonorrhea (cause of gonorrhea), Nitrogen-fixing bacteria that are able to convert nitrogen gas into ammonia. Clostridium (tetanus, botulism).

22. also unicellular prokaryotes but they are found in some of the most extreme environments on Earth (such as hot springs, very salty water, swamps, volcano vents in the Pacific Ocean floor, and the intestines of cows)

23. Protist
Fungi
Animal
Plant

24. The Six Kingdoms Kingdom Archaebacteria Kingdom Eubacteria
Kingdom Protista
Kingdom Fungi
Kingdom Plantae
Kingdom Animalia

25. What about Humans?
Man is not an animal; he is God’s highest creation and created in God’s image.

26. Christian Classification System?
Why don’t Christians invent a “Christian Classification System” that would not be influenced by evolutionary bias? Any new system that uses physical characteristics as the basis for classification would likely group organisms quite similarly to the current system.

27. Christian Classification System?
There is a Christian classification system that has been proposed called baraminology. The term baraminology comes from the Hebrew words bara, meaning “create,” and min, meaning “kind.” Baraminology attempts to classify organisms according to their biblical kind.

28. Christian Classification System?
Since one of the primary functions of a classification system is to eliminate confusion regarding organisms, having a separate system that is similar but not really parallel would likely add confusion rather than eliminate it. A more reasonable solution is for Christians to accept the Bible as the source of all truth and reject any evolutionary bias found in the current system..