The Tree of Life:What is the Point?

Big Question

Why Do We Classify Organisms?

ClassificationA process of grouping

by similarities

Every Day Classification

Organization at

your desk.

The Science of Classification

Scientist who classify ororganize organisms (animals and plants)

are called taxonomists. Taxonomists study

taxonomy.

Taxonomy

• Branch of biology that groups and names organisms

New Discoveries

Questions

How can you answer these questions?

Why is Taxonomy Important?

Unknown species discovered.

New fossil Uncovered.

What is Classification?

Classification arranges objects, ideas, or information

into groups by finding common

traits or characters.

The History of Organization

Aristotle 384-322 BCInterested in biological classification.

Patterns in nature.

Carl Linnaeus1707-1778 ACE

Father ofBiological

Classification!

• 2 Categories –Plants and Animals

• Animals – classified on where they lived– Land, water or air

• Plants – classified on the basis of structure and size – Tree, shrub, herb

• Grouped organisms by similar structure

• Created two-part naming system

• Grouped similar species into same genus

Why Scientists Name Animals

Varecia variegata

• 2 word latin name (by Linneus)

• Uses genus and species name (or descriptive name)

• Italics is used and Genus is capitalized–Quercus alba = white oak

Genus Species Common Name

_______________________________________Canis familaralisCanis lupus

Felis domesticus Felis concolor

Dog Wolf

House Cat

Mountain lion

How Classification Works

Groups are arranged in hierarchical order.

Classification Puzzle

• Brings order to the great diversity of life forms

• Serves as a basis for identifying unfamiliar organisms

• Provides a logical means of naming organisms

• A series of paired statements used to identify organisms

1a. Has fur, go to…………………………2 b. Does not have fur……………………3 2a. Has straight fur………………………4 b. Has curly fur………………………….5 3a. Rough skin……………………………6 b. Smooth skin…………………………..7

Classification of life forms

3 Domains of Life

Bacteria Archaea Eukarya

Includes variousKingdoms:AnimaliaPlantaeFungiProtista

Consist of PROKARYOTES

Domains of Life

7 Classification Groups:

• Kingdom (most inclusive)

• Phylum

• Class

• Order

• Family

• Genus• Species (most specific)

• King

• Phillip

• Came

• Over

• For

• Good

• Spaghetti

ORGANIZATION• KINGDOM Largest• PHYLUM• CLASS• ORDER• FAMILY• GENUS• SPECIES Smallest

Which is the most difficult to assign?

Species:• Most specific• Successful

interbreeding• Fertile

offspring

Donkey + Horse=Mule (infertile)

Cladogram• A diagram showing branching

from a common ancestor• Traits separate each

organisms – derived traits• Assumption – groups of

organisms that diverge from common ancestor retain unique inherited characteristics

Organisms Classified Today Using:

• Structure

• Biochemistry

• Embryology

• Breeding Behavior

• Geographic Distribution

• Homologous parts

• DNA and proteins

• Embryos

• Courtship patterns

• Location (with reference to barriers)

5 Major Kingdoms:

1.Monera

2.Protista

3.Fungi

4.Plantae

5.Animalia

• 1 cell, prokaryotes

• 1/multicell, eukaryotes & algae • Multicelled, decomposers

• Muticelled, autotrophs

• Muticelled heterotrophs

KINGDOM MONERA

• SEPARATED INTO TWO GROUPS– ARCHAEBACTERIA– EUBACTERIA

TRUE BACTERIA ANCIENT BACTERIA

ARCHAEBACTERIA• PROKARYOTIC• UNICELLULAR• HETEROTROPH / AUTOTROPHS

– CHEMOSYNTHETIC – CHEMICALS TO MAKE NRG

• LIVES IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS– SWAMPS, HYDROTHERMAL VENTS

• MORE COMPLEX THAN EUBACTERIA• CELL WALL• SEVERAL HUNDRED SPECIES

ARCHAEBACTERIA

VENT BACTERIA SALT-LOVING BACTERIA

EUBACTERIA• “TRUE BACTERIA”

• PROKARYOTIC

• UNICELLULAR

• HETEROTROPH

• STRONG CELL WALLS

• SOME CAUSE DISEASE, BUT MOST HARMLESS

EUBACTERIA

PROTISTA• EUKARYOTES

– NUCLEUS, MEMBRANE BOUND ORGANELLES

• UNICELLULAR, SOME MULTICELLULAR

• HETEROTROPHS & AUTOTROPHS

• MOST VARIED GROUP

• LACK ORGAN SYSTEMS

• MOIST ENVIRONMENTS

PROTISTA

• EUKARYOTIC

• SOME UNICELLULAR, MOST MULTICELLULAR

• HETEROTROPHS– DECOMPOSERS (SAPROPHYTES)

• ABSORB FOOD THROGH CELL WALLS

• 100,000 DIFFERENT SPECIES

• EUKARYOTIC• MULTICELLULAR• AUTOTROPHS • DO NOT MOVE• CELLS ORGANIZED INTO TISSUES,

ORGANS AND SYSTEMS• CELL WALLS – CELLULOSE• 500,000+ SPECIES

• EUKARYOTES

• MULTICELLULAR

• HETEROTROPHS

• NEARLY ALL MOVE

• NO CELL WALLS (MEMBRANE ONLY)

• CELLS ORGANIZED INTO TISSUES, ORGANS, SYSTEMS

Feline Family Members:

Genus: Panthera (Lions &Tigers)

Classification by characteristics:

• Fossil Skulls• DNA

Sequences• Hair Samples • Pictures

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