ESSENCE
Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from
those that do not, either because such functions have ceased (death), or else because they lack such
functions and are classified as inanimate. Biology is the science concerned with the study of life.
Characteristics features of Living things / Differences between living and non-living things:
a) Growth
b) Reproduction
c) Metabolism
d) Response to stimuli
Biodiversity:- Biodiversity refers to the variety and variability of life on Earth. It is the measure of the
variety of organisms present in different ecosystem. Range of organisms present on earth (1.7 – 1.8
million)
Nomenclature:- The process of naming living organism such that a particular organism is known by the
same name all over the world.
Identification:- Is the process of assigning a pre-existing taxon name to an individual organism.
Rules for nomenclature are provided by;
ICBN:- International code for Botanical Nomenclature.
ICZN:- International code of Zoological Nomenclature.
Binomial Nomenclature:- The system of providing a name with two components is called Binomial
Nomenclature.
Each Name has two components- the Generic Name and the Specific epithet
Guidelines and Principles for Nomenclature:
a) It should be in Latin / derived from Latin.
b) If it is written in Italics when types and underlined when handwritten.
c) It contains two parts, first word is Genus ; second word is Species.
d) Genus name starts with Capital while species name starts with small letters.
e) Name should be short, precise & easy to pronounce.
f) Name of the author is written is an abbreviated form after the species name. Ex. Mangifera
indica Linn.
Classification:- Is the process by which anything is grouped into convenient categories based on
some easily observable characters.
Taxonomy:- Is a branch of science that encompasses the description, identification, nomenclature and
classification of organisms.
Carolous Linnaeus – Father of Taxonomy
Characterisation ,identification ,nomenclature and classification are the processes that are basic to
taxonomy.
Systematics - Different kinds of organisms and their relationships . Linnaeus – Systema Naturae
(evaolutionary relationships among organisms).
Taxonomical Hierarchy – Similarities decreases/ Differences increases.
Category is a part of overall taxonomic arrangement and all categories together constitute taxonomic
hierarchy.
The group included in taxonomic categories is called as taxon. For ex. Panthera
Species Genus Family Order Class Phylum Divisions Kingdom
As we go higher from species to kingdom the number of common characterstics goes on decreasing.
a) Species -Panthera leo, Panthera pardus, Panthera tigris.
b) Genus- Panthera (Lion, Leopad,Tiger )
c) Family- Panthera and Felis together into Felidae
d) Order - Felidae (cat family) , Canidae (dog family) - Carnivora
e) Class - Carnivora (tiger, cat, dog), Primates (monkeys )- Mammalian
f) Phylum – Pisces, Amphibian, Reptilian, Aves & Mammals
g) Kingdom – Plantae, Animalia.
Species:- It is the smallest taxonomic category. It is the basic unit of classification. A group of
individual in which the individuals can interbreed among themselves is called species.
Earnst Mayr gave the biological concept of species.
Genus:- Comprises a group of related species which has more characters in common in comparison
to species of other genera.
Family:- A group of closely related genera.
Order:- A group of closely related families.
Class:- A group of closely related orders.
Phylum:- A group of closely related classes.
Kingdom:- A group of all related Phyla is called kingdom.
Taxonomical aids
These are the procedures and techniques used to store and preserve information as well as
specimens of various plants and animals.
These help in identification, naming, and classification of organisms.
a) Herbarium
b) Botanical garden- NBRI (Lucknow ) & IBG (Howrah )
c) Museum
d) Zoological parks.
e) Key (analytical in nature)
f) Monograph ( 1 family / genera at a time. )
g) Manuals (particular area , family/ genus/ species )
h) Flora (habitat & description of plants in a given area )
Herbarium
It is the storehouse of collected plant specimens.
Collected plant specimens are dried, pressed, and preserved on sheets and then arranged
systematically according to the universally accepted system of classification.
Herbarium sheet contains label regarding date, place of the collection, scientific name, family,
collector’s name, etc. of the specimen
Botanical Garden
It has the collection of living plant species that are grown for identification and reference.
Each plant contains labels indicating their scientific name and family.
Some famous botanical gardens are Indian Botanical Garden, Calcutta (largest in India), Royal
Botanical Garden, Kew (largest in world till date) and National Botanical Research Institute.
Museum
It is the repository that has a collection of various plant and animal specimens that are
preserved for study and reference.
The organisms are preserved either in preservative solution or in the form of dry specimen
It often has a collection of skeletons of animals also.
Zoological parks
Wild animals are kept in protected environments.
Provides opportunity for studying the behaviour and food habits of the animals
Key
Keys are used for identification of plants and animals based on similarities and dissimilarities.
Manuals, monographs, and catalogues are other means of recording descriptions.
Manuals help in the identification of names of various species of organisms in a given area.
Monograph is a detailed and well-documented work on any particular taxon.
Organisms with their Taxonomic categories:
Man : Homo sapiens – Homo – Hominidae – Primate – Chordate - Mammalia
Housefly : Musca domestica - Musca – Muscidae – Diptera - Insecta -Arthropoda
Mango : Mangifera indica – Mangifera - Anacardiaceae - Sapindales- Dicotyledonae -
Angiospermae
Wheat : Triticum aestivum – Triticum – Poaceae – Poales - Monocotyledonae - Angiospermae
