Chapter # 02 Biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms on earth.
Importance of Biodiversity
● Food Source: Provides a variety of foods like fruits, vegetables, and meats.
● Medicinal Resources: Many medicines are derived from plant and animal products.
● Industrial Materials: Sources of materials like fibers, dyes, and resins.
● Ecosystem Services: Pollination, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation.
Classification: Grouping of organisms is called classification.
Taxonomy is the branch of biology that deals with the identification, naming, and
classification of living organisms.
Systematics: It deals with the evolutionary relationships of organisms.
Aims and objectives of Classification
1. To organize the vast diversity of organisms into groups.
2. To find out evolutionary relationships among organisms.
3. To provide a universal naming system for organisms.
4. To determine similarities and differences between organisms.
History of Classification:
● Aristotle : Classified organisms into two groups: plants and animals.
● Abu Usama Aljahiz: Describe 350 species of animal.
● Andrea Caesalpino(1519-1603): Divided plants into 15 groups and called them genera.
● John Ray (1627-1705): Classify plants.
● Tournefort(1656-1708): Introduce class and species.
● Carolus Linnaeus (1707–1778): Introduced the binomial nomenclature system and
classified organisms.
● Robert Whittaker (1969): Proposed the Five Kingdom Classification system based on
cell structure, mode of nutrition, and body organization.
Two Kingdom Classification System:
1. Kingdom Plantae
2. Kingdom Animalia
🌿 1. Kingdom Plantae
● Autotrophic (make their own food via photosynthesis 🌞
🐾 2. Kingdom Animalia
● Heterotrophic (depend on other organisms for food.
Limitation:
Amoeba is single-celled, not a plant or animal, but placed into Animalia.
📌 Three kingdom Classification system:
Proposed by Ernst Haeckel in 1866. Introduced a third kingdom, Protista. Place unicellular
organisms like bacteria and amoeba.
Five Kingdom Classification System:
Proposed by Robert H. Whittaker in 1969.
🔹
Monera
Includes all prokaryotes (no true nucleus) 🔹Example: Bacteria
🔹
Protista
🔹 Mostly unicellular eukaryotes
Example: Amoeba, Paramecium, Euglena
🔹
Fungi
🔹 Multicellular eukaryotes, absorb food (saprotrophs)
Example: Mushrooms, Yeast, Molds
🔹
Plantae
🔹 Multicellular autotrophic eukaryotes (make their own food)
Example: Mosses, Ferns, Flowering plants
🔹
Animalia
🔹 Multicellular heterotrophic eukaryotes (ingest food)
Example: Humans, Insects, Fish
Prokaryotes Eukaryotes
Organisms have no nucleus Organisms have nucleus
The Domain System of Classification
● Proposed by Carl Woese in 1990.
● Based on the comparison of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and cell membrane.
1. 🦠 Domain Archaea
● Prokaryotic (no nucleus)
● Found in extreme environments (hot springs, salt lakes)
● No peptidoglycan in cell walls
● Unique rRNA
● Examples: Methanogens, Halophiles, Thermophiles
Methanogens Halophiles Thermoacidophiles
That produce methane gas microorganisms that live in high that live in extremely hot and
salt environment acidic environments.
2. 🧫 Domain Bacteria
● Prokaryotic
● Have peptidoglycan in cell wall
● Found in soil, water, air, and living bodies
● Examples: E. coli
3. 🌱 Domain Eukarya
● Eukaryotic cells (have nucleus)
● Includes all multicellular and some unicellular organisms
● Divided into four kingdoms:Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia
Examples: Humans
Taxonomic rank of Classification:
Texa: the group into which organisms are classified.
The texa form ladder is called taxonomic hierarchy.
❖ Domain
❖ Kingdom
❖ Phylum (or Division for plants)
❖ Class
❖ Order
❖ Family
❖ Genus
❖ Species
Species
Is the group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. Humans:
Homo sapiens
Binomial Nomenclature:
Binomial nomenclature is the system of naming species using two names in Latin form.
It was developed by Carl Linnaeus.
❖Rules of Binomial Nomenclature:
Each organism has two names: Genus (first) and Species (second) Example: Homo
sapiens
❖ Names are in Latin, regardless of origin.
❖ Italicized when typed
❖ Underlined when handwritten
❖ Genus Capitalized, Species Lowercase Homo sapiens — not homo Sapiens
🌍 Importance of Binomial Nomenclature
❖ After first mention, genus may be abbreviated: H. sapiens
❖ Provides a global language for scientists, reducing confusion caused by local or common
names.
❖ Each species has a unique name, preventing ambiguity in communication.
❖ Example Brinjal is Baigun in Urdu, Bataoon in Punjabi, Vagton in Sindhi.
🧬 Viruses
Viruses are considered at the boundary of living and non-living. They are non-living outside a
host but show living traits once inside.
🟢 As Living Things:
● Viruses multiply inside living cells.
Contain DNA or RNA as genetic code.
● Infect specific cells (e.g., flu virus infects respiratory cells).
🔴 As Non-Living Things:
○ Lack cells — no cytoplasm, organelles, or membranes.
○ Do not eat, excrete, or carry out respiration.
○ Only reproduce inside a host.
○ Viruses can be crystallized in labs.
Prions Viroids
Compose of protein Compose of DNA or RNA
Acellular particle Acellular particle
