Diversity in Living Organisms

Biodiversity- The wide variety of living organisms (flora and fauna) on earth constitutes
biodiversity.

Why study biodiversity? (for reading and reference)

 It makes it possible for us to understand the interrelationship among various organisms

and their interaction with the environment.
 The study is especially important in recovering or maintaining ecologically sensitive
areas that face some kind of threat of loss of flora and fauna
 It makes us aware of economically important species. Several species in the Himalayas
are yet not discovered. There are a number of them that are important resources for
medicine and food or can be used in industry etc.
 The richness of habitat and species at a place also serve the purpose of recreation. It
provides income through tourism and has been a source of inspiration to many people.
 The study of Biodiversity also urges us to aim for sustainable development.

It is not possible to study each and every living organism on earth as it is very time consuming
and tedious. So, a better way of studying organisms is to study one or few from certain specific
categories. For this purpose organisms are placed into categories based on certain
characteristics in a systematic and scientific manner. The science of arranging organisms into
groups based on similarities and differences among them is known as classification.

Importance of classification

 Classification of organisms makes their study easier and systematic.

 It makes it possible to study greater variety of life forms in a short span of time.
 It facilitates identification of organisms according to the characteristic features of
organized groups.
 It provides information regarding plants and animals in a particular geographical region.
 It helps to study evolutionary relationships among various organisms in a much simpler
manner.

Criteria used for classification

Some of the criteria for classifying organism are discussed as follows::

 1. Type of nucleus- Certain organisms have a well-defined nucleus with a double

membrane around it. Such organisms are called eukaryotes. These organisms also
possess membrane bound organelles. Prokaryotes that do not have a membrane bound
nucleus. They instead possess a nucleoid. Such nuclei are more primitive and organisms
possessing them have simpler body designs as compared to the eukaryotes. Prokaryotes
also lack membrane bound organelles in them.
  2. Number of cells constituting the body- Organisms like Amoeba, Euglena,
Paramoecium etc. are unicellular. Several organisms are made of a number of cells or
are multicellular. These cells become differentiated and specialized to perform various
functions. Hence, unicellular and multicellular forms of life are quite different from each
other.
 3. Mode of nutrition- Organisms like green plants can make their own food and are
called autotrophic. The ones that cannot make their own food are heterotrophic and
dependent on other organisms for food.
 4. Level of complexity- Body designs can vary within groups of plants and animals. Some
of them show highly specialized structures such as the vascular tissues xylem and
phloem, a well-developed embryo or organs and systems in animals. So, even among
plants that are autotrophic there plants as simple as algae and as complex as the
flowering plants.

Classification and Evolution

 The earliest forms of life that arose on earth must have been simple. As the
environment started changing, the life forms also underwent changes accordingly.
Those features that made it possible for them to adapt well to the environment were
passed on to the next generation or became heritable. Gradually, more and more life
forms with a variety of characteristics started evolving. In other words, life was moving
from simpler to complex forms. This sequence of slow or gradual processes because of
which simple life forms gave rise to complex forms is known as biological evolution.
Such an idea of evolution was first given by Charles Darwin in his book, The Origin of
Species (1859).
 Classification of organisms is closely associated with their evolutionary history. Some
forms of life, like certain bacteria have retained their simple cell structure. These
organisms are considered to be ‘primitive’ or ‘lower. They have not undergone many
changes with time. However, certain organisms acquired new characters relatively
recently. Because of increased complexity such organisms are referred to as ‘advanced’
or ‘higher’. So, while some organisms are older others are younger. Older forms of life
are simple and younger forms of life are more complex.

Hierarchy of Classification

 Classification of organisms involves placing them into categories according to the

similarities among them. These categories are levels or ranks in the system of
classification. The various categories are:
  The largest category is kingdom and the smallest is species. Species is the category
where individuals have maximum number of common features. Kingdom will have least
number of similarities among organisms. In plants the category Phylum is replaced by
Division.
 Species can be defined as a group of similar organisms that can interbreed to produce
fertile young ones.

The Five Kingdom Classification- by R.H. Whittaker

Whittaker has classified organisms on the basis of their cell structure, mode and source of
nutrition and body organization.

Kingdom Monera

1. Lack a well defined nucleus and membrane bound organelles- are PROKARYOTES
2. Unicellular
3. Bacteria and Cyanobacteria have cell wall but Mycoplasmas (e.g. PPLO) lack cell wall.
4. Mode of Nutrition- Autotrophic or heterotrophic (saprophytes or parasites)

Kingdom Protista
1. EUKARYOTES
2. Unicellular
3. A few protists have special structures like cilia and flagella for locomotion.
4. Autotrophic or heterotrophic mode of nutrition
Examples are unicellular algae, diatoms and protozoans

Kingdom Fungi

1. Heterotrophic Eukaryotes. Saprophytes use dead and decaying organic matter as their
source of nutrition. Parasites derive nutrition from the body of their hosts.

2. Multicellular forms; a few like Yeast are unicellular.

3. Cell Walls are made of CHITIN.
Examples: yeast, mushroom, Penicillium etc.

4. A few forms of fungi form mutual symbiotic association with blue green algae
(cyanobacteria) or algae. This association forms an organism called LICHENS. The
algae prepares food and the fungi provide shelter and absorb water and
minerals.

Kingdom Plantae

1. Multicellular Eukaryotes with cell wall.

2. Autotrophic

Kingdom Animalia

1. Multicellular Eukaryotes without cell wall

2. Heterotrophs

KINGDOM PLANTAE

The kingdom is divided into various groups depending upon whether the plants:

 have well differentiated body or not

 have special tissues for the transport of water and other substances within it.
 bear seeds or not
 have seeds enclosed within fruits or not.

1. Thallophyta

1. Plant body is not well-differentiated but sac-like or thallus-like.

2. The plants in this group are commonly called algae.

3. These plants are predominantly aquatic.

Examples are Spirogyra, Ulothrix, Cladophora and Chara

2. Bryophyta

1. These are called the amphibians of the plant kingdom.

2. The plant body is commonly differentiated to form stem-like, root-like and leaf-like
structures.
3. There is no specialised tissue for the conduction of water and other substances from
one part of the plant body to another.
4. Embryo development seen for the first time. (Did not happen in most thallophytes)
5. Multicellular sex organs present (sex cells or structures are unicellular in Thallophytes)
Examples are moss (Funaria) and Marchantia

3. Pteridophyta

1. The plant body is differentiated into roots, stem and leaves.

2. It has specialized tissue for the conduction of water and other substances from one
part of the plant body to another.
3. Embryo development happens
4. Multicellular sex organs present.
Examples are Marsilea, ferns and horse-tails

Note: Thallophytes, Bryophtes and Pteridophytes are together called CRYPTOGAMS as these
groups of plants have sex organs that are inconspicuous or invisible or cryptic.

The next two groups of plants are called PHANEROGAMS- with conspicuous reproductive
organs and seed formation.
These also possess well developed vascular system constituted by xylem and phloem for
conduction of substances.

4. Gymnosperms

1. This term is made from two Greek words: gymno– means naked and sperma– means
seed. The plants of this group bear naked seeds; i.e. the seeds are not enclosed within
fruits.

2. The sex organs are generally in the form of cones.

3. These are mostly evergreen, woody and perennial plants.

Examples: Cycas, Pinus,

Male cones (left) and female cone (right) of Pinus

5. Angiosperms
1. This word is made from two Greek words: angio means covered and sperma– means
seed. The seeds develop inside an organ (ovary) which is modified to become a fruit.

2. The sex organs (stamen and pistil) are present in a specialized unit called the flower.
Hence, angiosperms are also called ‘Flowering Plants’.

3. The seed has a seed coat within which is present the embryo.
4. The embryo has two parts- cotyledons and embryonal axis. The cotyledons have stored
food in them for the developing embryo.
5. Cotyledons are often called ‘seed leaves’ because in many instances they emerge and
become green when the seed germinates.

6. The angiosperms are divided into two groups on the basis of the number of cotyledons
present in the seed. Plants with seeds having a single cotyledon are called
monocotyledonous or monocots. Plants with seeds having two cotyledons are called
dicots

Comparison between Dicot and Monocot Plants

Feature Dicotyledons Monocotyledons

Number of cotyledons The embryo of the seed has two Embryo in seed has a single cotyledon
cotyledons

Venation in leaves Reticulate venation in leaves Parallel venation in leaves

Root system Taproot type Fibrous root system
Secondary growth present absent
(increase in girth of
plant)
Flowers Pentamerous(each whorl of flower Trimerous (each whorl of flower has
has five parts) or tetramerous three parts)
Examples Rose, potato, mango, sunflower etc. Maize, wheat, rice, onion, sugarcane.