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LIVING WORLD
 Biology (bios-life and logos- knowledge; coined by Lamarck and Treviranus) is
the study of living organisms.
 Darwin of 20th century- Ernst Mayer- Alexander Agassiz professor of Zoology
Emeritus and awarded Triple Crown of biology.
 Nutrition, Respiration and Adaptation is a defining property of living beings.
 All living organisms grow (increase in mass and increase in number of
individuals are twin characteristics of growth) –Not a defining property of
living beings. In living organisms growth is internal whereas in non-living its
external. In multicellular organisms growth and reproduction are exclusive
.events whereas in unicellular organisms they are inclusive events.
 Reproduction is the capacity to produce young ones of their own kind
(bacteria-binary fission, fungi-Asexual spores, Planaria [flat worms]- true
regeneration, fungi; filamentous algae; protonema of mosses- fragmentation)
unicellular organism have reproduction synonymous with growth- Not
defining property of living beings. No Non-living objects can reproduce.
 Sum total of all the chemical reactions occurring in our body is metabolism-
DEFINING PROPERTY (isolated metabolic reaction invitro are not living thing
but surely living reactions). It maybe ANABOLISM- constructive process
(simple to complex) e.g. Photosynthesis, protein synthesis etc. It maybe
CATABOLISM- destructive process (complex to simple) e.g. Cellular
respiration/oxidation of food material. No Non-living objects exhibit
metabolism.
 Cellular organization is defining feature
 Human beings are the only organism capable of self-consciousness.
Consciousness is defining property of living beings.
 A living organism is primarily physico-chemical material that demonstrated a
high degree of complexity, is capable of self-regulation, possess a metabolism
and perpetuated itself throughout time.
 Living organisms are self-replicating, self-evolving and self-regulating
interactive systems capable of responding to external stimuli.
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 Known range of species is 1.7-1.8million.

 Insects are the richest group
 Plants- international code for botanical nomenclature(ICBN)
 Animals-- international code of zoological nomenclature(ICZN)
 International code for the nomenclature of bacteria(ICNB)
 International code for the nomenclature of cultivated plants(ICNCP)
 International code of viral Nomenclature (ICVN).
 Two components-generic name and specific epithet.
 The system of providing name with 2 components is called binomial
nomenclature- given by Carolus Linnaeus.
 RULES OF NOMENCLATURE
1. Biological names are generally in Latin and written in italics. Latinized or
derived from Latin.
2. The first word in a biological name represent genus and 2nd component
represent specific epithet.
3. Both when handwritten are separately underlined or printed in italic to
show their Latin origin.
4. Genus, the first name, starts with capital letter while specific epithet starts
with small letter. Name of the author appears in end in abbreviated form.
E.g. Mangifera indica Linn. Or Mangifera indica Linn.
 Classification is the process by which anything is grouped into convenient
categories based on some observable characters.
 Categories- Taxa, taxa indicate categories at very different levels.
 Process of classification is called taxonomy.
 Characterization, identification, classification and nomenclature are the
processes that are basic to taxonomy.
 Systematics is the branch of study of relationship among different kinds of
organisms. It takes into account evolutionary relationships among organisms.
 Word ‘systematics’ came from Latin word “systema” meaning systematic
arrangement of organisms. The word “systematics” coined by Linnaeus. New
systematics introduced by Julian Huxley.
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 Each step in classification or hierarchy represents a rank or category.

 All categories together constitute taxonomic hierarchy.
 The word taxonomy coined by A.P.de Candolle
 Each category represents a unit of classification or unit of rank and is commonly termed
as taxa.
 Taxonomic categories or groups are distinct biological entities and not merely
morphological aggregates.
 Carolus Linnaeus is father of taxonomy.
 SPECIES-group of individual organisms with fundamental similarities is species. John ray
coined the term species.
 GENUS-Group of related species
 FAMILY-group of related genera families are characterize based on both vegetative and
reproductive features of plant species.
 ORDER- Assemblage of families
 CLASS- Related orders
 PHYLUM/DIVISION-related classes. Based on common features like presence of
notochord and dorsal hollow neural system.
 KINGDOM-related phyla.
 KINGDOM-PHYLUM/DIVISION-CLASS-ORDER-FAMILY-GENUS-SPECIES.
 From species to kingdom the number of common characteristics goes on decreasing but
diversity increases.

COMMON BIOLOGICAL GENUS FAMILY ORDER CLASS PHYLUM/

NAME NAME DIVISION

MAN HOMO HOMO HOMINIDAE PRIMATA MAMMALIA CHORDATA

SAPIENS

HOUSEFLY MUSCA MUSCA MUSCIDAE DIPTERA INSECTA ARTHROPODA

DOMESTICA

MANGO MANGIFERA MANGIFERA ANACARDIACEAE SAPINDALES DICOTYLEDONAE ANGIOSPERMAE

INDICA

WHEAT TRITICUM TRITICUM POACEAE POALES MONOCOTYLEDONAE ANGIOSPERMAE

AESTIVUM
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TAXONOMICAL AIDS

 HERBARIUM-Store house of collected plant specimens that are dried presses and
preserved on sheets. The label provides information about date and place of
collection, English, local and botanical names, family, collectors name etc.
LARGEST HERBARIUM IN WORLD- ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDEN KEW GARDEN IN
LONDON
LARGEST HERBARIUM IN INDIA- CENTRAL NATIONAL HERBARIUM IN INDIAN
BOTANICAL GARDEN, KOLKATA.
STEPS- COLLECTION (VASCULUM), DRYING AND PRESSING, POISIONING, MOUNTING,
LABELLING, STORAGE
 BOTANICAL GARDENS- Collection of living plants for reference. Label indicated its
botanical/scientific name and family. Ex-situ conservation. Largest in world- royal
botanical garden Kew garden in London and in India Indian botanical garden, Howrah
Kolkata.
 MUSEUM- Collection of preserved plant and animal specimens for study and
reference.
 ZOOLOGICAL PARKS- wild animals are kept in protected environment under human
care.
 KEY- used for identification of plants and animals. Contrasting characters pair called
couplet. Each statement in key is called lead. Analytical in nature.
 FLORA-actual habitat and distribution of plants in a given area. Index.
 FAUNA- animal species.
 MANUALS-provide information for identification of names of species found in an area.
 MONOGRAPHS-information on any one taxon.
 CATALOGUE- list or register that enumerate methodically all the species found in an
area.
FATHER OF BIOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY- Aristotle - Historia Animalium
FATHER OF BOTANY- Theophrastus- Historia Plantarum
JOHN RAY- Historia Generalis Plantarum
LINNAEUS – Species plantarum, systema naturae, philosophica botanica
BENTHAM AND HOOKER- Genera plantarum.

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