Living world

~ Dr. Prasad
 Characteristics of living organisms
1. Reproduction is a characteristics of living organisms.
2. Another characteristic of life is metabolism.
3. Growth is a fundamental characteristic of all living
organisms.
4. Locomotion is a characteristics of only living
organisms.
5. Consciousness is a defining feature of all living
organisms.
 Diversity in the living organisms
A large variety of plants {Flora} and animals {Fauna} and
other living organisms living in a particular habitat is known
as `Biodiversity’
 Nomenclature
There is a need to standardise the naming of living
organisms such that particular organism is known by the
same name all over the world. This process is known as
Nomenclature.
For plants, scientific name is provided in International Code
for Botanical Nomenclature {ICBN}.
For animals, scientific name is provided in International
Code of Zoological Nomenclature {ICZN}.
Biologists follow universally accepted principles to
provide scientific name to known organisms.
Each name has two components- the generic name and
the scientific epithet.
This system of providing with two components is called
binomial nomenclature. This naming system was givien
by swedish scientist Carolus Linnaeus.
 Universal rules of nomenclature are
as follows-
1. Biological names are in Latin and are written in italics.
2. The first word in the name indicates the genus, while the second
word denotes its specific epithet.
3. When the name is handwritten, both the words are separately
underlined. When printed, the name is in italics.
4. The first letter of the first word is always written in capital, while the
first letter of the specific epithet, i.e. the second word, is a small
letter.

Examples: Homo sapiens, Mangifera indica

 Classification and taxonomy
It is impossible to study all the living organisms. It is necessary
to divide them as much as possible. This process is called as
classification.
Based on characteristics, all living organisms can be classified
into different taxa. This process of classification is known as
taxonomy.
Systematics is a branch of study which takes into account
evolutionary relationships between organisms.
 Taxonomic categories
Classification is not a single step but involves hierarchy of steps
in which each step is represents a rank or category. It is called
taxonomic category.
Each category or rank in a taxonomic category is referred as
taxon.
1. SPECIES~ A group of individual organisms with fundamental
similarities.
2. GENUS~ It comprises a group of related species.
3. FAMILY~ It has a group of related genera or genus.
4. ORDER~ The similar characters are less in number compared
to different genera included in family.
5. CLASS~ This category includes related orders.
6. PHYLUM~ Classes comprising animals like fishes,
amphibians, reptiles, birds along with mammals are included
into this category.
7. KINGDOM~ All animals belonging to various phyla are
assigned to the highest category called kingdom.
Ascending order
of taxonomic
category
 Assignment
1. Mention any two characteristics of living beings?
2. Differentiate between taxonomy and systematics?
3. Enumerate the use and regulation of ICBN?
4. Formulate taxonomical hierarchy?
5. Give the scientific names of housefly and wheat?