Classification,

Biodiversity
&
Conservation

Made by Zainah Jabr

Grade: 12-A
 Classification
1 discuss the meaning of the term species, limited to the biological species concept,
morphological species concept and ecological species concept

Definition of species
A species is a group of organisms with similar morphology and physiology, which can breed
together to produce fertile offspring and are reproductively isolated from other species.

Morphological species concept

Morophology is the physical features which scientists used to describe the organisms with
as it is easier to be obsereved.

Ecological species concept

The population of similar organisms living in the same area at the same time, Described as
ecological species.

The three domains

Archaea, Bacteria, Eukarya
2 describe the classification of organisms into three domains: Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya

Orgamisms are placed in series of categories or taxa in a biological classification called

Taxonomy.
This maks the study of classification easier to remember and understand it.
In hierarchical classification there are several levels or different ranks used in biology
The highest rank is the domain
Before we start.. we should be familiar with cell types because it has a major role in
classification of the three domains....but don't confuse between domain and cell type

Prokaryotic cells : Can easily be distinguish in that they don't have nucleus
Eukaryotic cells : Have a fragmented structures with atleast their genetic material
seperated from the rest of the cell in a nucleus
Studies revealed that the genes coding for the RNA that makes up their ribosomes were more like
those of eukaryotes. They were found to share features with both typical bacteria and eukaryotes.
At this time, studies of molecular biology assumed a much greater significance
in taxonomy. This meant that a new taxon, the domain, had to be introduced to reflect the
differences between these extremophiles and typical bacteria. The domain
is the taxon at the top of the hierarchy. The prokaryotes are divided between the domains
Bacteria and Archaea and all the eukaryotes are placed into the domain Eukarya.

The three domains are:

1. Archaea (prokaryotes)
2. Bacteria (prokaryotes)
3. Eukarya (eukaryotes)

Bacteria

Bacteria are prokaryotic as their cells have no nucleus. They are all small organisms that vary in
size between that of the largest virus and the smallest single-celled eukaryote. The
characteristic features of bacteria are:
cells with no nucleus
DNA exists as a circular ‘chromosome’ and does no have histone proteins associated with it
smaller circular molecules of DNA called plasmids are often present
no membrane-bound organelles (such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi body,
chloroplasts) are present
ribosomes (70 S) are smaller than in eukaryotic cells
cell wall is always present and contains peptidoglycans
(not cellulose)
cells divide by binary fission, not by mitosis
usually exist as single cells or small groups of cells.
Archaea
Archaeans are also prokaryotic as their cells have no nucleus. Their range of size is
similar to that of bacteria. Many inhabit extreme environments. The characteristic
features of archaeans are:
cells with no membrane-bound organelles
DNA exists as a circular ‘chromosome’ and does have histone proteins associated
with it
smaller circular molecules of DNA called plasmids are often present
ribosomes (70 S) are smaller than in eukaryotic cells, but they have features that
are similar to those in eukaryotic ribosomes, not to bacterial ribosomes
cell wall always present, but does not contain peptidoglycans
cells divide by binary fission, not by mitosis
usually exist as single cells or small groups of cells.

Eukarya
All the organisms classified into this domain have cells with nuclei and membrane-bound
organelles. Their characteristic features are:
cells with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles
DNA in the nucleus arranged as linear chromosomes with histone proteins
ribosomes (80 S) in the cytosol are larger than in prokaryotes; chloroplasts and mitochondria
have 70S ribosomes, like those in prokaryotes.
chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA is circular as in prokaryotes
a great diversity of forms: there are unicellular, colonial and multicellular organisms
cell division is by mitosis
many different ways of reproducing – asexually
and sexually.
 Difference between Archaea & Bacteria
3 state that Archaea and Bacteria are prokaryotes and that there are differences between them,
limited to differences in membrane lipids, ribosomal RNA and composition of cell walls

The main difference between Archaea and bacteria are seen in Membrane lipids,
Ribosomal RNA, Cell wall composition.

Membrane lipids

They have a completely unique membrane lipids

They are not found in any eukaryotic or bacterial cells
Archaea membarane lipids of branched hydrocarbon chains bonded to glycerol by
ether linkages
While bacteria has a membrane lipids consist of unbranched hydrocarbon chains
bonded to glycerol by ester linkages

Ribosomal RNA

Archaea and Bacteria have 70s ribosomes

In Archaea, The 70s ribomsomes has a smaller subunit which is more similar to the subunit
found in Eukaryotic ribosomes than in bacterial ribosomes also the primary structure of
ribosome protiens and the base sequences of ribosomal RNA

Composition of cell walls

Organisms from the bacteria domain have cells that always possess cell
walls with peptidoglycan
While Archaea domain do not contain peptidoglycan
 Eukarya domain

4 describe the classification of organisms in the Eukarya domain into the taxonomic
hierarchy of kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species

Taxonomic rank Group

Similar Kingdom Domain

Similar Phyla Kingdom No.of

Similar Classes Phylum Organisms
and Groups
Similar Orders Class

Similar Families Order

Similar Genuses Family

Similar Species Genus

In Biology, To organise in the groups of similar organisms together we use Hierarchical

Classification system, To make it more easier to understand.
Under this part we have taxonomic ranks that organisms are grouped in.

Domains are the highest taxonomic rank

Species are the lowest taxonomic rank

Remember!!!!!
The highest rank contain more number of organisms
with less similarity between them.
While the lower rank contain fewer organisms with
more similarity between them.
Classification of an organism in the Eukarya domain

Eukarya contain the taxonomic hierarchy of kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and
species
For example Wolf is an example of an organism in Eukarya domain
wolf belongs to the following taxonomic group:
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Candae
Genus: Canis
Species Canis lupus
The name of the species consist of two words: the genus and the species. This means when
provided with the latin name of a species

Kingdoms
5 outline the characteristic features of the kingdoms Protoctista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia

Eukarya can be divided into 4 kingdoms:

Protoctista
Fungi
Plantae
Animalia
Organisms from each of the four kingdoms have distinct characteristics and features, but
share similarities in that they have cells with membrane-bound nuclei separating genetic
material from the cytoplasm, and compartmentalisation within their cells as a result of the
presence of other organelles
Kingdom of Fungi
Characteristic features of fungi are:
eukaryotic
do not have chlorophyll and do not photosynthesise
heterotrophic nutrition – they use organic compoundsmade by other organisms as their
source of energy andsource of molecules for metabolism
reproduce by means of spores
simple body form, which may be unicellular or made up of long threads called hyphae (with
or without cross walls) ; large fungi such as mushrooms produce large compacted masses of
hyphae known as ‘fruiting bodies’ to release spores
cells have cell walls made of chitin or other substances, not cellulose
never have cilia or flagella.

Kingdom of Protoctista
The characteristic features of protoctists are:
eukaryotic
mostly single-celled, or exist as groups of similar cells
some have animal-like cells (no cell wall) and are sometimes known as protozoa
others have plant-like cells (with cellulose cell walls and chloroplasts) and are
sometimes known as algae.

Kingdom of Plantae
Characteristic features of plants are:
multicellular eukaryotes with cells that are differentiated to form tissues and organs
few types of specialised cells
some cells have chloroplasts and photosynthesis
cells have large, often permanent vacuoles for support autotrophic nutrition
cell walls are always present and are made of cellulose
cells may occasionally have flagella – for example, malegametes in ferns.

Kingdom of Protoctista
Characteristic features of animals are:
multicellular eukaryotes with many different types of specialised cells
cells that are differentiated to form tissues and organs
cells do not have chloroplasts and cannot
photosynthesise (although some, such as coral polyps have photosynthetic
protoctists living within their tissues)
cell vacuoles are small and temporary (for example, lysosomes and food vacuoles)
heterotrophic nutrition
cells do not have cell walls
communication is by the nervous system
cells sometimes have cilia or flagella.
 Viruses
6 outline how viruses are classified, limited to the type of nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) and whether this
is single stranded or double stranded

Viruses are microorganisms that can only be seen using an electron microscope
They have no cellular structure (and so are acellular and no metabolism
Viruses hijack the DNA replication machinery in host cells
The energy viruses need for replication is provided by respiration in the host cell
Viruses possess none of the characteristic features used for classifying organisms so they sit
outside of the three-domain classification system
There is a wide-ranging debate as to whether viruses should be classified as ‘living’ or ‘non-
living’ based on their inability to carry out the defining features of life outside of a host cell

Classifying viruses by their genetic material

Viruses are classified according to the type of nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) their genome is made
from, and whether it is single-stranded or double-stranded
In cellular organisms like animals and plants, DNA is always double-stranded and RNA is
usually always single-stranded
However, in viruses, DNA and RNA can be either single-stranded or double-stranded
As a result, there are four groups of viruses that exist:
DNA single-stranded viruses
DNA double-stranded viruses
RNA single-stranded viruses
RNA double-stranded viruses
 Biodiversity
1 define the terms ecosystem and niche

Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a relatively self-contained, interacting community of organisms, and the

environment in which they live and with which they interact.

Niche
A niche is the role of an organism in an ecosystem.

2 explain that biodiversity can be assessed at different levels, including:

• the number and range of different ecosystems and habitats
• the number of species and their relative abundance
• the genetic variation within each species