CHARACTERISTICS AND CLASSIFICATION OF LIVING ORGANISMS

USEFUL VOCABULARY

KINGDOM: REINO
ROOT: RAIZ
STEM: TALLO
PREDATOR: DEPREDADOR
OFFSPRING: HIJOS / DESCENDENCIA
CELL: CELULA
GAMETE: GAMETO / CELULA REPRODUCTORA O SEXUAL
FUSE: FUNDIRSE / UNIRSE
ENVIRONMENT: AMBIENTE
STIMULUS: CAMBIO EN EL AMBIENTE (PLURAL: STIMULI)
CHEMICALS: QUIMICOS
GROWTH: CRECIMIENTO
SIZE: TAMAÑO
INCREASE: AUMENTO
INVOLVE: SIGNIFICA / IMPLICA / SUPONE
BREAK DOWN: DESCOMPONER
RELEASE: LIBERAR
METABOLISM: METABOLISMO / TODAS LAS REACCIONES QUIMICAS QUE SE
PRODUCEN EN UN ORGANISMO
REMOVAL: ELIMINACION
WASTE: DESPERDICIO
SPHERICAL: ESFERICO / REDONDO
ROD SHAPED: CON LA FORMA DE UNA VARILLA O PALO
DNA: MOLECULA QUE FORMA EL MATERIAL GENETICO

● CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING ORGANISMS

Biology studies living things, also called living organisms. Living organisms have 7
characteristics which are also called life processes.

The first letters of these characteristics make up the words MRS GREN and this is
used to help you remember them

Movement
Respiration
Sensitivity

Growth
Reproduction
Excretion
Nutrition

MOVEMENT
Organisms move themselves or move parts of themselves into new areas or to
change position. For example, plants move their roots into the soil and their leaves
and stems towards the light. Animals move to obtain their food or to avoid being
caught by predators.

RESPIRATION: Lliving organisms respire because they all need energy. Respiration
involves chemical reactions that occur in cells to break down nutrients, such as
glucose, to release energy. (Food + oxygen = energy) Living things use this energy
for movement, growth, repair and reproduction. (IMPORTANT: DO NOT CONFUSE
THIS CHARACTERISTIC WITH BREATHING, WHICH IS ONLY WHAT HAPPENS IN
ORGANS SUCH AS LUNGS WHEN TAKING IN OXYGEN.)

SENSITIVITY
Living organisms are able to detect or sense changes (also called stimuli) in their
internal and external environments and respond to them. This is called sensitivity.
For example, plants respond to the movement of the sun by moving their leaves to
face the light. Animals have sensory cells and sense organs for detecting light,
sound, touch, pressure and chemicals in the air and in food. They use their sense
organs: skin, eyes, tongue, ears, nose.

GROWTH

Growth is a permanent increase in size of an organism. This sometimes means an

increase in cell number, an increase in cell size or an increase in both. It always
means making more complex chemicals, such as proteins. Plants continue growing
throughout their lives. Animals stop growing when they reach a certain size.

REPRODUCTION
Organisms reproduce to make new individuals.
Reproduction is called ASEXUAL when one parent gives rise to offspring that are
often identical to each other and to the parent.
Reproduction is called SEXUAL when two parent organisms producing gametes (sex
cells) fuse to give rise to the next generation. The offspring show variation. This
means that they are not identical to each other or to their parents.

EXCRETION
All living organisms produce toxic (poisonous) waste substances as a result of
metabolism. Excretion is the removal of these waste materials and substances in
excess from the body. For example, plants store waste substances in their leaves, so
the waste chemicals are removed when the leaves fall off. Animals breathe out carbon
dioxide; other waste substances leave the body in the urine. (IMPORTANT: DO NOT
CONFUSE THIS CHARACTERISTIC WITH INGESTION, WHICH IS THE PROCESS OF
TAKING IN FOOD OR WITH EGESTION, WHICH IS FOOD THAT PASSES THROUGH
INTESTINES WITHOUT BEING DIGESTED)

● CLASSIFICATION OF LIVING ORGANISMS

Living organisms can be classified into 5 groups. These 5 groups are called
kingdoms. These are the 5 kingdoms: animals, plants, fungi, protoctists and
prokaryotes (bacteria). The organisms in each kingdom share some similar features.

The cells of all living organisms are made up of a cell membrane, cytoplasm and DNA.
They also have present in the cytoplasm small structures called ribosomes that carry
out protein synthesis and enzymes that are involved in processes such as respiration.
Bacteria have a simple cell structure. Cells of bacteria do not have a nucleus and are
known as prokaryotic cells. The cells of all other organisms have nuclei and these
cells are known as eukaryotic.

Prokaryote (bacteria) kingdom: Bacteria have a simple cell structure Some bacteria
are spherical and some are rod-shaped. Many exist in short chains of cells. Most
bacteria are a few micrometres in length and can only be seen with microscopes.
Bacterial cells are surrounded by cell walls. The cells of some bacterial species are
also surrounded by slime capsules. There is no nucleus, just a loop of DNA within the
cytoplasm. Bacteria often have additional loops of DNA inside their cytoplasm called
plasmids. (A plasmid is a circular piece of DNA). The structure of bacteria differs
from animal and plant cells as they do not have chloroplasts or mitochondria. Some
bacteria have extensions called flagella (singular: flagellum) for moving through water
or other fluids. BOOK SEE FIGURE 1.3.1 PAGE 6

Plant kingdom: Plants are multicellular organisms. The bodies of plants are not
compact like those of animals. Their roots spread out through the soil to gain water
and salts and their stems grow many leaves to absorb light. Growth occurs in special
places such as the tips of roots and stems. All plants have chlorophyll and carry out
photosynthesis, using light to make their own food. Plant cells have chloroplasts full
of chlorophyll, cellulose cell walls and a large sap-filled vacuole.

Animal kingdom: Animals are also multicellular organisms. Most animals have much
more compact bodies than plants. Growth occurs throughout the body. Animals
obtain their food by eating plants and/or other animals. Animal cells do not have cell
walls, chloroplasts or large vacuoles. All animals have nervous systems which
coordinate their responses to stimuli and their movement
Protoctists: This kingdom contains a diverse group of organisms which do not
belong in any of the other four kingdoms. All protoctists have cells with nuclei; many
are unicellular (such as those called protozoans) and some are multicellular.

Fungi kingdom: Fungi are visible under a light microscope. Many are also visible to
the naked eye. Most fungi are multicellular. Each cell has a nucleus and a cell wall.
Fungi do not have chlorophyll and cannot carry out photosynthesis. The main fungus
body is called the mycelium. Most fungi are saprotrophs, which means they feed on
dead or decaying matter, but some are parasites. Fungi reproduce by making spores
that can be carried by the wind.

Viruses: Viruses are not classified in any of the kingdoms described here. Viruses
are not cells and they do not have cells. All the organisms classified in the five
kingdoms have cells. Viruses are particles made up of genetic material (DNA or RNA)
surrounded by a protein coat. Viruses are parasites that enter the cells of another
organism (the host) in order to multiply. Viruses take over the host cell and direct it to
make new viruses. BOOK SEE FIGURE 1.3.2 PAGE 7