CHAPTER – 03

BIODIVERSITY
• Define the following terms.
1. ANALOGOUS: Structure having similar or corresponding functions but not from the
evolutionary origin.
2. CLASSIFICATION: The establishment of a hierarchical system of categories on the
basis of presumed natural relationships among organisms.
3. SPECIES: A specie is a group of organisms that can reproduce with one another in
nature and fertile offspring. The term specie can also be defined as the most basic category
in the system of taxonomy.
4. FAMILY: A taxonomic rank in the classification of organisms between genus and order.
5. METAZOA: Any of a group that that comprises all animals having the body composed
of cells differentiated into tissues and organs and usually a digestive cavity lined with
specialized cells.
6. MYCELIUM: Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus or fungus like bacterial
colony consisting of a mass of branching thread like hyphae.
7. HYPHAE: Hyphae is a long branching filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete or
actinobacterium. Hyphae are collectively called a mycelium.
8. GENUS: A genus is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and
fossil organisms, as well as viruses. The genus name forms the first part of binomial species
name for each species within the genus.
9. ENDANGERED SPECIES: Any species that is at risk of extinction because of a
sudden rapid decrease in its population or a loss of its critical habitat.
10. KINGDOM: Kingdom is the highest category in the hierarchical classification of
organisms or the most general taxon used in classifying organisms. It is composed of
smaller groups called phyla.
 • Distinguish between the following in tabulated form:
Plant Kingdom
1. Plant kingdom have multicellular
eukaryote plants.
2.Presence of cell wall made up of
cellulose.
They are capable of producing their own
food. Having autotrophic mode of
nutrition.
4. Photosynthesis occurrence due to
Presence of chloroplast.
5. They are immobile and can not move
from one place to another.
6. They can grow throughout their life.
7. They consume carbon dioxide and
release oxygen.
8. Have two sets of chromosomes (diploid).
9. They have reserved food in the form of
starch.
10. They are called producer.
Animal Kingdom
Animal kingdom have multicellular
eukaryote animals.
Absence of cell wall.
Depends on others for their food
requirements. Having heterotrophic mode
of nutrition.
Since they are non-green in nature and do
not produce chlorophyll, they do not
undergo photosynthesis.
They are mobile and can move from place
to place.
They will achieve a maximum size and
then stop growing.
They consume oxygen and release carbon
dioxide.
They have only one set of the
chromosomes (haploid).
They have reserved food in the form of
glucose.
They are called consumer because they are
dependent to other organisms.

Monera Kingdom Protista Kingdom

1. Monera are unicellular prokaryotes. Protista are unicellular eukaryotes.
2. They have cell wall but lack well cell They have well developed both defined
wall and nucleus. nucleus.
3. They does not consist of a well defined They consist of well defined nucleus in
nucleus in their cells. their cells.
They consist of membrane bound
4. They does not consist of membrane
organelles like Golgi apparatus,
bound organelles.
Endoplasmic reticulum and plastids.
5. Mostly they do not contain either Cilia, They usually contain cilia, Flagella and
flagella or pseudopodia. pseudopodia.
6. They are found in every habitat i.e
They are mainly in aquatic habitats.
cosmopolitan.
7. They are classified into archaebacterial, They are classified into algae, protozoans
Cyanobacteria and eubacteria. and molds.

8. They exhibit asexual reproduction.
9. They contains small micro organisms.
10. Example is bacteria.
They exhibit both sexual and asexual
reproductions.
These organisms are larger than monerans.
Example is Amoeba.

Fungi
1. Fungi are eukaryotic heterotrophs
2. Without chlorophyll, living either as
saprophytes.
3. They are feeding on dead or decayed
matter or as parasites.
4. Fungi generally are the decomposers of
the ecosystem.
5. Fungal cell wall is made up of chitin.
6. Fungi may be septate or aseptate.
7. Fungal cell may be uninucleate or
multinucleate.
8. Fungal body is filamentous made up
mycelium and hyphae complex organs or
differentiation.
9. In fungi, stored food is glycogen.
10. Fungus reproduce by spores.
11. Example is white button mushroom.
Plantae
Plant are eukaryotic autotrophs.
They have chlorophyll therefore carrying
out photosynthesis.
They are producers and can make their own
food.
Plants are the producers in an ecosystem.
Plant cell wall is made up of cellulose.
Plants have definite cell wall.
Plant cells generally posses single nucleus.
Plant body is differentiated into stem, root
and leaf.
In plants, stored food is starch.
Plants reproduce by seeds.
Example is Mango tree.

• Write short answers of following questions.

1. Why scientific naming is necessary?
Ans. Scientific naming is important because they allow people throughout the world to
communicate unambiguously about the species. Every recognized species on earth is given
a two part scientific name.
2. How living organisms are classified into two kingdom classifications?
Ans. Two kingdom classification is a classification given by Carolus Linnaeus in which all
the organisms are grouped just into two kingdoms namely Plant kingdom and Animal
kingdom. This is done based on the mode of nutrition and locomotion.
3. Why virus is not placed in any kingdom?
Ans. Viruses are unique organisms. They do not belong to any kingdom due to the fact that
they are not made up of living cells. Scientist don’t considered viruses to be alive.
4. Draw chart showing three kingdom classification.

5. Why amoeba is not placed in animal kingdom?

Ans. Amoeba is a unicellular made up of only one cell that’s why amoebas are not placed
in animal kingdom because they do not meet all the criteria to be animals.
6. Why Cyanobacteria are placed in monera?
Ans. Cyanobacteria was included in kingdom Monera because they are neither plants nor
animals. They are single celled organisms and are prokaryotes. They are simplest organism
so they were placed in kingdom monera.

• Write detailed answers of the following questions.

1. Describe in detail five kingdom classification.
Ans. Robert Whittaker in 1969 classified the organisms into five kingdoms which clearly
categorized fungi into a separate kingdom. This system of classification was based on
cellular structure and body organization and also mode of nutrition. The characteristic
features of five kingdom are as follows:
I. KINGDOM MONERA: It is the kingdom of all the prokaryotes i.e Bacteria
and Cyanobacteria. The organisms are unicellular, colonial mycelial and
filamentous in form. They lack true nuclei. Mode of nutrition varies from
autotrophs to heterotrophs. Asexual reproduction may take place to through
fission, fragmentation and budding.
II. KINGDOM PROTISTA: It is the place for all the eukaryotic unicellular
organism except yeast which some of them have the features of both plant and
animals like. Most protists are aquatic. They contain true nuclei and membrane
bound organelles. Cell wall may or may not be present. Nutrition is very
diversified and may be autotrophic and heterotrophic. Asexual means of
reproduction is common but when organisms reproduce sexually, embryo is not
formed.
 III. KINGDOM FINGI: It includes all the multicellular eukaryotic fungi. They are
Achlorophyllous, absorptive heterotrophs. They have cell wall made up of
mainly chitin. They have a body called Mycelium which is made up of a thread
like structure called Hyphae. Nutrition is absorptive heterotrophy. Asexual
reproduction is primary mode of reduction and sexual reproduction causes
formation of specialized spores. They play the ecological role of decomposer.
IV. KINGDOM PLANTAE: It includes all the multicellular, eukaryotic,
photosynthetic organisms. They have cell wall mainly made up of cellulose. It
includes multicellular algae, bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperm and
angiosperms. Nutrition is autotrophic or photosynthetic. Both asexual and sexual
reproductions occur. An embryo stage is present except in algal group. They
play the ecological role of producers.
V. KINGDOM ANIMALIA: All animals are multicellular, eukaryotic which are
ingestive heterotrophs without cell wall. It includes all vertebrates and
invertebrates except protozoa. They exhibit mobility, sensitivity to different
stimuli and definite growth. They reproduce primarily by sexual reproduction
and embryo stage is usually present. Their mode of nutrition is holozoic.
Holozoic nutrition encompasses ingestion of food and then the use of an internal
cavity for digestion of food. They play ecological role of consumer.
2. What is taxonomic hierarchy? Explain aims of classifications.
Ans. TAXONOMIC HIERARCHY: The group into which organisms are classified are
known as taxonomic categories or taxa (singular taxon). The taxa are arranged in ascending
order and form a ladder called taxonomic hierarchy. All organisms are classified into five
kingdoms, so the kingdom is the highest taxon of classification. On the basis of similarities
each kingdom is further divided into smaller taxa in the following ways.
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Aims of classification: Biologists classified the organisms in order to make them study
easily, so the science of classification is called taxonomy.
The main aims of classification are:
1. To determine similarities and dissimilarities among organisms so that they can be
studied easily.
2. To find the evolutionary relationship among organisms.

The aim of classifying is to place an organism into an already existing group or to

create a new group for it, based on the resemblances to and differences from known
forms. To this end, a hierarchy categories are recognized.
3. Describe effect of deforestation on biodiversity.
Ans. DEFORESTATION: The cutting down of trees for the conversion of forest into non-
forest land is known as deforestation.
EXPLANATION: Forests cover 31% of the land area on our planet. They produce vital
oxygen and provide homes for people and wildlife. Many of the world’s most threatened
and endangered animals live in forests and billions of people rely on its benefits. Forest
play a critical role in reducing climate change because they act as a carbon sink soaking up
carbon dioxide that would otherwise be free in the atmosphere and contribute to ongoing
changes in climate patterns. But man is destroying this natural beauty by cutting them down
for his sake and comfort.
EFFECT OF DEFORESTATION: Deforestation result with the great loss in biodiversity
such as increase in the concentration of green house gases (Carbon dioxide, methane, water
vapour, Nitrous oxide etc) which leads to global warming, temperature will be high that
causes glaciers melting which is the reason of raising sea level and causes flood. It is also
the reason of habitat loss of wild life. Soil erosion, low rainfall due to no transpiration are
also the result of deforestation.
Deforestation weakens and degrades the soil. Forested soils are usually not only richer on
organic matter, but also more resistant to erosion, bad weather, and extreme weather
events. This happens mainly because roots help fix trees in the ground and the sun-
blocking tree cover helps the soil to slowly dry out. As a result, deforestation will
probably mean the soil will become increasingly fragile, leaving the area more vulnerable
to natural disasters such as landslides and floods.

The construction of human infrastructures has also been driving deforestation. More
specifically, 10% of deforestation can be attributed to new infrastructures that serve the
current human lifestyle in four main ways: transportation, transformation and energy
generation.