SMART INDIAN SCHOOL,CAMBRIDGE
IGCSE 0610 BIOLOGY:
CHAPTER 1 - Characteristics and
Classification of Living Organisms
Characteristics of Living Organisms
The Age-Old Acronym: MRS GREN
Movement: an action by an organism or part of an organism
causing a change of position or place
Respiration: the chemical reactions in cells that break down
nutrient molecules and release energy for metabolism
Sensitivity: the ability to detect and respond to changes in
the internal or external environment
Growth: a permanent increase in size and dry mass
Reproduction: the processes that make more of the same
kind of organism
Excretion: the removal of the waste products of metabolism
and substances more than requirements
Nutrition: the taking in of materials for energy, growth, and
development
Concept and Uses of Classification System:
Sequence of Classification
Organisms are classified into groups by the features they
share.
Species: a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce
fertile offspring.
Sequence of Classification:
Kingdom → Phylum → Classes → Orders → Families → Genus →
Species.
Acronym: King Philip, Come Over For Good Soup
The Binomial Nomenclature:
The Binomial System of Naming Species is an internationally
agreed system in which an organism's scientific name is
comprised of two parts, namely, the genus and species.
The format is Genus’s species. The genus is capitalized, and
the species are not.
The classification of organisms helps show the evolutionary
relationships between them.
Scientists also use the DNA base sequence to help classify
organisms.
The similarity in DNA chains shows how closely the two
organisms are related.
Dichotomous Keys:
Dichotomous Keys use visible features to classify organisms.
They give you a choice of two features, and you follow the
one that applies: each option leads to another option until
the organism is narrowed down to its genus and species.
Features of Organisms:
The Five Kingdoms
Animals: Multicellular ingestive heterotrophs (eating living
organisms). Ex: cat, ladybird, newt, etc.
Plants: Multicellular photosynthetic autotrophic (make their
food) organism with a cellulose cell wall and chloroplasts. Ex:
cactus, oak tree.
Fungi: Single-celled or multicellular heterotrophic and
saprotrophic organisms with cell walls not made of cellulose,
spread by spreading spores in moist/dark/warm
environments. Most have hyphae and mycelium in structure.
Ex: yeast, mushrooms.
Prokaryotes: Single-celled organisms with no true nucleus
and mitochondria. Many also have plasmids (important for
Genetic Engineering). Ex: E. coli, Salmonella.
Protist or Protoctista: Single-celled organism with a nucleus.
Eukaryotes. Some are multicellular. Ex: Amoeba, seaweed.
Vertebrates:
Types of
Features
Vertebrates
Fur on the skin, External ears (pinna),
Mammals
Internal fertilization, Mammary Glands
Thick, dry, scaly skin, usually four legs,
Reptiles
Internal fertilization, Soft Shelled Eggs
Wet scales, Streamlined body shape,
Fish
External fertilization, and soft eggs
Smooth, moist skin, External fertilization,
Amphibians and soft eggs, Gills, & Lungs can live on
land and water. Most have four legs.
Birds Feathers on the body and scales on legs,
Types of
Features
Vertebrates
Constant internal body temperature, Hard
eggs, Internal fertilization, birth through
eggs
Arthropods:
Invertebrates: Organisms that do not have a backbone.
All arthropods have three standard features:
o Exoskeleton
o Jointed legs
o Segmented body
Arthropods (Invertebrates with Legs)
CAMI
Crustaceans: (e.g. crabs)
o Have an exoskeleton
o 1 pair of compound eyes
o 2 body segment – cephalothorax and abdomen
o More than four pairs of legs
o 2 pairs of antennae sensitive to touch and chemicals
Arachnids: (e.g. spiders)
o 2 body segment – cephalothorax and abdomen
o Four pairs of legs
o Pair of chelicerae to hold prey
o Two pedipalps for reproduction
o Simple eyes
Myriapods: (e.g. centipede)
o Segmented body
o Additional segments formed
o One pair of antennae
o 70+ pairs of legs – 1 or 2 pairs on each segment
o Fused head and thorax and segmented abdomen
o Simple eyes
Insects: (e.g. bees)
o 3 body segments – head, thorax and abdomen
o 3 pairs of legs
o 1 pair of antennae
o 1 or 2 pairs of wings
o Compound and simple eyes
Type of Number of
Arthropod Legs
Insects 6
Arachnids 8
Crustaceans >10
Myriapods >20
Classification of Plants:
The plant kingdom is classified into ferns and flowering plants.
Ferns:
o Do not produce flowers/seeds
o They are plants with roots, stems and feathery leaves
o Reproduce by spores
Flowering plants:
o They are plants with roots, stems and leaves
o Reproduce sexually through flowers and seeds
o Seeds are produced inside the ovary in the flower
Monocotyledons Dicotyledons
One cotyledon/One-seed leaf Two cotyledons/Two-seed leaf
Parallel veins Branching veins
Long Narrow Leaf Broad leaves
The Number of Petals is a The Number of Petals is a Multiple
Multiple of 3 of 4 or 5
Scattered Vascular Bundles Ringed Vascular Bundles
Viruses:
Viruses are not part of any
classification system because they
are not considered living things.
They do not carry out the seven life
processes for themselves; instead, they
take over a host cell’s metabolic
pathways to make multiple copies of
themselves.
Virus structure contains only a genetic
material (RNA or DNA) inside a
protein coat.
Example of virus structure below (No mitochondria or
ribosomes)
