Biodiversity and

classification
Grade 10
Biodiversity
• Biodiversity – variety of living organisms on Earth i.e. Number of
different species.
• Species diversity – number of species in a given area. Species is a
group of individuals that look similar and can interbreed to produce
fertile offspring – they share common genes (gene pool).
• Genetic diversity – range of genetic differences within a species and
this allows them to adapt to changing environmental conditions.
• Ecological biodiversity – number of ecosystems in a given
environment
Endemism
• Endemic – organisms that come from and occur naturally within a
country or region are said to be endemic to that area.
• Alien/exotic – organisms brought into an area that are not indigenous
• South Africa is placed third in terms of biodiversity worldwide
• SA has three world biodiversity hotspots i.e. Areas with especially
high numbers of endemic plant species. They are 1) the Cape Floral
Kingdom (8600 species), 2) Succulent Karoo (7000 species) and 3)
Maputuland-Pondoland (5000 species)
Biodiversity of international importance in
SA
• Cape Floral Kingdom (Fynbos) – smallest of the six plant kingdoms –
but has the largest number of plant species per square kilometer –
80% of the species are endemic
• World-renowned wildlife that attract millions of tourists to our
national parks – the big five – now also included are the great white
shark and southern right whales i.e. The big seven
• SA has seventeen wetland sites
• SA has a large and varied fossil record – 75% of all hominid fossils
found in Africa come from SA
Biodiversity of international importance in
SA
• SA has a large number of natural and cultural-natural sites that have
been named by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites:
• iSimangaliso Wetland Park
• Cradle of Humankind
• uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park – Bushman paintings
• Cape Floral Region
• Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape – unique vegetation
preserved through communal pastoral life of the Khoisan people
living there
Biodiversity under threat
• Alien species – threat to indigenous fauna and flora
• Maintaining biodiversity is important for balanced ecosystems
• Alien species have been brought into our country for various reasons.
Because they have no natural enemies in this country, they are able to
increase rapidly and in the process push out indigenous and endemic
species. SA has a list of alien plants that must be destroyed and are
not allowed to be planted
• Development – a loss of biodiversity is often as a result of human
activities, such as the development of new suburbs, and clearing land
for use by farmers
Effects of loss of biodiversity
• Loss in species – cause food chains and food webs to collapse
• Loss of natural heritage changes South Africa – less interesting and causes
distress to many people
• Loss of tourism – job losses, unemployment, more crime
• Loss of potential medicine from our natural fauna and flora – loss of cure
for disease
• Loss of food and energy sources for people
• Unless precautions are taken, scientists predict that we are heading for the
sixth major mass extinction on Earth. The IUCN keeps lists of endangered
species, called Red Date lists. Several SA species are on those lists
Classification of organisms
• Classification/taxonomy – sorting and grouping of organisms with
similar features
• Taxonomy – two branches – nomenclature – naming of organisms and
systematics – placing of organisms into groups
• Why taxonomy? It helps us to understand organisms and helps us to
identify newly discovered or unknown organisms
History of classification
• 384-322 BC the Greek scientist Aristotle classifies all living organisms known on Earth
into the Two Kingdom System: the plants and animals
• 1758 – Swedish botanist, Carolus Linnaeus – hierarchical system – binomial
nomenclature i.e. Naming organisms with a two-part Latin name (Disa recemosa). Bi,
means two and nomenclature means naming
• 1969 – Robert Whittaker developed the Five Kingdom System:
1. Kingdom Monera (prokaryotic organisms – bacteria)
2. Kingdom Protista (primitive eukaryotic organisms such as algae)
3. Kingdom Mycota/Fungi (fungi, e.g. Mushrooms)
4. Kingdom Plantae/Metaphyta (advanced eukaryotic plants)
5. Kingdom Animalia/Metazoa (all multicellular animals)
History of classification
• 1990 – American microbiologist, Dr. Carl Woese, developed a Three
Domain system, with kingdoms in each
1. Eubacteria – prokaryotic bacteria
2. Archaea – prokaryotic bacteria that live in extreme environments
3. Eukarya – Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia
Organisms classified as prokaryotes and
eukaryotes
• Prokaryotes – pro means before and karyon means nucleus.
Prokaryotic cells are more primitive that existed before proper nuclei
developed
• Eukaryotes – Eu means true, thus cell with true membrane bound
nucleus
• Copy table 46 page 252 in your Classwork book
• Do Ex 1 page 252
The Five Kingdom System of classification
• Characteristics about feeding are used when looking at the Five
Kingdom classification system:
• Autotrophic – organisms is able to make its own food by using light
energy or the energy released from chemical reactions
• Heterotrophic – organism is not able to make -its own food; gets food
by eating other organisms or by-products
• Saprotrophic/saprophytic – organism feeds on dead organic material
The Five Kingdom System of classification
The binomial system to name organisms
• Popular names given to organisms are not practical as each organism might
have 10 different names given to it by ten different people or societies
• To avoid such problems – we use the binomial system with only one name
given to a specific type organism and then it is published so that all
scientists have access to the name.
• First part of the name – generic or genus name, second part – specific or
species name
• Genus starts with a capital letter, e.g. Homo
• Species name written with a small letter e.g. sapiens
• Biological names must be printed in italic or underlined if written by hand
The Five Kingdom System of classification
• When taxonomy was developed, Latin was the popular language of the international
scientific world
• The classical binomial system is still used all over the world and is part of all scientific
literature
• The naming system is regulated by the International Congress of Botanists and Zoologists
• Classification keys – used to identify unknown plants and animals
• It is a key list of features that can be seen and compared to the unknown organism that
needs identification
• Scientists use a dichotomous key which has pairs of statements about characteristics of
an organism that you can see
• Do Ex2 p 255, Activity 2 p257, Ex4 p 258