Biology Classification Flashcards

Study Notes

Classification Overview

Classification organizes similar organisms into groups, helping to understand their characteristics and relationships.
Essential for studying living things in biology.

Linnaean System

Developed by Carl von Linne (Linnaeus), foundational for modern classification systems.
Classifies organisms based on shared characteristics.

Kingdoms of Life

Six kingdoms categorized based on cell structure, food acquisition, and DNA sequencing.

Animalia Kingdom

Comprises all animals: multi-celled, no cell walls or chloroplasts, nuclei present.
Key classification traits: backbone presence, size, shape, skeleton position, body covering, and reproductive methods.

Plantae Kingdom

Includes all plants: multi-celled, have cell walls and chloroplasts, capable of photosynthesis, non-mobile.
Classification characteristics: adaptations like vascular tissue, reproduction methods, and structures of stems, roots, and leaves.

Fungi Kingdom

Encompasses organisms like yeast, mold, and mushrooms; mostly multi-celled with cell walls.
All fungi have nuclei and are non-mobile, feeding through absorption.

Protista Kingdom

Primarily single-celled organisms, some with cell walls, all possess nuclei.
Classification depends on being plant-like (photosynthetic) or animal-like (heterotrophic).

Monera (2 Kingdoms)

Consists entirely of bacteria: single-celled, have cell walls and no nuclei.
Capable of either absorbing nutrients or photosynthesis, some can move.

Classification Hierarchy

The Linnaean System includes seven levels: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
Mnemonic for order: "Kids Pick Cute Oranges For Grandpa Spike."

Scientific Naming

The scientific name consists of Genus + species; Genus is capitalized while species is lowercased.
Example: House cat is classified as Felis domesticus.

Dichotomous Key

A tool for identifying organisms based on characteristics via a series of questions.
Leads to the identification of a specific organism through systematic questioning.

Description

Explore the key concepts of classification in science through these flashcards. Learn about the Linnaean system, the different kingdoms of living organisms, and how classification helps in understanding the relationships among species.