Biology: Prokaryota and Eukaryota

Study Notes

Living organisms are categorized into two groups based on their cell organization: Prokaryota (protocells) and Eukaryota (eucells)
Prokaryota are excluded from the plant kingdom, except for bacteria and blue-green algae
Three principal criteria differentiate animals from plants:
- Mode of nutrition: plants obtain food holophytically, while animals get their food holozoically
- Cell wall composition: plants have cellulose cell walls, while animals do not
- Mobility: animals are generally motile, while plants are not

Humans and animals depend completely on plants for various resources, such as:
- Food
- Drugs
- Raw materials for textiles and cordage
- Insecticides
- Fuel
Plants also perform activities that can be valuable or dangerous for humans, such as:
- Weeds
- Food and wood spoilage
- Fermentation

Classification of organisms can be based on various criteria, including:
- Use to humans
- Habitat
- Biological attributes
Classification methods can be artificial (using very few criteria) or natural (using a multiplicity of criteria)
The theory of evolution led to the development of classifications showing evolutionary relationships

Identification is the process of assigning an unknown entity to a previously established group
Systematics is the broader subject encompassing taxonomy, naming (nomenclature), and gathering and assessment of classification data
Nomenclature is the system of naming, which helps facilitate communication and avoid confusion among professionals

Each organism is assigned two Latin names, followed by the name of the person who first described the organism
The binomial system of naming was popularized by Carolus Linnaeus
Example: Banana spp., e.g., Musa paradisiaca L. and Musa sapientum L., where Musa is the generic name, paradisiaca and sapientum are specific names, and L. is the authority