Questions and Answers
What two main criteria were used by Whittaker in 1968 to establish the Five Kingdom system of classification?
Whether an organism is unicellular or multicellular and the type of nutrition that is practiced by the organism.
What are the five kingdoms included in Whittaker's classification system?
Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plants, Animals
Which kingdom contains primitive living organisms that are least evolutionarily complex?
Kingdom Monera
What types of organisms are categorized in Kingdom Monera?
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What eventually led to the division of Whittaker's Kingdom Monera into Domain Eubacteria and Domain Archaea in 1990 by Carl Woese?
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Which Kingdom contains organisms that are thought to have arisen from the endosymbiosis of organisms originally found in Kingdom Monera?
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How do members of Kingdom Monera differ from members of Kingdom Protista in terms of cellular characteristics?
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What types of organisms are found in Kingdom Protista?
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What Kingdoms of multicellular organisms arose from Kingdom Protista?
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Which two kingdoms contain multicellular, heterotrophic organisms?
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Which kingdom contains multicellular, photosynthetic organisms?
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Which kingdom contains multicellular organisms that display a distinct alternation of generations life style?
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Which kingdom contains multicellular organisms that have a dominant diploid stage in their life cycle?
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Which kingdom contains multicellular organisms with unique cell walls composed of chitin?
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Which kingdom contains multicellular organisms that possess cell walls comprised of cellulose?
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Which kingdom contains multicellular organisms that act as decomposers in the environment?
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Which kingdom is essentially a 'grab bag' of organisms that do not fit well into other kingdoms?
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Which kingdom contains organisms with DNA that is found in the form of a single circular chromosome?
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Why didn't Whittaker create Kingdom Viron to include the viruses in his classification?
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What kingdom is described as eukaryotic, often multinucleated, with thread-like hyphae?
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What kingdom is characterized by eukaryotic, unicellular organisms whose nutrition may be photosynthetic or ingestive?
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What kingdom consists of prokaryotic, one-celled organisms lacking membrane-bound organelles?
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Study Notes
Five Kingdom Classification System
- Whittaker's 1968 classification relies on two criteria: cellular organization (unicellular vs. multicellular) and nutrition type (photosynthesis, digestion, absorption).
- The Five Kingdoms are Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia.
Kingdom Monera
- Contains the least evolutionarily complex organisms, including modern bacteria, Cyanobacteria, and archaebacteria.
- Prokaryotic in nature, with a single circular chromosome instead of paired homologous chromosomes.
- Lacks membrane-bound organelles and distinct nuclei.
- Functions as decomposers by secreting enzymes for extracellular digestion.
Kingdom Protista
- Originated from endosymbiotic organisms that once belonged to Kingdom Monera.
- Includes eukaryotic organisms such as protozoa, single-celled algae, and slime molds.
- Eukaryotic and mostly unicellular, distinguished by the presence of a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
- Acts as a "grab bag" for organisms not fitting into Plantae or Fungi.
Kingdom Fungi
- Composed of multicellular, heterotrophic organisms with unique cell walls made of chitin.
- Eukaryotic and often multinucleated, featuring thread-like hyphae.
- Lacks plastids and photosynthetic pigments, relies on external digestion of organic matter.
Kingdom Plantae
- Comprised of multicellular, photosynthetic organisms with cellulose cell walls.
- Exhibits a life cycle involving alternation of generations, with haploid (gametophyte) and diploid (sporophyte) stages.
- Eukaryotic and produces its own food through photosynthesis.
Kingdom Animalia
- Contains multicellular, heterotrophic organisms that mostly exhibit a dominant diploid stage.
- Involves sexual reproduction with a large non-motile egg and small mobile sperm.
- Lacks cell walls, differing from plants and fungi.
Evolutionary Insights
- In 1990, Carl Woese's research led to the splitting of Monera into Domain Eubacteria and Domain Archaea, based on unique DNA characteristics of Archaea.
- Scientists have debated the classification of viruses, leading to Whittaker's decision not to include a Kingdom Viron due to unresolved questions about their living status, as they do not grow, metabolize, evolve, or reproduce independently.
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Description
Test your knowledge on Whittaker's Five Kingdom classification system. This quiz covers key criteria for classification and the different kingdoms that define living organisms. Perfect for biology enthusiasts looking to refine their understanding of organism classification.
