Understanding Biodiversity and Classification

Biodiversity

• It is the different kinds of life across all levels of ecological organization.

Types of Biodiversity

• Genetic diversity includes DNA differences among individuals.
• Species diversity includes the variety of species in an area.
• Ecosystem diversity includes the variety of habitats, communities, and ecosystems.

Classification of Organisms

• To classify organisms:
  • First, determine the cells it has, if it has a nucleus or not.
  • Second, determine how the organism gains energy (eating).
• Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus and have simple structures.
• Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus and other complex structures.
• Autotrophic organisms make their own food from solar energy or chemicals via photosynthesis.
• Heterotrophic organisms must eat other organisms to gain energy.
• Organisms are classified based on shared traits and common origins.
• Classification order:
  • Kingdom
  • Phylum
  • Class
  • Order
  • Family
  • Genus
  • Species

Binomial Nomenclature

• It is a method of naming organisms using the last two words of its scientific classification as Latin names.
• Binomial nomenclature names are always underlined or italicized.
• In the name, the genus is capitalized, and the species names are lower-case.
• Classification helps to study the diversity of life, organize it, and name organisms.
• Scientific names are given because common names are misleading.
• An organism's domain is larger than its kingdom.
• The three domains include:
  • Bacteria
  • Archaea
  • Eukarya
• The six kingdoms include:
  • Eubacteria
  • Archaebacteria
  • Protista
  • Fungi
  • Plantae
  • Animalia

Archaebacteria and Eubacteria

• Bacteria are prokaryotes without a membrane-bound nucleus.
• Bacteria are the smallest living cells known, and are found everywhere.

Archaebacteria

• Archaebacteria emerged at least 3.5 billion years ago.
• They live in conditions that resemble when the earth was young.
• They like acid and heat.
• The three major known phyla include:
  • Methanogens are found in marshes and intestinal tracts of humans/cows.
  • Halophiles are found in high saline/salty environments like sea water.
  • Thermophiles like heat and extremely acidic conditions with a pH below 2.
    • They are found in hot springs and thermal vents.
• Eubacteria are "true bacteria"
• Most of the time when someone says "bacteria", they are talking about Eubacteria
• Eubacteria flourish in neutral conditions like a body, food, and moist places.

Eubacteria

• Some eubacteria cause human health problems.
  • Streptococci bacteria cause strep throat.
  • E.coli and Salmonella are sometimes found in undercooked meat and can make people sick.
• Some eubacteria are beneficial to human health and break down waste.
• The three bacterial shapes are:
  • Rod shaped or bacillus
  • Sphere shaped or coccus
  • Spiral shaped or spirillum
• Pathogens are disease causing microorganisms

Kingdom Protista

• Protists are eukaryotic.
• They live in moist environments.
• Protists can be unicellular or multicellular.
• Protists can be autotrophs, heterotrophs, or both.
• Some move, while others cannot.
• The three categories of protists are:
  • Animal-like
  • Fungus-like
  • Plant-like

Animal-like Protists

• They are also called protozoans.
• They are unicellular and heterotrophic.
• They are grouped based on movement.
  • Pseudopods move through false feet by cytoplasmic streaming to feed.
    • They reproduce by mitosis.
    • An example is amoeba.
  • Flagellates move by flagellum.
    • They usually live inside other organisms.
    • An example is termites.
  • Ciliates have short hair-like projections called cilia that are used for movement and feeding.
    • They are heterotrophic, and some are parasitic.
  • Sporozoans are parasites that feed on cells and body fluids of hosts.
    • Plasmodium causes malaria and have more than 1 host: mosquitoes and then humans

Fungus-Like Protists

• These are heterotrophs
• They reproduce by spores through tiny cells that can grow into a new organism.
• Examples include water and slime molds.

Plant-like Protists

• They are algae, autotrophs, and unicellular
• Contain different pigments making them different colors.

Kingdom Fungi

• They are eukaryotic, have a nucleus, and are heterotrophs
• Fungi use spores to reproduce
• They like warm, moist places to grow.
• Fungi have hyphae with thread-like structures used to obtain food.
• Examples include yeast, molds, and mushrooms.
• Fungi do not physically eat food with a mouth, so they absorb it.
• Some fungi are decomposers and feed on decaying organisms.

Groups Of Fungi

• Common molds include black bread mold.
• Sac fungi is the largest group and includes yeast used for baking and brewing beer.
• Club fungi include mushrooms and puffballs.
• Imperfect fungi helps create the antibiotic, penicillin, and treats some bacterial infections.
• Lichens comprise both fungus and green algae.
• The algae provide energy, and the fungus provides water and minerals
• They share a mutualistic relationship where both benefit

Kingdom Plantae

• Plants are multicellular and eukaryotic.
• Plants are autotrophic and carry out photosynthesis by using chlorophyll
• Roots anchor plants and absorb water/nutrients from soil.
• Leaves capture sun for photosynthesis and gas exchange.
• Stems transport water and nutrients between leaves and roots.
• Xylem transports water/nutrients from the soil to the rest of the plant.
• Phloem carries organic materials, like glucose, to the rest of the plant.

Plant Diversity

• Non-vascular plants are bryophytes that lack vascular tissue and require a damp environment.
  • They need water for reproduction.
  • Non-vascular plants do not have roots but instead rhizoids.
• Vascular seedless plants use spores to reproduce.
• Vascular Gymnosperms.
• Vascular seed plants, or angiosperms, have seeds that are protected by a fruit.

Kingdom Animalia

• All animals obtain food by eating other organisms that are either herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores.
• They are eukaryotic and multicellular and most reproduce sexually.
• Animals are divided into vertebrates with backbones and invertebrates without backbones.
• Phylum Porifera is the simplest form of heterotrophic animal.
  • Its body is pierced all over with openings called pores.
• Phylum coelenterata/cnidaria are carnivores which use stinging cells to capture prey/defend themselves.
• Phylum nematoda are roundworms that are not segmented.
  • Many nematodes are parasites like the pork worm, Trichinella.
  • Nematodes have a complete digestive tract.
• Phylum annelida includes earthworms and leeches.
  • Annelids have bodies that are segmented/divided into sections.
  • Annelids have a body cavity called a coelom which provides room for organ development.
• Phylum platyheminthes is a phylum of flatworms.
• Members of phylum mollusca are invertebrates that are covered by a shell.
  • Examples include oysters, clams, squid, and octopus.
• Members of phylum echinodermata includes starfish and sea urchins with spiny/prickly skin.
• Members of phylum arthropoda include crayfish, lobsters, crabs, insects, and spiders. It is the most diverse group of invertebrates with a segmented body, a heard exoskeleton, and several pairs of jointed legs.
  • They are divided into three groups, including crustaceans, arachnids, and insects.
• Members of phylum chordata include fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Fish

• Live in the water (Aquatic)
• Is cold-blooded
• Body covered with wet and slimy scale
• Fins for balance to movement
• Class agnatha contains jawless fishes.
  • They feed by suction/teeth.
  • Ex: lampreys (petromyzon marinus) and hag fishes (eptatretus stouth).
• Class chondrichthyes contains cartilaginous fishes.
  • Ex: rays, skates, sharks
  • They feed on algea/fishes.
  • Ex: butanding/rincondon typus is the largest fish found in Cebu, Sorsogon, and Dumaguete.
• Class osteichthyes contains bony fishes.
  • Ex: bangus, tuna, tilapia.

Amphibia

• Live in water and on land
• Smooth and moist skin
• Cold-blooded
• Divided into three groups:
  • Caecillians are legless amphibians
  • Salamanders live in the forest
  • Frogs/toads

Reptiles

• Cold-blooded
• Body covered with dry, hard scales
• Live on land
• Breathe with lungs and absorb oxygen through their mouth
• Lay shelled eggs
• Alligators live in freshwater and are only found in North and South America.
• Crocodiles live in freshwater and salty waters.
  • Crocodylus mindorensis (Philippine crocodile)
  • Crocodylus porosus (saltwater crocodile)
• Tortoise lives on land
• Turtles live in water
  • Example: Pawikan (marine turtles)
• Python, Cobra, snakes are legless and have flexible jaws
• Lizards Examples: house lizard, gecko.

Birds

• Have feather and wings
• Hollow bones adopted for flight
• Beak for feeding
• Lungs for breathing
• lay hard shelled eggs
• Live in almost every habitat on earth

Mammals

• Are warm-blooded
• Teeth based on food preference
• Females have mammary glands to produce milk
• Have lungs for breathing
• Embryos develop inside of a mother's body
• Internal fertilization

Value of Biodiversity

• Saving species preserves ecosystems because species, along with abiotic factors, make up ecosystems.
• Every species has an important part to play.