Biodiversity and Biological Classification Overview

Biodiversity

Variety within and among living species.

Systematists

Scientists who describe and categorize organisms.

Natural History Museum

Institution for storing biological specimens.

Herbarium

Collection of preserved plant specimens.

Monera

Kingdom of prokaryotic organisms.

Plantae

Kingdom of photosynthetic organisms.

Animalia

Kingdom of organisms relying on others for food.

Fungi

Kingdom of decomposers digesting dead matter.

Protista

Eukaryotic organisms, mostly single-celled.

Tree of Life

Classification based on evolutionary relationships.

Domains of Life

Large groupings based on cell structure.

Eukarya

Domain of organisms with eukaryotic cells.

Prokaryotes

Organisms without a nucleus or organelles.

Endosymbiotic Theory

Mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved from bacteria.

Cambrian Explosion

Rapid emergence of diverse life forms.

Vertebrates

Animals with backbones, 4% of species.

Invertebrates

Animals without backbones, 96% of species.

Hyphae

Fungal structures that absorb nutrients.

Mycorrhizae

Symbiotic relationship between fungi and plant roots.

Autotrophic

Organisms that produce their own food.

Vascular Tissue

Tissue for transporting water and nutrients.

Coevolution

Mutual adaptation of interacting species.

Secondary Compounds

Chemicals produced by plants for defense.

Viruses

Nonliving entities interacting with living organisms.

Cyanobacteria

Photosynthetic bacteria supplying oxygen.

Endospores

Structures allowing bacteria to survive harsh conditions.

Fruiting Body

Reproductive structure of fungi, like mushrooms.

Ribosomal RNA

Gene indicating evolutionary relationships across species.

Antibiotics

Medicines derived from bacterial defenses.

Bacteria

prokaryotes with peptidoglycan

Archaea

prokaryotes without peptidoglycan