Patterns of Life Review

Test on Monday September 28th 2026.

Define the term taxonomy

The term taxonomy describes the science of classification of all living and extinct organisms.

What is classification

a method to organize or group things based on a specific criteria. In biology classification it's called a catalogue of life.

Clearly distinguish between Aristotle's mode of classification and St. Augustine's mode of classification.

Aristotle mode of classification(the first system) was classifying animals by their habitat, creatures of land (land dwellers), creatures of the sea (water dwellers) and creatures of the sky (air dwellers). While St. Augustine classified organisms as useful to humans, harmful to humans to superfluous to humans.

The Herbalists

During the Middle Ages (approximately between 476 CE and the 14th century) classified plants according to what they produced

• Fruit

• Vegetables

• Wood

Describes the contributions of Carl Linnaeus to modern day taxonomy.

Carl Linnaeus is the father of modern taxonomy; he grouped species according to their physical similarities (morphology). Each species was identified by a unique name based on the organism’s genus and species (binomial nomenclature). Ex. Homo sapiens. (CAPITAL LETTER GENUS, LOWERCASE SPECIES) It is a system of identification of organisms, both living and extinct, by assigning specific scientific names.

With the use of a upside down triangle explain the levels of traditional taxonomy.

Did King Phillip call out for good soup. (Eukarya, Animalia, Chordata, Mammalia, Carnivora, Canidae, Vulpes, and Vulpes Vulpes)

Explain how the shared number of taxons between different species can be used to determine relatedness.

The shared number of taxons between different species can be used because the higher the number the greater the relatedness between organisms.

Species information.

• Is a group of organisms similar in structure and shape, that have the ability to reproduce with each other

• The resulting offspring also have the possibility to reproduce

• Share the most common characteristics

Define the term dichotomous key

A dichotomous(means 2) key is a tool that is used to classify unknown organisms into specific groups or categories based on specific characteristics. Also used to classify unknown organisms by answering of a series of questions based on specific features that have 2 possible outcomes, which lead to another question or identification.

State three different advantages pertaining to the use of a dichtomous key

• easy to use

• cost effective

• can precisely identify the unknown organism

• easily translated into other languages

• organisms do not need to be physically present

State three different disadvantages pertaining to the use of a dichtomous key

• one error you must rebegin task

• colour blindness

• distinguishing similar features

• confusing

• images may be blurry

• bias of interpretation

• assumes for knowledge

Clearly distinguish between a prokaryotic cell and eukaryotic cell.

Prokaryotic cells

• small in size

• DNA nt bounded by membrane

• genome is composed of a single chroomosome

• mitosis and meisois does not occur

• mode of reporduction; asexual

• most are single cellular

• organisms are not present except for ribosomes

• most do not require oxygen therefore anaerobic

Eukaroytic cells

• large in size compared to prokaryotes

• DNA bounded by membrane

• genome is composed of many chromosemes

• mitosis and meisois occurs

• mode of reproduction ; sexual

• organelles are not present

• most require oxygen therefore aerobic

Study the diagram found below and then describe the relationship between domains and kingdoms.

3 known domains are Archaea

• oldest domain

• believed to have given rise to the Bacteria domain

• Archaebacteria is the only kingdom.

• Consists of prokaryotic cells

Bacteria

• consists of prokaryotic cells

• Bacteria is the only kingdom

Eukarya

• Consists of eukaryotic cells

• Includes the kingdoms Plantae, Animalia, Protista, Fungi

What is an Archeae cell type

Archeae’s cell type is Prokaryotes

What is an Archeae body type

Archeae’s body type is Unicellular

What is an Archeae mode of obtaining nutrients

Archeae mode of obtaining nutrients is autrophic and heterotrophic

What is an Archeae mode of reporduction

Archeae mode of reporduction is sexually and asexually

What is an Archeae habitat

Live in extreme environments

Methanogens live in the digestive tract of animals

Halophiles live in concentrated salt water environments

Thermoacidophiles live in hot acid waters

Archeae examples

• Halobacterium salinarum

• Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Archaea random facts

Are the oldest known living prokaryotes on the planet

What is an Eubacteria cell type

Eubacteria cell type is Prokaryotic

What is an Eubacteria body type

Eubacteria body type is unicellular

What is an Eubacteria mode of obtaining nutrients

Eubacteria mode of obtaining nutrients is autrophic and heterotrophic

What is an Eubacteria habitat

Eubacteria can be found everywhere on earth

What is an Eubacteria examples

E.coli, Lactobacillus

Eubacteria random facts

some are pathogenic

most are helpful

E coli is an example that is found in the human digestive tract

What is Protista cell type

Protista cell type is Eukaryotic

What is Protista body type

Protista body type are mostly unicellular

What is Protista mode of obtaining nutrients

Protista mode of obtatining nutrients are autrophic and heterotrophic

What is Protista mode of reproduction

Protista mode of reproduction is both sexually and asexually

What is Protista habitat

Protista is foundin moist and watery environments

What is Protista examples

Protista examples are Amoeba and Kelp

Protista random facts

Most diverse of the kingdoms

Believed to have given rise to the plant, animal and fungi kingdoms

Can be both beneficial as well as harmful to humans

What is fungi’s cell type

fungi’s cell type is eukaryotic

What is fungi’s body type

fungi’s body type is unicellular

What is fungi’s mode of obtaining nutrients

fungi’s mode of obtaining nutrients is heterotrophic

What is fungi’s mode of reproduction

fungi’s mode of reproduction is both sexual and asexual

What is fungi’s habitat

fungi can be found on land with a few in watery environments

What is fungi’s examples

fungi’s examples are mushroom and penicillium

Fungi’s facts

Absorb nutrients

Are decomposers

Can be both beneficial as well as harmful to humans

What is Animalia cell type

Animalia cell type is eukaryotes

What is Animalia body type

Animalia body type is multicellular

What is Animalia mode of obtaining nutrients

Animalia mode of obtaining nutrients is heterotrophic

What is Animalia mode of reproduction

Animalia mode of reproduction is mostly sexual

What is Animalia habitat

Animalia habitat is on land and in water

What is Animalia examples

Animalia examples are any animals like lions, dolphin, earthworm etc.

Animalia facts

Largest of the kingdoms

Cells lack a cell wall

What is Plantae cell type

Plantae cell type is eukaryotes

What is Plantae body type

Plantae body type is multicellular

What is Plantae mode of obtaining nutrients

Plantae mode of obtaining nutrients is autrotrophic

What is Plantae mode of reproduction

Plantae mode of reproduction is both sexual and asexual

What is Plantae habitat

Plantae habitat is both on land and in water

What are Plantae examples

Algae, Bryophytes

Plantae facts

Cells possess a cell wall composed of cellulose

Undergo the process of photosynthesis, therefore are autotrophs

Producers in every food chain

Source of oxygen

Identify the diagrams illustrated below and describe how it describes the kingdoms of life.

The tree of life.

• illustrates a few examples of organism in each kingdom

• illustrate the relationship between kingdom by branches

• suggests that all life began with Archea

Identify the diagrams illustrated below and describe how it describes the kingdoms of life.

Fan Diagram

• time line that suggest life began in the Precambrian era

• suggest that all life began with Archea

• area is related to size of kingdom

• organism found near outer rim are modern day species

Why is it believed that the kingdom Protista gave rise to the kingdoms animalia, plantae and fungi?

It is believed that the kingdom Protista gave rise to the kingdoms Animalia, Plantae, and Fungi because…. there are plant like protists

there are animlas like protists

there are fungi like protists

Explain why there was a need to move away from the two kingdom mode of classification.

• It mixed prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Bacteria (simple cells with no nucleus) were wrongly placed in the plant kingdom alongside complex multicellular plants.

• It grouped single-celled and multi-celled organisms together: Microscopic organisms like amoebas and single-celled algae were grouped with complex animals and trees.

• Fungi were misclassified as plants: Mushrooms were placed in the plant kingdom even though they cannot make their own food through photosynthesis (they absorb nutrients) and their cell walls are made of chitin, not cellulose.

• Some organisms fit both categories: Organisms like Euglena behave like plants in sunlight (photosynthesis) and like animals in the dark (feeding on other organisms), making them impossible to classify into just two kingdoms.

Hypothesis as to why the organism in the kingdom fungi were once placed in the kingdom plantae.

Fungi were originally placed in Kingdom Plantae because early taxonomists relied on basic observable physical traits. Specifically, fungi are non-motile, like plants, remaining rooted in one spot rather than moving around like animals. They also possess a rigid cell wall surrounding their cells, which is a structural feature found in plant cells but completely absent in animal cells. Additionally, their morphology resembles plants, as they produce fruiting bodies like mushroom stalks that grow directly out of the ground or soil.

Define the term phylogenic tree.

Phylogenic tree is a tool used to predict the relationship between organisms.

Explain how the phylogenic tree below represent the relationship between different species.

Illustrates the relationship between species

Hypothesis of the evolutionary relationships

Nodes represent a common ancestor

The tips of the branches represent a specific species

What is binomial nomenclature

Biomial nomenclature is a naming systemthat gives each organism a two-word name

The full classification of humans

• Domain: Eukaryota

• Kingdom: Animalia

• Phylum: Chordata

• Class: Mammalia

• Order: Primates

• Family: Hominidae

• Genus: Homo

• Species: Homo sapiens

What is genus

Genus consists of a group of similar species

What is the scientific name of modern humans

Homo sapiens

Whar is the language of scientific names

Latin

Are dinosaurs related more to amphibians than reptiles

No, dinosaurs are more related to birds.

Do taxonomists try to identify the evolutionary relationships among organisms?

True