Diversity in the Living World

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms and their definitions related to biodiversity, taxonomy, and biological classification.

Biology

The science of life forms and living processes.

Biodiversity

The variety and variability of life on Earth, refers to the number and types of organisms present.

Nomenclature

The system of naming organisms, ensuring that each organism has one universally accepted name.

Binomial nomenclature

A naming system where each organism is identified by a two-part name: genus and species.

Taxonomy

The science of classification of organisms into different categories.

Taxon

A unit or category in taxonomy, can represent a particular rank, such as species or family.

Species

A group of individual organisms that share fundamental similarities.

Genus

A group of related species that share more characteristics in common.

Family

A group of related genera that share certain similarities.

Order

A higher classification category that groups families based on shared characteristics.

Class

A category that includes related orders.

Phylum

A category that comprises related classes.

Kingdom

The highest taxonomic category, grouping together all organisms.

Systematics

The study of the diversity of organisms and their evolutionary relationships.

Morphological differences

Physical characteristics that help in distinguishing one species from another.

International Code for Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN)

The set of rules to govern the naming of plant species.

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN)

The set of rules to govern the naming of animal species.

Ernst Mayr

A prominent evolutionary biologist known for his work on species diversity and classification.

Ecological conflict

The competition and interactions between organisms in an ecosystem.

Anthropocentric view

A perspective that places human beings at