BIODIVERSITY

Qno1. Define the following terms.

Analogous
similarity of function and superficial resemblance of structures that have different origins. For
example, the wings of a fly, a moth, and a bird are analogous because they developed
independently as adaptations to a common function—flying.

Classification
the establishment of a hierarchical system of categories on the basis of presumed natural
relationships among organisms. The science of biological classification is commonly called
taxonomy

Species
A biological species is a group of organisms that can reproduce with one another in nature and
produce fertile offspring.

Family
Family is a taxonomic group containing one or more related genera, eg., Family hominidae
contains apes, monkeys and man. In plants, families are categorized on the basis of vegetative
and reproductive features.

Metazoa
A group (Metazoa) that comprises all animals having the body composed of cells differentiated
into tissues and organs and usually a digestive cavity lined with specialized cells.

Mycelium

Mycelium, plural mycelia, the mass of branched, tubular filaments (hyphae) of fungi. The
mycelium makes up the thallus, or undifferentiated body, of a typical fungus.

Hyphae
The fine, branching tubes which make up the body (or mycelium) of a multicellular fungus.

Genus
enus, plural genera, biological classification ranking between family and species, consisting of
structurally or phylogenetically related species or a single isolated species exhibiting unusual
differentiation

Endangered species
An endangered species is a type of organism that is threatened by extinction.

Kingdom
In biology, kingdom is a taxonomic rank that is composed of smaller groups called phyla (or
divisions, in plants). Supplement. Historically, kingdom is the highest taxonomic rank, or the
most general taxon used in classifying organisms.

Qno2. Distinguish between the following.

A) Plant kingdom and animal kingdom

B) Monera and protista

 C)

D) Fungi and plantae

Short question and answers.

Qno3. Why is scientific naming necessary?

It gives the precision and clarity for the naming of an organism which prevents confusion.
Scientific names help the reader to learn something about the organism.

Qno4. How living organisms are classified into two kingdom classification?

The two-kingdom classification was proposed by Carolus Linnaeus. He categorised and

classified the living organisms on the basis of nutrition and mobility. The living organisms were
classified into Kingdom Plantae and Kingdom Animalia.

Qno5. Why is the virus not placed in any kingdom ?

Viruses do not belong to the above 5 kingdoms of life. They are much smaller and much less
complex than cells. They are macromolecular units composed of DNA or RNA surrounded by an
outer protein shell.

Qno6. Draw a chart showing three kingdom classification ?

Qno7. Why amoeba is not placed in the animal kingdom ?

The ameba is considered an animal-like protist because it moves and consumes its food, but it
is not classified as an animal because it consists of a single cell; it is unicellular.

Qno8. Why are cyanobacteria placed in monera ?

Monera are prokaryotic unicellular bacteria whose genetic material is dispersed loosely in the
cell. Therefore, blue green algae are placed in Kingdom Monera and not inKingdom Plantae.
DESCRIPTIVE QUESTION AND ANSWERS

Qno9. Describe in detail five kingdom classification ?

Five Kingdom Classification

Scientists have been trying to classify living organisms in various ways for centuries. In fact,
even Aristotle classified living organisms on the basis whether they lived on land, water or air.
But biologists wanted a broader system of classifying living organisms. Hence came the five
kingdom classification

Five Kingdom Classification

Very early on, scientists began grouping the living organisms under different categories. Some
biologists classified organisms into plants and animals. Ernst Haeckel, Robert Whittaker, and
Carl Woese are some biologists who attempted a broader system of classification. Amongst
these, the Five Kingdom Classification proposed by Robert Whittaker stood out and is widely
used.
Whitaker proposed that organisms should be broadly divided into kingdoms, based on certain
characters like the structure of the cell, mode of nutrition, the source of nutrition,
interrelationship, body organization, and reproduction. According to this system, there are five
main kingdoms. They are:
● Kingdom Monera
● Kingdom Protista
● Kingdom Fungi
● Kingdom Animalia
● Kingdom Plantae

Kingdoms are divided into subgroups at various levels. The following flowchart shows the
hierarchy of classification.
Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species

Distinguishing Features of the Five Kingdoms

Kingdom Monera
These organisms are prokaryotic and unicellular. They do not have a well-defined nucleus and
also lack cell organelles. Some organisms show the presence of cell wall while there are others
without a cell wall. Consequently, some organisms are autotrophic and others are heterotrophic.
Examples include Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Mycoplasma.
Kingdom Protista
Organisms grouped under Kingdom Protista are all unicellular, but eukaryotic organisms. These
are the simplest forms of eukaryotes that exhibit either autotrophic or heterotrophic mode of
nutrition. Some organisms have appendages such as cilia or flagella or pseudopodia to move
around. Some examples are Diatoms, Protozoans like Amoeba, Paramoecium

Kingdom Fungi
Heterotrophic, Multicellular and Eukaryotic organisms are grouped under Kingdom Fungi. Their
mode of nutrition is saprophytic as they use decaying organic matter as food. They have cell
walls, which are made up of a substance called Chitin. Fungi also form a symbiotic association
with some blue-green algae. Yeast, Mushroom, Aspergillus are examples of Fungi.

Kingdom Plantae
These are Eukaryotic, Multicellular organisms with a cell wall that is made up of cellulose. They
are autotrophs and synthesize their own food through the process of photosynthesis. This
kingdom includes all plants.
Based on the body differentiation and presence or absence of specialized vascular tissue,
Kingdom Plantae is divided into different divisions, namely Thallophyta, Bryophyta,
Pteridophyta, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms. Examples are Spirogyra, Ferns, Pines, and
Mango Plant etc.

Kingdom Animalia
This Kingdom includes organisms that are Multicellular, Eukaryotic, without the presence of cell
wall. They have a heterotrophic mode of nutrition. They also exhibit great diversity. Some
organisms are simple while others have a complex body with specialized tissue differentiation
and body organs.
The Animal Kingdom is divided into many phyla and classes. Some of the phyla are Porifera,
Coelenterata, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Chordata etc. Examples – Hydra, Starfish,
Earthworms, Monkeys, Birds etc.

Qno10. What is a taxonomic hierarchy? Explain the aims of classification ?

“Taxonomic hierarchy is the process of arranging various organisms into successive levels of
the biological classification either in a decreasing or an increasing order from kingdom to
species and vice versa.” Each level of the hierarchy is called the taxonomic category or rank.

Objectives of Taxonomy:
Taxonomy aims at fulfilling three main objectives:

1. Firstly, taxonomy aims at classifying organisms into taxa on the basis of similarities in
phenotypic (phenetic) characteristics i.e. the characteristics which are expressed in an organism
and can be examined visually or can be tested by other means.
As each phenotypic characteristic is controlled by one or a group of genes, two individuals
which possess similar phenotypic characteristics must have similar genes. Large number of
similar phenotypic characteristics, therefore, reveals a genetic closeness between organisms.
Genetic closeness is also often linked with phylogenetic relatedness, because organisms having
many common genes among them must have originated from a common stock during evolution.
For instance, if two organisms, A and B, are phylogenetically closer than to another organism,
C, it means that A and B have branched off from a common stock in more recent times than C
which branched off earlier. Obviously, A and B will have more common genes between them
than they will have with C.

2. The second objective of taxonomy is to assign each taxon a name. This naming of a taxon is
known as nomenclature. Assigning a name to an organism is necessary for identifying it without
confusion throughout the scientific world.
Like other organisms, bacterial names have two parts, — a genus name and a species name.
Both names must be in Latinized form. This type of naming of biological organisms called
binomial nomenclature, was first introduced by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The generic name is a
Latinized noun starting with a capital letter and the specific epithet is generally a Latinized
adjective qualifying the genus name.
The species name is written in small hands. As an international convention, the generic and
specific names are italicized.
A new species is indicated by the abbreviation sp. nov. and a new genus by gen. nov. The
authors describing a new bacterium are also required to deposit a culture of the organism in an
authorized culture collection where it is maintained as the type culture of the particular organism
for future reference. Each entry is provided with a separate index number by the collection
authority.

Besides scientific names, bacteria are often known by their trivial or informal names. Some
trivial names are often widely used. For example, Koch’s bacillus is the common name of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, pneumococci of Streptococcus pneumoniae, meningococci of
Neisseria meningitidis etc.
3. The third objective of taxonomy is to serve as an instrument for identification of bacteria. A
newly isolated organism can be assorted to its nearest allies or can be identified as a new
hitherto unknown taxon. This makes taxonomy a dynamic branch of biology, because discovery
of new organisms constantly demands changes in the existing classification.
Also, adoption of new techniques for classifying organisms often necessitates changes,
sometimes thorough changes in the existing framework. For example, the developments in the
molecular biological techniques, like DNA hybridization, have made a great impact on the
taxonomy of bacteria. In fact, a new branch of taxonomy called molecular taxonomy has come
into existence. The determination of homology of ribosomal RNA’s is another development
which has revolutionized bacterial taxonomy.

Qno11. Describe the effect of deforestation on biodiversity ?

DEFORESTATION
Deforestation refers to the decrease in forest areas across the world that are lost for other uses
such as agricultural croplands, urbanization, or mining activities. Greatly accelerated by human
activities since 1960, deforestation has been negatively affecting natural ecosystems,
biodiversity, and the climate.

EFFECTS OF DEFORESTATION

1 – The Effects of Deforestation on Biodiversity

The most known consequence of deforestation is its threat to biodiversity. In fact, forests
represent some of the most veritable hubs of biodiversity. From mammals to birds, insects,
amphibians or plants, the forest is home to many rare and fragile species.
80% of the Earth’s land animals and plants live in forests.
By destroying the forests, human activities are putting entire ecosystems in danger, creating
natural imbalances, and putting Life at threat. The natural world is complex, interconnected, and
made of thousands of inter-dependencies and among other functions, trees provide shade and
colder temperatures for animals and smaller trees or vegetation which may not survive with the
heat of direct sunlight. Besides, trees also feed animals with their fruits while providing them
with food and shelter they need to survive.

2 – The Effects of Deforestation on Local People and Their Livelihoods

Healthy forests support the livelihoods of 1.6 billion people globally, one billion of whom are
among the world’s poorest. This means there are many people depending on forests for survival
and using them to hunt and gather raw products for their small-scale agriculture processes. But
in developing countries such as Borneo, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, or Mexico, land tenure
systems are weak. This allows big businesses to get these lands and use them for other ends,
disrupting local people’s lives.
3 – Deforestation for Food May Lead to Food Insecurity in the Future
Today, 52% of all the land used for food production is moderately or severely impacted by soil
erosion. In the long term, the lack of healthy, nutritious soil can lead to low yields and food
insecurity.

4 – Soil Erosion is One of the Consequences of Deforestation

Deforestation weakens and degrades the soil. Forested soils are usually not only richer on
organic matter, but also more resistant to erosion, bad weather, and extreme weather events.
This happens mainly because roots help fix trees in the ground and the sun-blocking tree cover
helps the soil to slowly dry out. As a result, deforestation will probably mean the soil will become
increasingly fragile, leaving the area more vulnerable to natural disasters such as landslides and
floods.

5 – Deforestation Affects and Contributes to Climate Change

Deforestation also has a very strong contribution to climate change. Why? Let’s remember trees
absorb and store CO2 throughout their lives. If we speak about tropical forests, they hold more
than 210 gigatons of carbon, according to WWF. And what’s worrying is that the destruction of
these trees has two big negative side-effects.
Firstly, taking down trees means they’ll release back into the atmosphere the CO2 they were
keeping. Secondly, fewer trees available means reducing the planet’s overall ability to capture
and store CO2. Both these effects negatively contribute to the greenhouse effect and to climate
change. As a matter of fact, while food and agriculture account for 24% of greenhouse gas
emissions, deforestation is estimated to be responsible for 10-15% of all anthropogenic CO2
emissions.