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Taxonomy

Taxonomy. The science of naming and grouping things according to their similarities. What is it?. What is it?. What is it?. Which does not belong?. Which does not belong?. INTRODUCTION to Classification. ► 10,000,000 – 100,000,000 ► 1,750,000

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Taxonomy

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  1. Taxonomy The science of naming and grouping things according to their similarities.

  2. What is it?

  3. What is it?

  4. What is it?

  5. Which does not belong?

  6. Which does not belong?

  7. INTRODUCTION to Classification ►10,000,000 – 100,000,000 ► 1,750,000 Biodiversity- The "totality of genes, species, and ecosystems of a region"

  8. Aristotle (384-322 BCE) ►First person to purpose an organized system for grouping living things, about 350 BCE. ► Grouped organisms based on physical similarities. ► Divided all living things into 2 groups: plants and animals - Subdivided the animal group using: habitat and behavior - Subdivided the plant group using: size and structure (herb, shrub, tree)

  9. Carolus (Carl) Linnaeus (1707-1778) ► Swedish physician and botanist -he sought order in the diversity ► Grouped organisms based on observable characteristics. ► Founder of Taxonomy, considered the “Father of modern classification.” ► He developed the system of grouping similar organisms we still use today, called Hierarchal classification. ► As part of his system, he created a method of naming organisms called Binomial nomenclature.

  10. Binomial Nomenclature ► Uses Latin, the universal scientific language which does not change. ► Each organism is given a 2 part scientific name. -Part 1: A Genus name- a larger group with multiple members. -Part 2: A species name- a group with only one specific member. ► Scientific names are always written like this: Genus species. - if something is handwritten, underline instead of italics: Genusspecies Escherichia coli (E. coli) Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex) Homo sapiens (H. sapiens) “wise man” ►Allows for the accurate exchange of information about the Earth’s species.

  11. HierarchalClassification ► Many Levels: Biggest group (Kingdom)- many organisms Smallest group (species)- 1 organism ► Each organism is in a group at each level. ► The groups are “nested,” or fit into each other. -many species fit into a genus -many genera fit into a family -many families fit into an order -many orders fit into a class -many classes fit into a phylum -many phyla fit into a kingdom -five (or 6) kingdoms make up all living things.

  12. More examples: ►The more levels 2 organisms share, the more they are alike! ►It is often believed the more similar organisms are, the more recently they shared a common ancestor, and the more related they are.

  13. Why not just use common names? ► Simplified names commonly used for organisms in an area are called common names. ► Common names are usually shorter and easier to remember than the scientific name of an organism. ►Problems with common names: 1. Overlapping…many names can refer to one organism Ex. Cougar, puma, mountain lion 2. Confusion…some names can mean different things different places! Ex. Gopher = type of rodent in Minnesota = type of tortoise in New Mexico

  14. Significance of a Species ► A species is the most specific or smallest level of classification. ► Species means “kind” in Latin. Thus it is one kind of organism. ► A species is usually defined as: Organisms which can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. ► The definition of a species is still not agreed on by scientists. ► It is at the species level that changes occur which affect an organism’s survival… which can lead to evolution (change over time).

  15. Then and Now…. ► Aristotle and Linnaeus used only physical or observable characteristics to group organisms. ►It is important to use characteristics which show relatedness, as some similarities develop between unrelated organisms when they live in similar habitats. When this happens it is called convergent evolution. ► In Modern Taxonomy, many different characteristics can be used. 1. Structural characteristics (bones, organ systems, or other body features) 2. Molecular characteristics (RNA, DNA, Proteins…made of amino acids) 3. Reproductive characteristics (asexual, sexual, life cycles) 4. Developmental characteristics (how offspring develop=embryology) ►Today more emphasis is placed on common ancestry or evolutionary relatedness ►Biosystematics: The use of data to assess taxonomic relationships.

  16. How we make use of classification ► If you know what it is….You can look up its classification to find out its characteristics and what it is related to. ► If you don’t know what it is….You can use a dichotomous key to look up what it is. ► If it is something new…Evidence must be gathered to accurately place it into one group on each of the levels.

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