Chapter 1 The Living World

Chapter 1 – The Living World
1. Why are living organisms classified?

Solution:
Earth consists of millions of organisms, and we might be knowing the plants and animals that
reside near us by their local names. These local names would vary from place to place, even
within a country. This would lead to confusion in identifying and studying specific species. Hence
to standardise the naming and studying of living organisms it should be called by a common
name throughout the world. To achieve this, the organisms are named and classified according
to their characters.
2. Why are the classification systems changing every now and then?
Solution:
Scientific study is ever progressing, and new species and organisms are added often. An early
system of classification takes note of only habit and habitats of organisms. Gradually external
morphology became toll for classification. After this, morphology and embryology are taken to
consideration followed by phylogenetic relation, cytology of an organism. Modern-day uses
biochemical techniques to classify the organisms based on their nucleic acid components.
3. What different criteria would you choose to classify people that you meet often?
Solution:
We classify the people that we often meet on the following attributes
 Gender
 Skin colour
 Education
 Profession
 Hobbies
 Nature
4. What do we learn from identification of individuals and populations?
Solution:
By identifying individuals and populations, we learn following things
 Sex
 Skin colour
 Native place
 Mother tongue
 Food habit
 Religion
 Caste
5. Given below is the scientific name of Mango. Identify the correctly written name.
Mangifera Indica
Mangifera indica
Solution:
The answer is Mangifera indica. Here mangifera is its genus name, and indica is its species
name which is always written in lowercase.
6. Define a taxon. Give some examples of taxa at different hierarchical levels.

Solution:
A taxon is a level of hierarchy in the system of classifying organisms.
Following are the hierarchical levels.
 Kingdom
 Phylum
 Class
 Order
 Family
 Genus
 Species
7. Can you identify the correct sequence of taxonomical categories?
(a) Species Order Phylum Kingdom
(b) Genus Species Order Kingdom
(c) Species Genus Order Phylum
Solution:
Option a) and c) are the correct sequence of taxonomical categories
8. Try to collect all the currently accepted meanings for the word ‘species’. Discuss with
your teacher the meaning of species in case of higher plants and animals on one hand,
and bacteria on the other hand.
Solution:
A group of individual organisms with fundamental similarities are called species. It is the basic
unit of classification. Species are also defined as the individuals that share the same gene pool.
Higher plants and animals: Criteria of reproductive isolation can be used to classify the species.
Bacteria: interbreeding and reproductive isolation cannot be used in case of bacteria here gene
pool can be used to classify species.
9. Define and understand the following terms:

(i) Phylum (ii) Class (iii) Family (iv) Order (v) Genus
Solution:
i) Phylum is a taxonomical hierarchy below Kingdom and above Class. It is a taxon with one or
more classes organisms with similar characters.
ii) Class is a taxonomical hierarchy higher than Order and lower than Phylum. Class includes
related to orders of the organisms. Example: Presence of notochord in mammals.
iii) Family has a group of related genera with still less number of similarities as compared to
genus and species. Example: Fox and dog belongs to the same family. It is a group of entities
below Order and above Genus.
iv) Order is a taxon below higher than Family and lower than class. Order being a higher
category is the assemblage of families which exhibit a few similar characters.
v) Genus comprises a group of related species which has more characters in common in
comparison to species of other genera. Ex:Lion, tiger and leopard are classified under
genus Panthera. It is above species and below Family.
10. How is a key helpful in the identification and classification of an organism?
Solution:
Key is a taxonomical aid used for identification of plants and animals based on the similarities
and dissimilarities. It represents the choice between two opposite characters. It is helpful in
identifying contrasting characters. They are a pair of two contrasting characters where selection
of one character leads to the rejection of another character when species, family or genera is
identified.
If an entitiy is not recorded already, attempst are made to firstc check and recheck its discovery
before naming it. Hence, eveny entitiy can be classified whether it is unknown or known.
11. Illustrate the taxonomical hierarchy with suitable examples of a plant and an animal.
Solution:
Following table depicts the taxonomic hierarchy with Wheat as an example for plant and human
as an example for animal.
Taxonomic categories Wheat Human
Kingdom Plantae Animalia
Phylum/Division Angiospermae Chordata
Class Monocotyledonae Mammalia
Order Poales Primata
Family Poaceae Homonidae
Genus Triticum Homo
Species Triticum aestivum Sapiens

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Chapter 1 The Living World

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Chapter 1 – The Living World

1. Why are living organisms classified?

6. Define a taxon. Give some examples of taxa at different hierarchical levels.

9. Define and understand the following terms:

Taxonomic categories Wheat Human

Kingdom Plantae Animalia

Phylum/Division Angiospermae Chordata

Class Monocotyledonae Mammalia

Order Poales Primata

Family Poaceae Homonidae

Genus Triticum Homo

Species Triticum aestivum Sapiens

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