shobha rollno.16

DIVERSITY IN LIVING ORGANISMS

EXERCISE

1. what are the advantages of classifiying organisms?
Answer

Following are the advantages of classifying organisms:
→ It makes us aware of and gives us information regarding the diversity of plants and animals.
→ It makes the study of different kinds of organisms much easier.
→ It tells us about the inter-relationship among the various organisms.
→ It helps us understanding the evolution of organisms.
→ It helps in the development of other life sciences easy.

→ It helps environmentalists to develop new methods of conservation of plants and animals.

2. How would you choose between two characteristics to be used for developing a hierarchy in classification?

Answer

We choose that characteristics which depends on the first characteristics and determines the rest variety.

3. Explain the basis for grouping organisms into five kingdoms.

Answer

The basis for grouping organisms into five kingdoms are:
→ Complexity of cell structure - There are two broad categories of cell structure: Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic. Thus, two broad groups can be formed, one having prokaryotic cell structure and the other having eukaryotic cell structure. Presence or absence of cell wall is another important characteristic.
→ Unicellular and multicellular organisms - This characteristic makes a very basic distinction in the body designs of organisms and helps in their broad categorizations.

→ Cell Wall: Presence and absence of cell wall leads into grouping.

→ Mode of nutrition -Organisms basically have two types of nutritions - autotrophic who can manufacture their own food and heterotrophic who obtain their food from external environment, i.e., from other organisms). Thus, organisms can be broadly classified into different groups on the basis of their mode of nutrition.

4. What are the major divisions in the Plantae? What is the basis for these divisions?

Answer

The major divisions in Kingdom Plantae are:
→Thallophyta
→ Bryophyta
→ Pteridophyta
→ Gymnosperms
→ Angiosperms

The following points constitute the basis of these divisions: 
→ Whether the plant body has well differentiated, distinct components.
→ whether the differentiated plant body has special tissues for the transport of water and other substances.
→ The ability to bear seeds.
→ Whether the seeds are enclosed within fruits.

5. How are the criteria for deciding divisions in plants different from the criteria for deciding the subgroups among animals?

Answer

The characteristics used to classify plants is different from animals because the basic design are different, based on the need to make their own food (plants) or acquire food (animals). 
Criteria for deciding divisions in plants are:
→ Differentiated/ Undifferentiated plant body
→ Presence/ absence of vascular tissues
→With/without seeds
→ Naked seeds/ seeds inside fruits

But the animals can't be divided into groups on these criteria. It is because the basic designs of animals are very different from plants. They are divided on the basis of their body structure.

6. Explain how animals in Vertebrata are classified into further subgroups.

Answer

Animals in Vertebrata are classified into five classes:

(i) Class Pisces: This class includes fish such as Scoliodon, tuna, rohu, shark, etc. These animals mostly live in water. Hence, they have special adaptive features such as a streamlined body, presence of a tail for movement, gills, etc. to live in water.

(ii) Class Amphibia: It includes frogs, toads, and salamanders. These animals have a dual mode of life. In the larval stage, the respiratory organs are gills, but in the adult stage, respiration occurs through the lungs or skin. They lay eggs in water.

(iii) Class Reptilia: It includes reptiles such as lizards, snakes, turtles, etc. They usually creep or crawl on land. The body of a reptile is covered with dry and cornified skin to prevent water loss. They lay eggs on land.

(iv) Class Aves: It includes all birds such as sparrow, pigeon, crow, etc. Most of them have feathers. Their forelimbs are modified into wings for flight, while hind limbs are modified for walking and clasping. They lay eggs.

(v) Class Mammalia: It includes a variety of animals which have milk producing glands to nourish their young ones. Some lay eggs and some give birth to young ones. Their skin has hair as well as sweat glands to regulate their body temperature.