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Life in Its Diverse Forms

– Diversity is the hallmark of life.
• The diversity of known life includes 1.8 million species.
• Estimates of the total diversity range from 10 million to
over 200 million species.
Grouping Species: The Basic Concept
– Biodiversity can be both
beautiful and
overwhelming.
– Taxonomy is the branch of
biology that names and
classifies species.
• It formalizes the
hierarchical ordering of
organisms.
• Classifying life Taxonomy
Species Genus Family Order Class Phylum Kingdom Domain
Ursus
ameri-
canus
(American
black bear)
Ursus

Ursidae

Carnivora

Mammalia

Chordata

Animalia

Eukarya
 The Three Domains
All organisms belong to one of
three domains, depending on
their characteristics. A domain
is the most inclusive (broadest)
taxonomic category. A single
domain can contain one or
more kingdoms.
I. Archaea
II. Eubacteria
III. Eukaryota (Eukarya)

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• Life’s three domains

Bacteria are the most diverse 4 µm
and widespread prokaryotes
and are now divided among multiple
kingdoms. Each of the rod-shaped
structures in this photo is a bacterial cell.
DOMAIN ARCHAEA
Protists (multiple kingdoms) Kingdom Plantae consists of
100 µm
are unicellular eukaryotes and multicellula eukaryotes that carry
their relatively simple multicellular out photosynthesis, the conversion
relatives.Pictured here is an assortment of of light energy to food.
protists inhabiting pond water. Scientists are
currently debating how to split the protists
into several kingdoms that better represent
evolution and diversity.

Many of the prokaryotes known
0.5 µm
as archaea live in Earth‘s
extreme environments, such as salty lakes
and boiling hot springs. Domain Archaea
includes multiple kingdoms. The photo
shows a colony composed of many cells.
Kindom Fungi is defined in part by the
nutritional mode of its members, such
as this mushroom, which absorb
nutrientsafter decomposing organic
material.
Kindom Animalia consists of
multicellular eukaryotes that
ingest other organisms.
 The Three Domains
I. Archeae: very primitive forms of bacteria
II. Eubacteria : more advanced forms of bacteria
III. Eukaryota: all life forms with eukaryotic cells

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 The Three Domains of Life
Organisms are placed into domains and
kingdoms based on their cell type, their ability
to make food, and the number of cells in their
bodies.
Ability to make
food

Heterotrophic or Autotrophic

Cell Type Number of cells in

their body
Prokaryotic or Eukaryotic Unicellular or Multicellular

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 The Three Domains of Life
Organisms can be:
• Prokaryotic – cells that lack a nucleus
• Eukaryotic – cells that contain a nucleus

• Unicellular – single-celled; made up of one cell

• Multicellular – made up of many cells

• Autotrophic – can make their own food

• Heterotrophic – can not make their own food

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Comparison of Bacteria, Archaea,
and Eucarya

Three domains of living organisms

Domain Archaea

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 The Six Kingdoms of Life
I. Domain Archaea
1. Kingdom Archaebacteria

• they are unicellular, prokaryotic

and some are autotrophic and
others heterotrophic

• They are different from

bacteria in the structure and
chemical makeup of their cells.
• Cell walls of different
compositions
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 The Six Kingdoms of Life
I Domain Archaea

1. Kingdom Archaebacteria
• known as “ancient bacteria”; they are the most primitive type
of organisms
• they thrive in the most extreme environments on Earth; they
are often referred to as “extremophiles”
• found in thermal vents, hot springs, very salty water, swamps,
and the intestines of cows

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 The Three Domains of Life
II. Domain Eubacteria
2. Kingdom Eubacteria
• They are found everywhere on Earth except
extreme environments.
• They are unicellular, prokaryotic, some are
autotrophic and others are heterotrophic.
• Cell wall made of peptidoglycan

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 The Six Kingdoms of Life
III. Domain Eukarya (Eukaryota)
Kingdoms:
• Protista (Protists)
• Fungi
• Plants (Plantae)
• Animals (Animalia)

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 The Six Kingdoms of Life
3. Kingdom Protista
(Protists)
• the “odds and ends” kingdom;
• includes any organism that can
not be classified as a animal,
plant, or fungus
• eukaryotic
• most are unicellular, others are
multicellular
• some are autotrophs, others are
heterotrophs
• Some have a cell wall

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 The Six Kingdoms of Life
Protists

amoeba

euglena

volvox

paramecium 18
 The Six Kingdoms of Life
4. Fungi
• eukaryotic
• most are multicellular
(yeast-unicellular)
• heterotrophic
• include yeast (unicellular),
molds, mildews, and
mushrooms
• Cell wall made of chitin 19
 The Six Kingdoms of Life
5. Plants
• multicellular
• eukaryotic
• autotrophic
• most live on land
• Cell wall of
cellulose

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 The Six Kingdoms of Life
6. Animals
• multicellular
• eukaryotic
• heterotrophic
• live in diverse
environments

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