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Characteristics and Classification of Organisms Study Guide

Day One: The Living World

Characteristics of Living Beings

Taxonomy and Systematics
General Classification of Living Beings

Characteristics of Living Beings

Growth: Increase in biomass and size of individuals

Reproduction: Production of offspring similar to parents
Consciousness: Ability to sense and respond to the environment
Cellular organisation: Living organisms are made up of cells
Biological organisation: Organisms are organized into cells, tissues, organs, organ
systems, populations, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere
Respiration: Process of generating energy through the breakdown of complex
compounds
Evolution: Changes that occur over time in living organisms

Taxonomy and Systematics

Taxonomy: Branch of biology that deals with the identification, nomenclature, and
classification of living organisms
Systematics: Branch of biology concerned with reconstructing phylogenies and naming
and classifying species
Linnaeus hierarchy: Classification system proposed by Carolus Linnaeus, consisting of
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species

General Classification of Living Beings

Five Kingdom Classification by RH Whittaker: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and

Animalia
Characteristics and examples of each kingdom

Day Two: Characteristics and Classification of Organisms

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 Tools for Study of Taxonomy
Kingdom–Monera

Tools for Study of Taxonomy

Herbarium: Collection of dried and pressed plant specimens

Botanical garden: Collection of living plants for study
Museums: Collection of preserved plants and animals
Taxonomic keys: Aid for identification of plants and animals

Kingdom–Monera

Includes all prokaryotic organisms, such as bacteria, mycoplasma, actinomycetes,

spirochaetes, rickettsiae, chlamydiae, and cyanobacteria
Characteristics of Monera:
Prokaryotic cells without a true nucleus or membrane-bound organelles
Cell walls made of peptidoglycan (except archaebacteria and mycoplasma)
Reproduction through binary fission
Aerobic and anaerobic respiration
Autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition

Day Three: Characteristics and Classification of Organisms

Classification of Kingdom–Monera
Nutrition in Bacteria

Classification of Kingdom–Monera

Two main groups: Archaebacteria and Eubacteria

Archaebacteria: Primitive group of bacteria, includes methanogens, halophiles, and
thermoacidophiles
Eubacteria: True bacteria, includes cyanobacteria, mycoplasma, actinomycetes,
rickettsia, and spirochaetes

Nutrition in Bacteria

Autotrophic bacteria: Synthesize their own organic food from inorganic substances
Photoautotrophic bacteria: Use photosynthesis to obtain carbon from carbon dioxide
and energy from sunlight
Chemosynthetic bacteria: Use chemical reactions to obtain carbon from carbon dioxide
and energy from inorganic substances
Heterotrophic bacteria: Obtain organic food from external sources

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 Saprophytic bacteria: Decompose dead organic matter for nutrients
Symbiotic bacteria: Live in mutualistic relationships with other organisms
Parasitic bacteria: Obtain nutrients from host organisms and cause diseases

Day Four: Characteristics and Classification of Organisms

Reproduction in Bacteria
Respiration in Bacteria

Reproduction in Bacteria

Vegetative reproduction: Reproduction through binary fission

Asexual reproduction: Reproduction through endospore formation
Sexual reproduction: Reproduction through genetic recombination
Transformation: Uptake of DNA from one bacterium by another
Conjugation: Transfer of DNA through direct cell-to-cell contact
Transduction: Transfer of genetic material through viruses

Respiration in Bacteria

Obligate aerobic bacteria: Perform aerobic respiration only

Obligate anaerobic bacteria: Perform anaerobic respiration only
Facultative aerobes: Can live with or without oxygen
Facultative anaerobes: Can live with or without oxygen, but prefer aerobic conditions

Day Five: Characteristics and Classification of Organisms

Classification of Bacteria
Characteristics and examples of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria

Classification of Bacteria

Bacteria classified as Gram positive and Gram negative based on their reaction to
Gram staining
Gram positive bacteria: Retain crystal violet stain and appear dark violet or purple
Gram negative bacteria: Lose stain and accept counter-stain, appearing red

Characteristics and Examples of Gram Positive and Gram Negative Bacteria

Gram positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer in their cell wall and lack an
outer membrane

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Gram negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer and possess an outer
membrane
Examples of Gram positive bacteria: Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Bacillus,
Clostridium
Examples of Gram negative bacteria: Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Pseudomonas,
Vibrio

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