The Organization of Life Section #3: The Diversity of Living Things.
-
Upload
sharon-owen -
Category
Documents
-
view
218 -
download
0
Transcript of The Organization of Life Section #3: The Diversity of Living Things.
The Organization of Life
Section #3:The Diversity of Living
Things
Imposing Order on Diversity
• Scientists like to group and organize life on earth based on different characteristics
• Scientists can then make connections and comparisons between the diversity of life
Th
e K
ing
dom
s o
f Life
BACTERIA
• microscopic• single-celled organisms• usually have cell walls• lack nuclei• reproduce by dividing in half• found in every habitat on Earth
Role of Bacteria
• break down the remains and waste material of other organisms to return nutrients to the soil
• recycle mineral nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus
• convert nutrients into a form that others can use them
FUNGI
• have nuclei• cell wall• no chlorophyll• absorb food & nutrients from
their surroundings• also play a role in the break
down of dead materials
PROTISTS
• diverse group • most are one-celled
microscopic organisms like amoebas, diatoms, plasmodium
• some are plant-like, including algae
PROTISTS
• from an environmental standpoint – the algaealgae are the most important protists because of their ability to make their own food from the sun’s energy
• algae (from seaweed to pond scum) are the initial source of initial source of foodfood in most ocean & freshwater ecosystems
PLANTS
• multi-cellular• make their own food (photosynthesis)• have a cell wall• most live on land• roots underground collect water &
minerals from the soil• leaves collect sunlight and gases
from the atmosphere
Vascular Tissue
• system of tubes that carry water & food to the rest of the plant
• this tissue also provides a “skeletal” system so plant can grow upwards
Vascular Tissue
LOWER PLANTS
• mosses, ferns, club mosses• have no vascular tissue• cannot grow very large • have swimming sperm• must live in damp places
GYMNOSPERMS
• pine trees + other evergreens• a.k.a. conifers• cone-bearers• woody plants that can live in drier
environments because they use pollen to protect & transport sperm
• needle-like leaves lose little water
ANGIOSPERMS
• flowering plants• produce seeds in fruit• pollen is carried by wind, insects, birds or animals• seeds are dispersed by animals & birds• source of food for most land animals +
provide a wide range of building materials & fibers for humans
ANIMALS
• many-celled• cannot make their own food • no cell wall• bodies are soft & flexible• some have developed skeletons –
either internal or external• most are more mobile than plants
INVERTEBRATES
• lack backbones• some live attached to a hard
surface in the ocean & act as filter-feeders
• only move during larvae stage• examples = corals & mollusks
INSECTS
• insects are most abundant & successful because of – waterproof shell– move quickly– reproduce quickly– some can fly– small size allows them to hide
easily and find habitats almost anywhere
VERTEBRATES
• have backbones• examples = fish, amphibians,
reptiles, birds, mammals
Discussion:
• What are some possible ways that each group of vertebrates has adapted to increase survival compared to the other groups?
•mobility•temperature regulation•reproduction•Habitat (food, niche, competition)