5.3: Classification of biodiversity

NB - some of the applications and understanding of this topic we cover in the DP Biology introduction

• U3: Taxonomists classify species using a hierarchy of taxa.

• U4: All organisms are classified into three domains. 

• U5: The principal taxa for classifying eukaryotes are kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species. 

• A1: Classification of one plant and one animal species from domain to species level. 

Key Vocabulary

Essential idea: Species are named and classified using an internationally agreed system. 

Exercise 1: Explain the features of the binomial system

Retrieval practice and prior learning

U2: When species are discovered they are given scientific names using the binomial system. 

NoS: Cooperation and collaboration between groups of scientists—scientists use the binomial system to identify a species rather than the many different local names. (4.3)

Exercise 1: Copy this table into your google doc and complete it with the name, in the languages indicated, of the organisms A-E included below. Look at the table before you start because some of the names are given already and will help you make a start.

U8: Natural classifications help in identification of species and allow the prediction of characteristics shared by species within a group. 

 Exercise 3: Discuss the following questions

• Why do you think it is useful for scientists to adopt a scientific name?

• What do you notice about the scientific name?

• What is the name given to the system of naming organisms scientifically?

• What are the key features of this system?

Exercise 4: Create a presentation on each of the following groups - one slide per taxon! (include the animal and plant phyla and the classes of the phylum chordata)

A2: Recognition features of bryophyta, filicinophyta, coniferophyta and angiospermophyta. 

U6: In a natural classification, the genus and accompanying higher taxa consist of all the species that have evolved from one common ancestral species. 

U7: Taxonomists sometimes reclassify groups of species when new evidence shows that a previous taxon contains species that have evolved from different ancestral species. 

S1: Construction of dichotomous keys for use in identifying specimens. 

Exercise 5: Construct a key (following the example) using organisms from one of the groups (A or B) given.