Biodiversity and classification (10)

Refers to the variety of ecosystems on our planet, of species within ecosystems, and of genetic information within populations.

The stock of different genes in a species.

Units of information found in a cells DNA that controls a living organisms characteristics.

Introduced the binomial system of naming organisms. Each one has a GENUS name, and then a SPECIES name. Names are in Latin. E.g. Panthera Leo. HE also introduced the seven basic categories.

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.

Bacteria. Do not contain a true nucleus, known as prokaryotes.

E.g. phytoplankton, zooplankton and sea weeds. All have a true nucleus and are therefore known as eukaryotes.

E.g. mushrooms, toadstools, yeasts, moulds.

E.g. mosses, ferns, trees, flowering plants.

E.g. all the invertebrates and vertebrates.

Around 4,6 billion years old.

Changes in Oxygen gas and Carbon Dioxide. Changes in climate. The movement of continents.

Evidence of organisms that lived long ago.

Millions of years ago.

Groups of closely related class of organisms.

The ancient supercontinent, comprising all the present continents joined together, which break up about 225 mya.

The supercontinent of the Northern hemisphere.

The supercontinent of the Southern Hemisphere.

Precambrian era, Paleaozoic era, Mesozoic era, Cenozoic era.

The earliest era. First unicellular prokaryotes. Then unicellular and multicellular eukaryotes formed.

a huge increase in biodiversity. Started with Cambrian explosion. Mosses, ferns, coral reefs, trilobites. Fish developed lungs, amphibians developed. Reptiles arose after the development of amniotic egg, which no longer needed to be laid in water.

Reptiles like dinosaurs were dominant. Some developed feathers and gave rise to certain birds, e.g. Archaeopteryx Mammals developed. Flowering plants developed.

Current era More diverse birds and mammals arose, with feathers and fur. The Hominids gradually evolved.