CHAPTER 1

LIVING WORLD
KEY CONCEPTS

The term biology is derived from the Greek word bios means life and logia study of. Biology is
the study of life and living organisms.
Life can be defind as the property or quality of the living organisms that distinguishes from dead or
non-living in some functions like growth, metabolism, response to stimuli or adaptation to the
environment and reproduction etc.


1. Growth
Growth is an important charecteristic feature of living beings.
They increase in mass and number. Non-living objects such as mountains, boulders and sand
mounds also grow in mass by accumulation of material on the surface.
Growth in a living being takes place due to internal processes, i.e. cell division.
Plants show indeterminate growth, while animals show definite growth.
2. Reproduction
All living beings produce their offspring by the process of reproduction.
Reproduction is an important process for continuing the lineage of a species.
There are two types of reproduction: sexual and asexual.
No non-living object is capable of reproducing or replicating by itself.
3. Metabolism
The chemicals within a living organism are constantly being made and changed into some
other biomolecules.
The sum total of all the chemical reactions occurring in our body is metabolism.
Metabolism is of two types: anabolism and catabolism
No non-living object exhibits metabolism.
4. Response to External Stimuli
All living organisms respond to their surroundings or environment and respond to external
stimuli such as light, heat, chemicals, other organisms, etc.

DIVERSITY IN THE LIVING WORLD

BIODIVERSITY - The diverse form of organisms present on earth is called biodiversity.

NOMENCLATURE It is a system of naming of organisms.
There are millions of plants and animals in the world. Plants and animals are known in the local area
by their local names. These local names are vary from place to place, region to region and within a
country also. So, it is impossible for any person to remember the names of an organism in all the
languages. Hence, there is need for a uniform system of nomenclature of organisms.
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS
1. Growth
2. Reproduction
3. Metabolism
4. Response to stimuli
IDENTIFICATION - Identification is the process of assigning a pre-existing taxon name to an
individual organism.
ICBN - International Code for Botanical Nomenclature
ICZN - International Code for Zoological Nomenclature

BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE
Bionomial nomenclature is a system of naming species by giving each a name composed of two
parts, generic name and species name. Carolous Linnaeus invented the modern system of binomial
nomenclature.

RULES FOR NOMENCLATURE

Biological names are usually written in Latin word and in italics font.
Scientific name usually contains two parts: first word is Genus and second word is Species or
specific epithet.
Genus name starts with a Capital letter while species name starts with a small letter.
Biological name is or printed in italics to indicate their Latin origin and underlined, when it is
handwritten.

Example: Mangifera indica ( Mango), Homo sapiens ( Human), Oryza sativa (Rice), Triticum
aestivum (Wheat)

CLASSIFICATION It is the process of grouping of organisms into categories based on easily
observable characters.

TAXON - The scientific term for any unit used in the science of biological classification is called
taxon.

TAXONOMY
Taxonomy is the science of defining groups of biological organisms on the basis of shared
characteristics and giving names to those groups.
Carolus Linnaeus is regarded as the father of taxonomy.
Characterization, identification , classification and nomenclature are the process of taxonomy.

SYSTEMATICS
The word systematics is derived from the Latin word systema means systematic
arrangement of organisms.

Systematics is the study of the diversification of living forms, both past and present, and the
relationships among living things through time.

Linnaeus used Systema Naturaeas the title of his publication

TAXONOMIC CATEGORY

Classification involves hierarchy of steps where each step represents a rank or category.
Various steps of the classification hierarchy are called taxonomic categories.
Each level in the hierarchy represents an increase in organisational complexity.
SPECIES
Species is a group of individuals in which the individuals can interbreed among themselves.
Members of a species have a large number of similar characters.
Example:- Mangifera indica (Mango), Solanum tuberosum (potato) and Panthera leo (lion); indica,
tuberosum and leo, represent the specific epithets.
GENUS
A group of closely related species is called genus.
Example - potato,tomato and brinjal are three different species but all belong to the genus
Solanum.
Lion (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera pardus) and tiger (Panthera tigris) are members of
the genus Panthera.

FAMILY
A group of closely related genera is called a family.
Families are characterised on the basis of both vegetative and reproductive features of plant
species.
Example - three different genera Solanum, Petunia and Datura are placed in the family
Solanaceae.
In animals, genus Panthera and genus Felis belong to the family Felidae.

ORDER
A group of closely related families is called order.
Order and other higher taxonomic categories are identified based on the aggregates of
characters.
Example Plant families like Convolvulaceae, Solanaceae are included in the order
Polymoniales.
In animals, Felidae and Concidae belong the order Carnivora.

CLASS
A group of closely related orders is called class.
Example - orders Primata and Carnivora belong to the class Mammalia.

PHYLUM
A group of closely related classes is called phylum.
In the Plant Kingdom phylum has been replaced with division.
Example - Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia belong to the Phylum Chordata.

KINGDOM
A group of all the related phyla is called the Kingdom.
Example - The Kingdom Plantae comprises all plants from various divisions.
All heterotrophic organisms which are eukaryotic and lack a cell wall are kept under Animal
Kingdom.

Kingdom

Phylum or Division

Class

Order

Family

Genus

Species
Taxonomic categories showing hierarchial arrangement in ascending order

ORGANISMS WITH THEIR TAXONOMIC CATEGORIES
Common
Name
Biological
Name
Genus Family Order Class Phylum/
Division
Man Homo
sapiens
Homo Hominidae Primate Chordate Mammalia
Housefly Musca
domestica
Musca Muscidae Diptera Insecta Arthropoda
Mango Mangifera
indica
Mangifera Anacardiaceae Sapindales Dicotyledonae Angiospermae
Wheat Triticum
aestivum
Triticum Poaceae Poales
Monocotyledonae
Angiospermae

TAXONOMICAL STUDIES
Study of various species of plants, animals and other organisms are useful in
agriculture, forestry, industry, etc.
These studies are useful to know about our bio-resources and their diversity.
These help in identification, naming, and classification of organisms.
TAXONOMICAL AIDS

1. Herbarium
Herbarium is the storehouse of plant specimens.
Specimens are dried, pressed, and preserved on sheets.
These sheets are arranged systematically according to the universally accepted system of
classification.
Herbarium sheet contains information about date and place of the collection, collectors
name, local and scientific name, family, etc.
It provides quick referral systems in taxonomical studies.
2. Botanical gardens

A botanical garden is a place where plants are grow and displayed for the purposes of
research and education.
Each plant contains labels indicating their scientific name and family.
Some famous botanical gardens: Indian Botanical Garden, Calcutta (India), National
Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow (India), Garden of Medicinal Plants, North Bengal
University, West Bengal etc.

3. Museum
Musium is the place of collection of preserved plant plant and animal specimens for study and
reference.
Specimens are preserved in containers or jars in preservative solutions and can be preserved
as dry also.
Insects are preserved in insect boxes after collecting, killing, and pinning.
Large animals are stuffed and preserved.


4. Zoological parks
Zoological park is the place where wild animals are protected under similar to their natural
habitat.
It provides opportunity for studying the behaviour and food habits of the animals.
Some famous Zoo in India: Zoological Park, Mysore, Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad,
Trivandrum Zoo, Chennai Zoo etc.
5. Key

Keys are used for identification of plants and animals based on similarities and dissimilarities.
Keys are analytical in nature and based on contrasting characters in a pair called couplet.
Out of two proposed characters, only one which is relevant is accepted while the other is
rejected.
Each statement in a key is called a lead.
Separate taxonomic keys are required for each taxonomic category such as family, genus,
order, etc.

Other Taxonomical Aids
Flora, manuals, monographs, and catalogues are other taxonomical aids.
They help in correct identification
Manuals provide information for identification of names of various species in a given area.
Monograph contain information on any particular taxon.