Ch 1 Living World Deck 2

Question 1

What is a lead with reference to taxonomic acids?

Answer 1

Each statement in the key which is referring to a pair of contrasting characters is called a lead.

Question 2

What is a couplet?

Answer 2

Couplet is a pair of statements referring to contrasting characters to identify similarities and dissimilarities among organisms.

Question 3

What are taxonomic aids?

Answer 3

Taxonomical aids are the means that help in the identification, naming and classification of organisms.

Question 4

Define herbarium.

Answer 4

Herbarium is a store house of collected plant specimens that are dried, pressed and preserved on sheets which are then arranged according to a universally accepted system of classification and serves as a quick referral system in taxonomical studies, research and teaching.

Question 5

Expand the abbreviation.

(a) ICBN (b) ICZN

Answer 5

International Code of Botanical Nomenclature.

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.

Question 6

32. Name the family to which wheat belongs.
    (a) Wheat (b) Mango
    (c) housefly (d) Man.

Answer 6

(a) Wheat — Poaceae
(b) Mango — Anacardiaceae
(c) Housefly — Muscidae
(d) Man — Hominidae.

Question 7

What are the two characters of growth?

Answer 7

Increase in mass

Increase in number of individuals.

Question 8

What is binomial nomenclature? Give an example for a binomial name.

Answer 8

Binomial nomenclature is the system of naming the organisms with two components
Generic name and the specific epithet. Eg: Mangifera indica - mango. Here Mangifera is the generic name and indica is the specific epithet.

Question 9

Why are the classification systems changing now and then?

Answer 9

Millions of plants, animals, and microorganisms found on earth, have been identified by the scientists while many new species are still being discovered around the world. Therefore, to classify these newly discovered species, with new characters, new systems of classification have to be devised every now and then.

Question 10

What are the methods used to record description of organisms?

Answer 10

Flora, manuals, monographs, catalogues, Herbarium, Zoo, Museums and botanical gardens.

Question 11

How is key helpful in identification and classification of an organism?

Answer 11

Key is a taxonomical aid used for identification of plants and animals based on similarities and dissimilarities. The keys are based on the contrasting characters generally in a pair called couplet. Among two opposite options, only one is accepted. Each statement is called lead.

Question 12

Write the taxonomic order of the following.

Mango (b) Wheat

Answer 12

(a) Sapindales (b) Poales

Question 13

39. Write the taxonomic order of

(a) Housefly (b) Man

Answer 13

(a) Diptera (b) Primata

Question 14

What are essential features of organisms that form the bases of modern taxonomic studies?

Answer 14

Characterization, identification, classification and nomenclature.

Question 15

What is the significance of herbarium?

Answer 15

Herbarium is a store house of collected plant specimens that are dried, pressed and preserved on sheets, which becomes a repository for future use.

Herbarium sheets also carry a label providing information about date, place of collection, its names, family and collectors name.

It is a quick referral in taxonomic studies, research and teaching.

Question 16

Why are living organisms classified?

Answer 16

Earth is said to be a home for nearly 8.7 million different forms of life out of which only 1.8 million have been described. It is nearly impossible to study all the living organisms. Hence, it is necessary to devise some means to make this possible. This process is classification where in organisms are grouped into convenient categories based on different (criteria) characters which are easily observable.

Question 17

What is binomial nomenclature? Write the universal rules of binomial nomenclature.

Answer 17

Binomial nomenclature is a scientific method of naming the organisms with two components. Generic name and specific epithet. It was given by Carolus Linnaeus.
Biological names are generally in Latin irrespective of their origin.
First word represents Genus and second word denotes species.
Generic name should start with a capital letter and specific epithet with a small letters.
When handwritten the words should be underlined separately and if printed, it should be in italics.
Name of the author appears after the specific epithet in abbreviated form.
Eg: Mangifera indica linn.

Question 18

Name three famous botanical gardens.

Answer 18

Kew Botanical Garden England
Indian Botanical Garden, Howrah (India)
National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow (India)

Question 19

Write the taxonomic categories of man.

Answer 19

KINGDOM Animalia
PHYLUM Chordata
CLASS Mammalia
ORDER Primata
FAMILY Hominidae
GENUS Homo
SPECIES Homo sapiens

Question 20

Taxonomic categories of Houseflv.

Answer 20

KINGDOM Animalia
PHYLUM Arthropoda
CLASS Insecta
ORDER Diptera
FAMILY Muscidae
GENUS Musca
SPECIES Musca domestica

Question 21

Write a note on Key as a taxonomic aid.

Answer 21

Key is a taxonomic aid used for identification of plants and animals based on the similarities and dissimilarities
They are based on contrasting characters in a pair called as couplet, representing the choice made between two options. This results in acceptame orone and rejection of the other.
Each statement in a kev is called a lead-
Keys are generally analytical in nature.

Question 22

Write a brief note on taxonomic categories.

Answer 22

(a) Species: Species are a group of individual organisms with similarities which can interbreed among themselves to produce fertile young ones. It is the basic unit of taxonomic categories.
Eg: Mangifera indica
Panthera leo

(b) Genus: Genus comprises a group of related species which has more characters in common in comparison to species of other genera.
Eg: Potato and brinjal are two different species belonging to same genus Solanum. Lion and tiger belong to the genus Panthera.

(c) Family: Family has a group of related genera with still less numbers of similarities as compared to genus and species.
Genera like Solanum, Petunia and Datura belong to family Solanaceae. Felis (cats) and Panthera are put under family Felidae.

(d) Order : Order is the assemblage of families which exhibit a few similar characters. Plant families like Solanaceae, Convolvulaceae come under the order and polymonials. Animal families canidae and felidae come under carnivora.

(e) Class : Includes related order.
Primata (monkeys) and carnivore are placed under class mammalia, polymonials come under class dicotyledones.

(f) Phylum : Classes comprising animals like fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals constitute the next category called phylum i.e., chordata
In case of plants, classes with few similar characters are assigned to division.

(g) Kingdom : All animals belonging to various phyla are assigned to the highest category called kingdom i.e., Animalia.
Kingdom
Phylum / Division
Class
Family Genus
Species

Question 23

Write a note on taxonomical aids.

Answer 23

Taxonomical aids are the means that help in the identification, naming and classification of organisms.

1) Herbarium: Herbarium is a store house of collected plant specimens that are dried, pressed and preserved on sheets which is a repository for future use. It also provides a label of information regarding date and place of collection, English and vernacular names, family, collectors name etc.
2) Botanical Gardens: These gardens have collection of living plants for reference. They are grown for identification purposes. E.g: Kew Botanical Garden.
3) Biological Museum: These are set up in educational institutes such as schools and colleges. They have collections of preserved plant and animal specimen preserved in containers or jars.
4) Zoological Parks: Places where wild animals are kept in protected environments under human care and which enable us to learn about their food habits and behaviour.
5) Key: An aid helping in identification of plants and animals based on similarities and dissimilarities. There are two contrasting characters called as couplet for a statement called lead, which leads to acceptance of one and rejection of other.
6) Flora: Index to the plant species found in particular area.
7) Manuals: Information on identification of names of species found in an areas.

Question 24

51. Metabolism and consciousness become defining property of living organisms. Justify.

Answer 24

1. Metabolism
   Sum total of all chemical reactions occurring in our body is known as metabolism.
   Non living object never exhibit metabolism.
   Isolated metabolic reaction(s) outside the body of an organism, conducted in a test tube is neither living nor non living reaction.
   Hence, metabolism is a defining property of living organisms.
2. Consciousness
   All living organisms have the ability to sense their surroundings and respond to these environmental stimuli.
   All organisms from prokaryotes to eukaryotes can sense and respond to environmental stimuli in their own ways. Hence they are said to be aware of their surroundings. This is known as consciousness and is a defining property of living organisms as non living organisms lack this property.

Question 25

Reproduction is not a defining property. Justify

Answer 25

Reproduction is the production of progeny possessing features more or less similar to parents. But the organisms like mules, sterile worker, infertile human couples do not reproduce. Hence, reproduction is not a defining property.

Question 26

Growth is not a defining property of life. Justify.

Answer 26

All living organisms show growth which is internal. Plant growth occurs throughout their life. But in animals it stops after sometime. Non-living things also show growth by external deposition of matter this is called as accretion. Hence, growth is not defining property.