ClassificationUsing Unity to Organize Diversity

Classification○ Classification:

○ The grouping of objects or information based on similarities

○ Taxonomy:○ Definition:

○ The branch of Biology that names and groups organisms according to their characteristics and evolutionary history (DNA).

○ Why?○ To organize all the life on Earth

○ Uses same language (Latin or some Greek)

1st Classifier○Aristotle (384-322 BCE)○Classified everything into 2 groups

○Plants○ Herbs, shrubs, trees

○Animals (where they lived)○ Land, air, water

plants

land

airSee any

problems?

organisms

water

Aristotle’s System

Breakout

○ What organisms can you think of that don’t fit into Aristotle’s system?

Other Problems○ Also used common names for

classification.○ Problems with this?

○ When new organisms were discovered (microscopic) they didn’t fit into the system

○ Common names vary from location to location○ Killer whale and orca

○ Mountain Lion, cougar, puma

○ Name can be misleading for the type of organism

Breakout Problem Organisms

Starfish

Seahorse

Cactus

Jellyfish

Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778)○ Swedish Naturalist: “Father of Taxonomy:

○ Grouped organisms based on:○ Morphology (form and structure)

○ 7 Group System○ Kingdom (most diverse)

○ Phylum○ Class

o Ordero Family

o Genuso Species (least diverse)

Linnaeus Classification System

Helpful Tip!○ How do I remember it?

King Phillip Came Over For Good Spaghetti

How Do We Name Organisms?

○ Binomial nomeclature:○ 2 part naming system

○ Bi = two (2) ○ Nom = name

○ 1st name is the Genus (Capitalize 1st letter)○ 2nd name is the species (lower case)

○ Example: Humans

o Homo sapiens (genus) (species)

○ When typing always italicize the words!○ When writing out by hand always underline!

Say What?○ Scientific Names are written

in LATIN○ Latin is a “dead” language (no

longer spoken in cultures)

○ Every scientist, regardless of spoken language, can understand

○ Scientific Names have can have meaning○ Linneaus borealis

○ Linnaeus's favorite flower

○ “borealis” means north○ Aura borealis – Northern Lights

Breakout

○ Using the scientific name which pair is most closely related?

○ Quercus alba ○ Quercus rubra

○ Quercus alba ○ Caladris alba

● White oak● Red oak

● White oak● Sanderling

(small wading shorebird)

Modern Day Classification

○ No longer rely solely on morphology○ Focus on DNA

○ DNA can more accurately identify organisms that are closely related.

The more similarities in DNA, the closer related two organisms are.