Biological Classification flash cards

1. 1.Who proposed the Five Kingdom Classification and in which year?

   R.H. Whittaker, in 1969.

   Hint: American ecologist, 1969.

2. 2.Name the five kingdoms of Whittaker's classification.

   Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.

   Hint: Two-word one is the bacterial kingdom.

3. 3.What were the main criteria used by Whittaker for the five kingdom classification?

   Cell structure, body organisation, mode of nutrition, reproduction and phylogenetic relationships (also thallus organisation).

   Hint: Cell structure + nutrition + more.

4. 4.What are the three modes of nutrition considered in Whittaker's scheme?

   Autotrophic (photosynthetic and chemosynthetic), heterotrophic (saprophytic and parasitic), and combinations of these.

   Hint: Self-feeding vs feeding on others.

5. 5.Who proposed the Two Kingdom Classification?

   Carolus (Carl) Linnaeus — Plantae and Animalia.

   Hint: Father of taxonomy.

6. 6.What is a major drawback of the two-kingdom classification (Plantae vs Animalia)?

   It did not distinguish eukaryotes from prokaryotes, unicellular from multicellular, or photosynthetic (green algae) from non-photosynthetic (fungi) organisms.

   Hint: Fungi were wrongly clubbed with plants.

7. 7.In earlier systems, why was placing fungi under Plantae problematic?

   Fungi have cell walls but differ from green plants in structure and physiology (heterotrophic, chitin wall, no chlorophyll).

   Hint: No chlorophyll, chitin wall.

8. 8.Which organisms are placed in Kingdom Monera?

   All prokaryotes — the bacteria (including archaebacteria, eubacteria, cyanobacteria, mycoplasma, actinomycetes).

   Hint: Prokaryotes only.

9. 9.Are bacteria autotrophic or heterotrophic?

   Both — they may be autotrophic (photosynthetic or chemosynthetic) or heterotrophic (saprophytic or parasitic).

   Hint: They show the widest range of nutrition.

10. 10.Bacteria are the most abundant micro-organisms. What is the basis of their basic classification into four groups?

    Their shape — spherical Coccus, rod-shaped Bacillus, comma-shaped Vibrium (Vibrio), and spiral Spirillum.

    Hint: Four shapes.

11. 11.Name the four bacterial shapes with their form.

    Coccus = spherical, Bacillus = rod-shaped, Vibrium (Vibrio) = comma-shaped, Spirillum = spiral/coiled.

    Hint: Coccus, Bacillus, Vibrio, Spirillum.

12. 12.Which group of bacteria is described as the 'oldest living organisms'?

    Archaebacteria — they live in some of the most harsh (extreme) habitats.

    Hint: 'Archae' = ancient; extremophiles.

13. 13.Give the three special extreme habitats where archaebacteria live and the group name for each.

    Halophiles (extreme salty areas), thermoacidophiles (hot springs) and methanogens (marshy areas).

    Hint: Salt, heat/acid, marsh.

14. 14.What structural feature lets archaebacteria survive extreme conditions?

    A different cell wall structure (branched-chain lipids in membrane, cell wall lacking peptidoglycan).

    Hint: Unusual cell wall/membrane lipids.

15. 15.Which archaebacteria are present in the gut of ruminant animals and what do they produce?

    Methanogens — responsible for production of methane (biogas) from the dung of these animals.

    Hint: Biogas producers in cattle gut.

16. 16.How do eubacteria differ from archaebacteria in cell wall?

    Eubacteria ('true bacteria') have a rigid cell wall; if motile, they have a flagellum.

    Hint: True bacteria; rigid wall.

17. 17.Cyanobacteria are also known by what other name?

    Blue-green algae.

    Hint: 'BGA'.

18. 18.What pigments and structural features characterise cyanobacteria?

    They have chlorophyll a similar to green plants and are photosynthetic autotrophs; they may be unicellular, colonial or filamentous, and often surrounded by a gelatinous sheath.

    Hint: Chlorophyll a + gelatinous sheath.

19. 19.Where are cyanobacteria commonly found, and what phenomenon can they cause?

    In freshwater, marine and terrestrial habitats; some form blooms in polluted water bodies.

    Hint: 'Blooms' in polluted water.

20. 20.Which specialised cells in cyanobacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen, and give examples of such genera?

    Heterocysts fix nitrogen; e.g., Nostoc and Anabaena.

    Hint: Thick-walled cells; Nostoc/Anabaena.

21. 21.Name a chemosynthetic autotrophic bacterium and describe its role.

    Bacteria that oxidise inorganic substances (nitrogen, iron, sulphur, ammonia); they play a great role in recycling nutrients like N, P, Fe and S.

    Hint: Oxidise inorganic substances; nutrient cycling.

22. 22.Give two beneficial roles of heterotrophic bacteria for humans.

    They act as decomposers and help in making curd from milk, production of antibiotics, and fixing nitrogen in legume roots.

    Hint: Curd, antibiotics, N-fixation.

23. 23.Name common human diseases caused by bacteria (as mentioned in NCERT).

    Cholera, typhoid, tetanus and citrus canker (a plant disease).

    Hint: Cholera, typhoid, tetanus.

24. 24.How do many bacteria reproduce, and how do they survive unfavourable conditions?

    Mainly by fission (asexual); under unfavourable conditions they produce spores. They can also show a primitive DNA transfer (sexual reproduction).

    Hint: Fission + spores + DNA transfer.

25. 25.What are mycoplasma and what is their most distinctive feature?

    Mycoplasma are organisms that completely lack a cell wall; they are the smallest living cells known and can survive without oxygen.

    Hint: No cell wall; smallest cells.

26. 26.Are mycoplasma pathogenic?

    Yes — many mycoplasma are pathogenic in animals and plants.

    Hint: Cause diseases despite tiny size.

27. 27.Which kingdom includes all single-celled eukaryotes?

    Kingdom Protista.

    Hint: Unicellular eukaryotes.

28. 28.Why are the boundaries of Kingdom Protista not well defined?

    Because members are very diverse; what may be a plant, animal or fungus to one biologist may be a protist to another.

    Hint: Diverse, ill-defined limits.

29. 29.What is common to the mode of life of most Protista?

    They are primarily aquatic; they form a link with plants, animals and fungi.

    Hint: Mostly aquatic; a link group.

30. 30.Describe the cell organisation of Protista.

    Being eukaryotes, they have a well-defined nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles; some have flagella or cilia.

    Hint: Nucleus + organelles + flagella/cilia.

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