THE LIVING WORLD

Biodiversity refers to the variety and variability of life on Earth. It includes all
living organisms—plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms—as well as the
ecosystems they form and the genetic diversity within species.
Types of Biodiversity
1. Genetic Diversity: Variation of genes within species. Example: different
breeds of dogs or varieties of rice.
2. Species Diversity: Variety of species within a habitat or region. Example:
the number of bird species in a rainforest.
3. Ecosystem Diversity: Variety of ecosystems in a geographic location.
Example: forests, deserts, wetlands, coral reefs.
we know the plants and animals in our own area by their local names.
These local names would vary from place to place, even within a country.
Hence, there is a need to standardise the naming of living organisms
such that a particular organism is known by the same name all over the
world. This process is called nomenclature.

nomenclature or naming is only possible when the organism is described

correctly and we know to what organism the name is attached to. This is
identification
scientific names are based on agreed principles and criteria, which are
provided by
International Code for Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN).
International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN)
Binomial nomenclature is the system of naming living organisms using two
Latin-based names: the genus and the species. It was developed by Carl
Linnaeus and is used universally in biological classification.
Structure:
• Genus: Always capitalized
• Species: Always lowercase
• The full name is usually italicized (or underlined when handwritten)
Examples of Binomial Nomenclature:

Common Name Scientific Name

Human Homo sapiens

House cat Felis catus

Dog Canis lupus familiaris

Tiger Panthera tigris

Mango Mangifera indica

Rice Oryza sativa

Banana Musa paradisiaca

Neem tree Azadirachta indica

Indian Cobra Naja naja

Domestic pigeon Columba livia domestica

The universal rules of binomial nomenclature (set by international codes such

as the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) and
International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN)) help
ensure consistency and clarity in naming organisms.

Universal Rules of Binomial Nomenclature:

 1. Two-Part Name (Binomial):
o Each species is given a two-part Latin name: Genus name +
Species name.
o Example: Homo sapiens (human)
2. Genus Name is Capitalized, Species Name is Lowercase:
o The genus name always starts with a capital letter, while the
species name starts with a lowercase letter.
o Example: Canis lupus (gray wolf)
3. Scientific Names are Italicized or Underlined:
o In typed text: names are italicized.
o In handwritten text: names are underlined.
o Example: Felis catus or Felis catus

What is Classification?
Classification means grouping living things so we can study them easily.
Just like you organize your school bag—books in one place, pencils in
another—scientists organize living things into groups.

Why Do We Classify?
• To make studying easier
• To understand how living things are related
• To give each organism a proper name

Levels of Classification (from biggest group to smallest):

Level Meaning Example (Human)

Kingdom Big group (plant, animal...) Animalia (animals)

Phylum Group based on body parts Chordata (has backbone)

Class Group based on features Mammalia (has hair, gives milk)

Order More detailed group Primates (monkeys, humans)

Family Even closer group Hominidae (great apes, humans)

Genus Very close group Homo

Species Exact type of organism sapiens

So, the scientific name of a human is: Homo sapiens

Simple Mnemonic to Remember the Order:

King
Philip
Came
Over
For
Good
Soup
(Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species)

Example: Classification of a Dog

Level Name

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Class Mammalia

Order Carnivora
Level Name

Family Canidae

Genus Canis

Species Canis lupus

What is a Taxa (or Taxon, singular)?

In biological classification, a taxon is a group of one or more organisms that
are classified together.

“Taxa” (plural) are the levels or categories used in classification—like

Kingdom, Phylum, Class, etc.

Main Taxa in Classification (from largest to smallest):

Taxa (Level) What it Means Example (Human)

Kingdom Very big group Animalia (all animals)

Phylum Group of similar body structures Chordata (has backbone)

Class More specific traits Mammalia (gives milk)

Order Group with common features Primates (monkeys, humans)

Family Closely related organisms Hominidae (great apes)

Genus Very similar organisms Homo

Species Exact kind of organism sapiens

Example:
For humans, the species name is Homo sapiens
• Genus = Homo
 • Species = sapiens
So, "Homo sapiens" is a taxon at the species level.

Easy Way to Remember:

Each level (like Kingdom, Class, etc.) is a taxon.
So, "taxa" just means the different groups in the classification system.

Based on characteristics, all living organisms can be classified into different

taxa. This process of classification is taxonomy. Hence, characterisation,
identification, classification and nomenclature are the processes that are basic
to taxonomy.

What is Systematics?
Systematics is the scientific study of the diversity of organisms and their
evolutionary relationships. It includes identifying, naming, and classifying
organisms, but it goes beyond classification—it helps us understand how
species are related to each other through evolution.

Classification is not a single step process but involves hierarchy of steps in

which each step represents a rank or category. Since the category is a part of
overall taxonomic arrangement, it is called the taxonomic category and all
categories together constitute the taxonomic hierarchy

Taxonomic categories and hierarchy can be illustrated by an example. Insects

represent a group of organisms sharing common features like three pairs of
jointed legs. It means insects are recognisable concrete objects which can be
classified
 Easy Definition of Species:
A species is a group of living things that are so similar that they can:
• Have babies with each other, and
• Their babies can also have babies.

Example:
All dogs, no matter the breed (Labrador, Pomeranian, etc.), are the same
species because they can have puppies with each other.
But a dog and a cat are not the same species, because they can’t have babies
together.

Plant Example:
All mango trees are the same species because they grow the same kind of fruit
and can produce seeds that grow into more mango trees.

In Simple Words:
A species is a group of living things that can make babies together, and those
babies can also grow up and make more babies.

Of course! Here are easy and student-friendly definitions of each classification

level:

Simple Definitions for Students:

1. Family
A family is a group of animals or plants that are closely related.
Example: Dogs, wolves, and foxes are in the same family (Canidae).
 2. Order
An order is a bigger group that includes several families with similar
features.
Example: Dogs and cats both belong to the Carnivora order because
they eat meat.

3. Class
A class is a group that includes many orders.
Example: All animals that have hair and feed their babies milk are in
the Mammalia class (mammals).

4. Phylum
A phylum is a group that includes animals with similar body designs.
Example: Animals with backbones (like humans, fish, and birds) are
in the Chordata phylum.

5. Kingdom
A kingdom is the largest group. It contains many different kinds of
living things.
Example: All animals (from insects to humans) are in the Animalia
kingdom.

Tip to Remember Order:

From smallest to biggest:
Family → Order → Class → Phylum → Kingdom
Mnemonic:
"Funny Old Classy People Knit"