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Life in Its Diverse Forms
– Diversity is the hallmark of life.
• The diversity of known life includes 1.8 million species.
• Estimates of the total diversity range from 10 million to
over 200 million species.
Grouping Species: The Basic Concept
– Biodiversity can be both
beautiful and
overwhelming.
– Taxonomy is the branch of
biology that names and
classifies species.
• It formalizes the
hierarchical ordering of
organisms.
• Classifying life Taxonomy
Species Genus Family Order Class Phylum Kingdom Domain
Ursus
ameri-
canus
(American
black bear)
Ursus
Ursidae
Carnivora
Mammalia
Chordata
Animalia
Eukarya
The Three Domains
All organisms belong to one of
three domains, depending on
their characteristics. A domain
is the most inclusive (broadest)
taxonomic category. A single
domain can contain one or
more kingdoms.
I. Archaea
II. Eubacteria
III. Eukaryota (Eukarya)
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• Life’s three domains
Bacteria are the most diverse 4 µm Protists (multiple kingdoms) Kingdom Plantae consists of
100 µm
and widespread prokaryotes are unicellular eukaryotes and multicellula eukaryotes that carry
and are now divided among multiple their relatively simple multicellular out photosynthesis, the conversion
kingdoms. Each of the rod-shaped relatives.Pictured here is an assortment of of light energy to food.
structures in this photo is a bacterial cell. protists inhabiting pond water. Scientists are
currently debating how to split the protists
into several kingdoms that better represent
DOMAIN ARCHAEA evolution and diversity.
Many of the prokaryotes known Kindom Fungi is defined in part by the Kindom Animalia consists of
0.5 µm
as archaea live in Earth‘s nutritional mode of its members, such multicellular eukaryotes that
extreme environments, such as salty lakes as this mushroom, which absorb ingest other organisms.
and boiling hot springs. Domain Archaea nutrientsafter decomposing organic
includes multiple kingdoms. The photo material.
shows a colony composed of many cells.
The Three Domains
I. Archeae: very primitive forms of bacteria
II. Eubacteria : more advanced forms of bacteria
III. Eukaryota: all life forms with eukaryotic cells
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The Three Domains of Life
Organisms are placed into domains and
kingdoms based on their cell type, their ability
to make food, and the number of cells in their
bodies.
Ability to make
food
Heterotrophic or Autotrophic
Cell Type Number of cells in
their body
Prokaryotic or Eukaryotic Unicellular or Multicellular
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The Three Domains of Life
Organisms can be:
• Prokaryotic – cells that lack a nucleus
• Eukaryotic – cells that contain a nucleus
• Unicellular – single-celled; made up of one cell
• Multicellular – made up of many cells
• Autotrophic – can make their own food
• Heterotrophic – can not make their own food
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Comparison of Bacteria, Archaea,
and Eucarya
Three domains of living organisms
Domain Archaea
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The Six Kingdoms of Life
I. Domain Archaea
1. Kingdom Archaebacteria
• they are unicellular, prokaryotic
and some are autotrophic and
others heterotrophic
• They are different from
bacteria in the structure and
chemical makeup of their cells.
• Cell walls of different
compositions
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The Six Kingdoms of Life
I Domain Archaea
1. Kingdom Archaebacteria
• known as “ancient bacteria”; they are the most primitive type
of organisms
• they thrive in the most extreme environments on Earth; they
are often referred to as “extremophiles”
• found in thermal vents, hot springs, very salty water, swamps,
and the intestines of cows
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The Three Domains of Life
II. Domain Eubacteria
2. Kingdom Eubacteria
• They are found everywhere on Earth except
extreme environments.
• They are unicellular, prokaryotic, some are
autotrophic and others are heterotrophic.
• Cell wall made of peptidoglycan
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The Six Kingdoms of Life
III. Domain Eukarya (Eukaryota)
Kingdoms:
• Protista (Protists)
• Fungi
• Plants (Plantae)
• Animals (Animalia)
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The Six Kingdoms of Life
3. Kingdom Protista
(Protists)
• the “odds and ends” kingdom;
• includes any organism that can
not be classified as a animal,
plant, or fungus
• eukaryotic
• most are unicellular, others are
multicellular
• some are autotrophs, others are
heterotrophs
• Some have a cell wall
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The Six Kingdoms of Life
Protists
amoeba
euglena
volvox
paramecium 18
The Six Kingdoms of Life
4. Fungi
• eukaryotic
• most are multicellular
(yeast-unicellular)
• heterotrophic
• include yeast (unicellular),
molds, mildews, and
mushrooms
• Cell wall made of chitin 19
The Six Kingdoms of Life
5. Plants
• multicellular
• eukaryotic
• autotrophic
• most live on land
• Cell wall of
cellulose
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The Six Kingdoms of Life
6. Animals
• multicellular
• eukaryotic
• heterotrophic
• live in diverse
environments
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