Kingdom Fungi contains some of the most ecologically and economically important organisms. They decompose dead organic matter, and release the essential nutrients back to soil. This ensures the continuity of nutrient cycles in an ecosystem. They form symbiotic associations with plants, and provide them with essential nutrients. Some fungi are used for the production of … Read more

Kingdom monera consists of prokaryotic organisms. Bacteria are the sole members of this group. They constitute the most abundant and microorganisms on earth. Even a single gram of soil contains nearly 40 million bacterial cells. They are found anywhere and everywhere. They can exist even in extreme conditions, where no other organism can survive. They … Read more

Classification is the process of process of grouping organisms into different categories based on easily observable characters. The earliest classification was done by Aristotle. He used simple morphological characters to classify organisms. He grouped plants into trees, shrubs and herbs. Animals were divided into two groups, animals which have blood and do not have blood. … Read more

Taxonomic aids refer to the stored specimens, materials and other information sources that can help in the identification and classification of an unknown organism. During taxonomic studies, the original specimens of plants, animals and other organisms are gathered, stored and preserved, along with detailed information including its characteristic features. Live specimens stored in Botanical gardens … Read more

For identifying and classifying organisms into different groups, a systematic procedure should be followed. The basic processes involved in taxonomy are as follows: Characterization – Understanding of characters of organisms such as external and internal structure, structure of cell, development process, ecological information etc. For example, all flowering plants are grouped together (Angiosperms). All animals … Read more

Biodiversity Diversity is simply defined as ‘the variety of life’. It refers to the total number and types of plants and animals present on earth. The total number of species so far identified and described is nearly 1.75 million, and scientists claim that several millions of species are yet to be discovered. Due to this … Read more

Living Organisms How do we define “life”? To decide whether a given thing is alive, we will look for the presence of certain features that are generally found in all living organisms. Life refers to these qualities of living organisms that distinguishes them from the non living. Fundamental properties of life Cellular Organization: All living … Read more