Classification

Task 1 The five kingdoms and identification keys §  Living organisms can be classified into five major kingdoms. -          What are the five major kingdoms? -          Write a paragraph for each kingdom describing its main characteristics. §  From one kingdom choose a group of organisms found in the British Isles that environment agency workers are likely to come across, e.g. birds, fish, insects, trees, shrubs, grasses. Choose at least five species from the group and write a simple key for scientists to use in the field to identify each species. §  Produce a copy of your key for practical use outdoors in the field. Think about the conditions your trainees will be working under before choosing the best method of displaying your key. If you complete this task correctly, you will meet grading criterion P1.

T ask 2 Classifying organisms §  A trainee has been asked to identify a sample of organisms found in the leaf mould at the bottom of a river. They have not written the full species names for some of the organisms. Some they have briefly described and for some they have only given their common names. Write down: -          problems you think the trainee may have encountered -          problems that come from writing common names instead of the Linnaen system of classification (Genus and species names). §  The environmental agency needs to use some of the trainee’s data as part of a court case against polluters. -          Why is it important to classify organisms specifically and correctly? -          A scientist called A. Milner discovered a new species of butterfly closely related to the Lycaena phlaeas (common name, small copper). Which of these three names would you use to name the new species, explain your answer: Lycaena milner; Milner phlaeas; Mini copper §  How is evolution related to the classification of organisms? If you complete this task correctly, you will meet grading criterion M1.

Task 3 Distinguishing characteristics Part of the training material needs to help trainees realise that some characteristics are more significant than others when classifying organisms. Make a table with three columns. §  In the first column write viruses, bacteria, protists, fungi, flowering plants, non-flowering plants, invertebrates, vertebrates. §  In the second column list the characteristics that may be used to classify each group.  §  In the third column provide more detail about why that characteristic helps distinguish the group. In other words: What is significant about that characteristic? Why are two organisms with the characteristic closer relatives than organisms without the characteristic? Hint: Think about how the organism evolved to have the characteristic and why it is important to its survival to have the characteristic. If you complete this task correctly, you will meet grading criterion D1.