Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Characteristics of a living organism biology
8 characteristics of living things nreading
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Characteristics of a living organism biology
An animal is a living thing which varies from a range of different sizes, shapes, forms and cells which are specialized to carry out certain functions (Quinn, 2003). There are certain functions mutual to all living things which are movement, respiration, sensitivity, growth, reproduction, excretion and nutrition (MRS GREN). These living processes are essential characteristics which are used to define species as living organisms (Worcester, 2015). Carl Linnaeus developed a system where animals were amongst one of the broad group in kingdoms, which he then divided into classes and were further identified by a Genus or a species name and this was known as the Linnaean classification system. A genus includes species of individual organisms grouped …show more content…
Adaptations benefit animals to survive and it can depend on their physical appearance and behaviour. For example, Whales have features which helps them to live in the water, such as their body shape benefits them in swimming and have small fins to help them move fast through the water, whereas, an Eagle has wings to fly, fur to keep them warm and sharp claws for hunting (Kidport, 2012). Therefore, a whale is different in that it lives in the water compared to an eagle on the land. This reinforces the idea that animals are diverse and they are grouped in a way that suits their abilities and survival conditions.
Food are also essential to all species that categorises them amongst three groups of nutrients they eat, thus making it easier for scientists to group species. Animals can be carnivores which enables them to obtain calories and energy by eating meat, such as, wolves. Herbivore organisms eat plants as their source of energy and nutrients, for example, horses. Omnivores are a collective group of animals that receive energy from both plants and animals, for example, chickens. Therefore different living things are exposed to hunting for different types of food (Burchill,
An adaptation is the characteristic of an organism that makes it likely to survive. There are three types of adaptations: structural, physiological, and behavioural. Structural adaptations are physical features, physiological adaptations are related to the internal body functions, while behavioural adaptations refer to how organisms respond to stimuli (Beavis 2014). This paper will discuss some adaptations that help koalas and eucalyptus trees survive in their environments.
comes from and how they evolved in the manner that they did. This type of
There are many types of species throughout the world, from sea creatures to land creatures. Each with different appearances and abilities to help them survive.
Evolution in general, is a hard concept to grasp. There are multiple factors that effect the outcome a species, for example: genetics, nurture, nature, and the environment all play an important role. It was once said that species do not survive due to the fact that they are the strongest or the most intelligent, but because that species is the most responsive to change.
middle of paper ... ... that occurs is only that which allows for a species to adapt to its present circumstances. As the examples given here illustrate, natural selection may take on many forms and give a species better defensive, offensive, or reproductive measures in the struggle for existence, which, though it sounds dramatic and urgent, is nothing more than being able to effectively cope with the external world and reproduce. Works Cited Darwin, Charles. The Origin of Species.
Chapter two consists of Darwin continuing his studies. He talks about variation in the natural world compared to the domesticated species. He defines species variation and says that every naturalist has a different idea of the definition. He explains to the reader that linking other species together by characteristics of variation is challenging because some are so similar but vary in other ways. Environmental conditions could be effecting the variation. Climate, temperature, the separation of the animals could transform them. The species changes over time and have chi...
Taxonomy has changed dramatically since the introduction of the first formal classification system in 1735. The first classification system,known as binomial nomenclature was developed by Carolus Linnaeus in the 18th century. Although Linnaeus was regarded as the father of taxonomy because of his work, Our classification system has changed significantly due to the fact that the Linnaean system was simplistic and only classified organisms based on visual/structural characteristics; in the Linnaen system there were merely 2 kingdoms (Animalia and Plantae). In comparison ,the modern classification system recognizes 3 domains and 6 kingdoms within those domains. Over the years, Classification has changed rapidly due to technological advances and
A food chain is described as “a series of organisms that eat one another so that energy and nutrients flow from one to the next”. The feeding position of the organism in the food chain is known as the trophic level. The trophic level is composed of 5 categories. The first level are the primary producers. Producers, such as plants, are autotrophic organisms so they can make their own food. The second level are the primary consumers. Primary consumers, also known as herbivores, feed on autotrophic organisms and utilize the energy made by the producers. The third level are secondary consumers. Naturally, secondary consumers feed on primary consumers. An example of an organism in this level is a rat that eats an
Biologists study living organisms, such as plants and animals. One famous biologist who has helped with scientific advancements we learn about today is Carolus Linnaeus. Carolus Linnaeus was a botanist, zoologist, and taxonomist primarily known for inventing binomial nomenclature (McCarthy). He is also one of the founders of ecology and helped find the relationship between living organisms and their environment (“Carolus 2”). This paper encompasses all aspects of Linnaeus’s life, including his personal life, education, his invention of binomial nomenclature, and other awards/accomplishments.
In an environment that changes often or a species moves to a different environment a genotype has the ability to produce various phenotypes to sustain the environment. The ability for the genotype to process different phenotypes based on the pressures in the environment is called phenotypic plasticity. Phenotypic can be rapid or gradual depending on the environment and the features need for adaptation. An adaptive phenotype will be able to change morphology, behavior, and development alterations (Futuyma, 2013). Developmental may not be able to be reversed, but the changes can happen rapidly. An adaptive phenotype will be able to alter its phenotype when the environment changes, resulting in different phenotypes to adapt. Adaptive will increase the fitness of a species, because they will be able to adapt quickly to different environments increasing their chances of survival. A non-adaptive phenotype will decrease the fitness of a species. This phenotype may change the species to go against or resist the changes in the environment or not adapt at all. If the species does not change...
When the average person thinks about zoology, they usually think about a zoo and or animals. As said in General Zoology, many questions come with this topic. “What is life? In what ways are the various kinds of animals alike or unlike in structure, internal processes, and modes of life? How do animals carry on their activities? How are the many kinds related to one another? In what ways does man resemble and differ from other living things? The answers to many of these questions are provided by the science of zoology.” (General Zoology, page 3). While zoology does involve animals, the general study of zoology is far more complicated then one would imagine. Zoology is a branch of biology that studies the classification, origins, habitats and behaviors of organisms. Someone who studies zoology is a zoologist, and has the tasks of learning about new species and their habitats. It is a job that if mastered, can be one of the most fulfilling and knowledgeable careers someone can obtain.
As many notable researchers attempted to classify life as a whole, there has been a general trend as stated in the book, Systematics and the Origin of Species.
As well as drawing on his own observations, Darwin drew from the work of Linnaeus, Cuvier, Hutton, Lyell, Malthus and Lamarck. In the hierarchial classificatory system of Linnaeus there is a tacit acknowledgement of relatedness, for example, species belonging to one genus have more in common with each other than they do with species belonging to another genus. Linnaeus was a creationist -- as evidenced by his egotistical proclamation "God crea...
In textbooks, adaptation, specifically biological adaptation, is usually defined as the method an organism adopts to better survive in its environment and reproduce. In scholarly papers, however, adaptation isn’t always as simple as that. An adaptation can be a structure that gives advantage to an organism over other similar organisms, or a behavior that helps the organism survive in its environment against predators. Sometimes even the adaptation itself wasn’t originally intended for its current biological role, or how it is used in the organism’s environment; this adaptation is sometimes called preadaptation (Kardong, 2006). Because it is difficult to identify which structures are adaptations and which are preadaptations, there is much controversy over the subject in the scholarly world. Often it is helpful to study these adaptations in ancient animals, but as most of these are extinct, scientists can only gather information from their close relatives, and even these aren’t conclusive enough.
Adaptations occurs because it allows an organism to adapt to its environment/habitat, to be able to survive climatic conditions, predators and other organisms who compete for the same food and space. Adaptations, for an organism, can be bigger wings, bigger beaks, bigger eyes, a protein that enhances body temperature, a certain toxin that can be emitted to keep predators or competitors away from food and other resources.