Unit 3 – Biodiversity (Short Questions)

Q.1. Define Biodiversity & differentiate it from Biodiversity Hot Spot?

Q.2. What are the aims of taxonomy & systematics?

Q.3. What is the difference between monophyletic & polyphyletic groups?

Q.4. What are/is the basis of classification of organisms?

Q.5. Define Taxonomic Hierarchy?

Q.6. What is the basic unit of classification? Justify.

Q.7. What are the drawbacks of two-kingdom classification & three- kingdom classification systems?

Q.8. What are/is the Basis of five kingdom classification system.

Q.9. Write down two features of kingdom Protista.

Q.10. Define virus.

Q.11. What are Prions & viroids?

Q.12. What is Deforestation?

Q.13. Define Endangered species.

Q.1. Define Biodiversity & differentiate it from Biodiversity Hot Spot?
Answer:
Biodiversity
It is the measure of the variety of organisms present in different ecosystem. Plants and animals diversity. depends on climate, attitude, soils & the pressure of other species.
Biodiversity Hotspot
A biodiversity hotspot is a region with a high level of established species. Most of the hotspots are located in the tropics & most of them are forests.

Q.2. What are the aims of taxonomy & systematics?
Answer:
The main aims of taxonomy & systematics are:
1. To make the comparison studies of organisms by finding similarities & differences among the organisms.
2. To determine & study the evolutionary, relationship of organisms with each other.

Q.3. What is the difference between monophyletic & polyphyletic groups?
Answer:
The group of organisms including all of the descendents of the same ancestral form. This is called Monophyletic Group.
Whereas the group of organisms other than monophyletic group is called Polyphyletic group.

Q.4. What are/is the basis of classification of organisms?
Answer:
The known organisms have been classified into groups & subgroups on the basis of similarities found among them. The similarities are studied on structural, biochemical & genetic level etc. Thus creating the evolutionary relationship leads to their classifications.

Q.5. Define Taxonomic Hierarchy?
Answer:
The taxonomic categories arranged in the form of a Ladder, is called Taxonomic Hierarchy.

Q.6. What is the basic unit of classification? Justify.
Answer:
Species is the basic unit of classification. Because species is the lowest level of classification in which only the Interbreeding Organisms (with each other) are placed together. They can interbreed freely with each other &
produce fertile off springs. They cannot interbreed with organisms from all other groups in nature.

Q.7. What are the drawbacks of two-kingdom classification & three- kingdom classification systems?
Answer:
Drawbacks of Two kingdoms classification system:
1. It classifies all organisms into two kingdoms on the basis of their mode of feeding i.e., Plantae (Autotrophs) & Animalia (Hetrotrophs). So it can’t classify unicellular organisms (e.g. Euglena), which have, both plant-like,
& animal like characters into any groups
2. This system is also unable to differentiate prokaryotic and Eukaryotic organisms.
Drawbacks of Three-following kingdoms.
This system placed fungi in kingdom plantae, whereas they are Heterotrophs.
This system placed bacteria in kingdom Protista (Eukaryotic Kingdom) whereas bacteria are a prokaryotic.

Q.8. What are/is the Basis of five kingdom classification system.
Answer:
This system is based on
1. The levels of cellular organization i.e. Prokaryotic, Eukaryotic Multicellular & Unicellular Eukaryotic.
The mode of getting food i.e., photosynthesis (autotrophs), absorption (fungi), Ingestion (Animalia).

Q.9. Write down two features of kingdom Protista.
Answer:
i. Kingdom Protista
ii. Kingdom Monera
iii. Kingdom Fungi
iv. Kingdom Plantae
v. Kingdom Animalia
i. Protista
Eukaryotic, unicellular to’ some simple Multicellular organisms. Lack Chlorophyll but have cell wall.
ii. Monera
Organisms without cellular and nuclear membrane (Prokaryotes). Unicellular organisms with some having hetrotrophic & some having autrotrophic mode of nutrition.
iii. Fungi
Eukaryotic Multicellular organisms having chitin in their cell wall. Absorption Hetrotrophs & mostly decomposers.
iv. Plantae
Eukaryotic Multicellular autotrophs having cellulose in their cell wall organisms have Multicellular sex organs and lead to formation of embryo during life cycles.
v. Animalia
Eukaryotic Multicellular consumers with no cell wall. Ingestive Hetrotrophs & show movements.

Q.10. Define virus.
Answer:
They are the infections entities having either RNA or DNA, enclosed in pretentious coat. They can reproduce only in their living hosts.

Q.11: What are Prions & viroids?
Answer:
Prions are Proteinicous in structure & act as Infectious particles in plants. Whereas Viroids are made up of circular RNA only. They also act as Infectious particles, causing diseases in certain plants. As they both are Acellular, they are not placed in any kingdom.

Q.12: What is Deforestation?
Answer:
The spread of desert by cutting down the trees is called Deforestation.

Q.13: Define Endangered species.
Answer:
The species, which has become or is near to extinction, is called Endangered Specie.