Taxonomy (dichotomous keys, classification, cladograms)

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What is Taxonomy?

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The science of classifying organisms into groups based on shared characteristics.

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What is a dichotomous key?

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A tool that allows the user to determine the identity of items in the natural world by answering a series of questions that lead to the correct name.

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What is the purpose of a cladogram?

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To map the ancestral relationships and shared traits of different organisms.

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What is binomial nomenclature?

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A two-part naming system for organisms, consisting of the genus name and the species name.

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What is the difference between autotrophs and heterotrophs?

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Autotrophs produce their own food (like plants), while heterotrophs consume other organisms for energy (like fungi and animals).

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What is chitin?

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A tough, protective polysaccharide found in the cell walls of fungi.

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What is cellulose?

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A complex carbohydrate that forms the cell walls of plants.

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What is the highest level of classification in taxonomy?

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Domain.

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What is a family in biological classification?

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A rank in the hierarchy of taxonomy that groups together related genera.

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What is a genus?

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A group of species that are closely related and share a common ancestor.