EXERCISE ON BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION

Activity #1

Biological classification is the process by which scientists group living organisms.

Organisms are classified based on how similar they are. Historically, similarity was
determined by examining the physical characteristics of an organism but modern
classification uses a variety of techniques including genetic analysis.

ARTIFICIAL CLASSIFICATION

Oldest and first approach of classification of plants.

Cannot describe all plants classification of plants into different taxa based upon
one or few characteristics of plants which is selected by authors. Such as,

 Reproductive behavior
 Physical appearances
 Habitat
 Phenology
 Cotyledon etc.

ADVANTAGES

o Simple and easy

o Need short time and information
o Poorly known plant can be placed easily
o Need very few instruments
o Specifically focus on properties of interest

DISADVANTAGES

o Cannot not grouped all plant perfectly

o Little predictive value
o Arbitrarily selected properties do not necessarily correlate well with each
other
o Cannot describe evolution

NATURAL CLASSIFICATION

This taxonomic system was introduced by Jean Bauhin in 1623.

These systems are based on natural affinities of plants.

It is done based on natural characteristics of plants

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It place together organisms that have the greatest number of shared features.

No single features is not important but total features are tools of classification.

So, classification of plants which is done based on maximum natural

characteristics of plants and not a single characteristics but total characteristics act as the
key to place a plant into a definite taxa is termed as natural system of plant classification.

ADVANTAGES

o More satisfactory on placing of species

o More predictive value
o Arbitrarily selected properties are necessarily correlate well with each
other
o Can be used to predict properties, not related the classification
o Contains more information about a species

DISADVANTAGES

o Complex than artificial

o Need long time and more information
o Poorly known plant cannot be placed easily
o Cannot focus specially on properties of interest

PHYLOGENETICS CLASSIFICATION

Latest system of classification of life

Done in very micro scale (cell)

Basic of the system is the Darwin’s “Origin of Species (1859)”

First introduced by August Wilhelm Eichler in 1883.

Goal of the system is to establish a system of classification based on the course of

evolutionary descent of its members.

System where it is believed that every species is come from the evolutionary
change.

So it is defined as the classification system based on phylogenetic characteristics

of a species.

ADVANTAGES

o Unique name of each species eliminates confusion

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EXERCISE ON BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION

o Maximum predictive value

o Maximum detail scientific study
o Contains maximum information about a species

DISADVANTAGES

o Most complex than others

o Need long time and research
o Physical appearances are neglected
o Physically same species can be in different groups

MECHANICAL CLASSIFICATION

The classification systems developed at this period was based on the habit as well
as organs of fructification such as position, locule, number, and seed number.

Activity #2

Grocery

Hardware Section Store Produce

Furniture Clothing Aisle

Shelf

Canned goods Fruits Leafy vegetables Root vegetables

Apples Orange

Mandarin
Dalanghita
Ponkan

Answer the following questions:

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1. In this exercise, did you perform a classification process? Explain.

 Yes. The classification process that I used was natural classification because I
grouped the variables into what I think is closest to them.

2. Is there a hierarchy that is necessarily presumed in order to arrange the terms?

Explain.

 Yes. On top of all these terms are main variable which I presumed was the
grocery.

3. Were there ranks established? How many ranks where established? Name these
ranks.

 Yes, based on my work above, there are four. Hardware, section, store, produce.

4. What is the position of dalanghita relative to the other terms?

 The position of dalanghita is under the oranges with ponkan and mandarin.

5. What is the predictive value of your scheme? Where can I get leafy vegetables?

 Leafy vegetables is on the shelf.

6. What criteria can be used to assess whether your scheme is predictive or not?
Explain.

 The main criteria to be used is the order of the variables used.

7. Is the completed scheme a form of nomenclature? Explain.

 Yes, because nomenclature is a procedure of assigning names to the kinds and

group of organism to the classification.

Activity #3

Activity #3

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EXERCISE ON BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION

Answer the following questions:

1. Did you perform classification as defined taxonomically? Explain.
 Yes, because we have observed it as an artificial classification which is a
basis of non-evolutionary features.
2. Are there hierarchies in you final answer? Are there groups within groups? Show
concretely. If there are none, describe the underlying concept of your proposed
arrangement.
 Yes, there are hierarchies and a groups within groups that is shown above.
3. Is it necessary for hierarchical ordering to establish classification? Explain.
 Yes, to able to assign or organize the species according to its similarities
to become easy to identify an organism of which is belong to the group or
not.
4. In your proposed scheme, did you you consider assumed relatedness as a criterion
for forming groups? If yes, how did you resolve this problem?
 Yes, because to separate it into groups we looked at the similarities of the
cookophytes.
5. Did you consider degrees of similarities and dissimilarities? Expound on the
importance of such an approach.
 Yes, because this kind of organizing the groupings of the plants enable us
to identify it easily.
6. Did you consider loss or gain of a character or characters state in your proposed
scheme? If yes, explain how you proceeded in incorporating the concept. Will
your scheme valuable if you did not include the criterion?

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 Yes, the loss is the coloration of the flower because from the start it is dark
but when matured it is now light color. The gain of it is the leaves and also
the number of thorns.
7. How many characters did you use? Would the number at the nature and quality of
the character used influence the outcome of the proposed scheme? Explain.
 We assume that there are 3 characters, including the stem, leaves, thorns
and the presume to be the flower.
8. Would some characters be more important than others? Explain.
 Yes, because from the first look at the pictures you will look first to the
big details like the shape and structures of a leaf so you will assume that,
that plant is having the same characteristics from the other not knowing
the small details.
9. Did you arrive at the same conclusions? If yes,to what extent is the similarity of
your answers? If not, show the difference between your results and reconcile the
disparity.
 No, because we all have different opinion to different aspects. Some have
2 groups and some are 4 groups and also some is their opinion is the plant
hybridize to the other one which results to that species.

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https://www.slideshare.net/SajjadHossain11/taxonomic-systems-in-plants

http://www.biologydiscussion.com/plants/classifications/system-of-plant-classification-3-types/30330

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DE VILLA, ERIC L.