Important Terms

• Biology: The scientific study of living organisms.
• Biodiversity: The variety of living organisms.
• Metabolism: The sum of chemical reactions occurring in a living organism.
• Taxonomy: The branch of biology concerned with identification, nomenclature, and classification.
• Systematics: The study of organismal diversity and relationships, including evolutionary relationships.
• Species: The basic unit of biological classification.
• Taxonomic hierarchy: The ordered arrangement of taxonomic categories.
• Herbarium: A systematically arranged collection of preserved plant specimens.
• Taxonomic key: A tool that helps identify organisms using contrasting characteristics.
• Binomial nomenclature: A system of naming species using two words.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Species → Genus → Family → Order → Class → Phylum/Division → Kingdom

Remember These Points

• Metabolism is a fundamental feature of living organisms.
• Growth and reproduction do not independently define all living organisms.
• Taxonomy includes identification, nomenclature, and classification.
• Species is the basic unit of classification.
• Scientific names consist of a generic name and a specific epithet.
• The generic name begins with a capital letter; the specific epithet begins with a lowercase letter.
• Herbarium, botanical gardens, museums, zoological parks, and taxonomic keys are important taxonomical aids.