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 ==Diversity of Organisms Brittany Kranz ==

"We find ourselves ethically destitute just when, for the first time, we are faced with ultimacy, the irreversible closing down of the earth's functioning in its major life systems. Our ethical traditions know how to deal with suicide, homicide and even genocide, but these traditions collapse entirely when confronted with biocide, the killing of the life systems of the earth, and genocide, the devastation of the earth itself." - Father Thomas Berry

We as citizens of the United States and the entire world need to protect what we have been given. Recycling and conservation efforts need to be increased and more thought must be put into the effects humans have on the world around us.

Prokaryotes

Domain Bacteria - Kingdom Eubacteria **Cell surface structures-** The cells of Eubacteria have rigid cell walls. The cell walls are an adaptation which allows the bacteria to live in harsher conditions than those without. Inside the cell wall is a plasma membrane made up of a phospholipid bilayer. Further inside is the cytoplasm which also contains the ribosomes. On the outside of the cell, flagella are scattered.
 * Movement-** Eubacteria move with the help of flagella which are long tubes sticking out of the cell which helps to rotate and propell the cell.
 * Genetic material organization-** Unlike eukaryotes, eubacteria do not have structures with membranes. Their genetic material is free to float in the cytoplasm. Eubacteria are usually single-celled but a few multicellular forms exist.
 * Reproduction-** All eubacteria produce through asexual reproduction through binary fission. The cell divides into two identical cells which are identical to the parent cell.
 * Nutrition-** Eubacteria get their nutrition in a variety of ways. They can be parasites, decomposers or even are autotrophic and make their own food through photosynthesis.  **Metabolic relationship with oxygen-** Eubacteria may be aerobic or anaerobic. Some forms of eubacteria produce oxygen through photosynthesis. One common form of this cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) produce oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis.
 * Nitrogen metabolism-** Some of the anaerobic eubacteria are able to fix Nitrogen. Cyanobacteria convert the nitrogen into useable products for other living organisms. They play a vital role in nitrogen metabolism.
 * [[image:thumbnail.jpg align="left" caption="An example of eubacteria"]]Types of eubacteria-** There are two broad categories which eubacteria can be placed into: Gram positive and Gram negative. They are also classified by their shape: cocci, bacilli, spirilla, and vibrios.
 * Symbiotic relationships with other organisms-** One example of a symbiotic relationship is eubacteria which fix nitrogen as a product of their respiration. These bacteria need oxygen which they obtain from plants. They plants have nodules on their roots for the bacteria. The plants need the nitrogen produced from the bacteria and the bacteria has a place to live.

Domain Archaea - Kingdom Archaeabacteria
 * The three main grops of archaeabacteria are:** methanogens, halophiles, and thermoacidophiles. Methanogens use methane gas they produces as energy. Halophiles use salt to survive. Thermoacidophiles live in extremely acidic conditions with high temperatures.
 * Evolutionary link with eukaryotic cells-** Scientists have created the Serial Endosymbiosis Theory which states "states that the evolution of eukaryotes from prokaryotes involved the symbiotic union of several previously independent ancestors."

Eukaryotes Domain Eukarya: Kingdom Protista Plant-like protists are autotrophic. They can live in soil, on the bark of trees, in fresh water and in salt water. These protists are very important to the Earth because they produce a lot of oxygen. Plant-like protists form the base of aquatic food chains. Animal-like protists are called protozoans and share some common traits with animals. All animal-like protists are heterotrophs. Animal-like protists are able to move in their environment in order to find their food. Unlike, animals, however, animal-like protists are all unicellular. Fungus-like protists are heterotrophs with cell walls. They also reproduce by forming spores. All fungus-like protists are able to move at some point in their lives. There are essentially three types of fungus-like protists: water molds, downy mildews, and slime molds. Euglenoids are an example of a protist. They are autotrophs when sunny and heterotrophs when it is dark. They are unicellular and found in fresh water. Diatoms are unicellular with glass-like cell walls. They are used in toothpaste. Watermolds live in moist environments. They attack potatoes, cabbage and corn and can destroy entire crops. Geen algae can be single-celled or multicellular. They can also live in colonies. They live in fresh water, salt water and a few live on land. They produce oxygen.
 * Characteristics of protists-** All protists are eukaryotic and live in moist environments. They can be unicellular or multicellular. Also, they can be heterotrophic or autotrophic. The three subcategories are: plant-like, animal-like and fungus-like protists.
 * Evolution of protists-** At least a billion years before the origin of plants, fungi and animals, protists were diversified through adaptive radiation. They were the basis for fungi, animal and plant kingdoms. Scientists theorize that protist colonies led to specialized cells. The protists lost their flagella and gametes formed. Overtime, the variations led to evolutions of multicellular organisms.[[image:greenalgae.jpg align="right" caption="An example of green algae"]]
 * Examples of the diversity of the organisms in the kingdom and their role in the environment-**

Domain Eukarya: Kingdom Plantae Domain Eukarya: Kingdom Fungi
 * Characteristics of plants-** Plants are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms that have evolved from an embryo and have cell walls and chloroplasts. They can photosynthesize and are more complex than algae or fungi.
 * Evolution of plants-** Plants first arose from present day geen algae. They were first semi-terrestrial, non-vascular and did not produce seeds. Their direct descendants today are of mosses. The vascular plants evolved about 430 million years ago and were on land. Today, they would be called ferns. Recently, plants with seeds evolved. Later, angiosperms and flowering plants which have fruits evolved.
 * Classification of plants-** There are four main groups which plants can be placed under: Angiospermae, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledonae and Monocotyledonae. Angiosperms are plants which produce flowers. Gymnoperms do not produce flowers. Dicots are plants with two seed leaves (cotyledon) and monocots are plants with one seed leaf.
 * [[image:200px-Cirsium_arvense_with_Bees_Richard_Bartz.jpg align="left" caption="An angiosperm"]] Diversity of angiosperms- ** Angiosperms can be broken down into four groups. They are: aborella, nymphaeales, austrobaileyales, and mesangiospermae. The aborella are small trees or shrubs with two-ranked leaves without stipules. Nymphaeales includes water lillies and other aquatic plants. Austrobaileyales are flowering plants. Mesangiospermae are basal angiosperms.
 * Role of plants in the environment-** One of the most important roles of plants in the environment is to provide food for humans and other organisms. Plants are also important for the oxygen they produce.
 * Characteristics and structure of fungi-** Fungi is classified by the different levels of cellular organization. Some are single-celled organisms that have one nucleus, whereas others are single-celled organisms that have hundreds or thousands of nuclei. Another group is multicellular that have one or two nuclei per cell. Some have hyphae or mycelium which carries out life-maintaining processes such as sexual reproduction.
 * Evolution of fungi-** The evolution of fungi is not well understood by scientists, however they do believe they have been around for over four billion years. Since fungi are made of soft tissue, their fossil records are not complete. Also, fungi have simple morphologies and do not have embryos. Finally, fungi evolved similar morphologies by convergent evolution which makes it hard to determine the distict pattern of evolution.
 * Types of fungi and their role in the environment-** There are four main types of fungi: Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Deuteromycota. Zygomycota include black bread mold and other mold. They have important symbiotic relationships with plants. Most feed on dead animals or plant remains. Ascomycota include the yeasts, some edible forms and ones that cause Dutch Elm disease and other plant deteriorating forms. Basidiomycota include the mushrooms and are the fungi that cause rust and smut in plants. They are important to the environment because they produce food and help put nutrients back into soil. Finally, Deuteromycota is the catch-all group. Most fungi in this group lack reproductive features. The group produces penicillin, an antibiotic.

Domain Eukarya: Kingdom Animalia
 * Basic characteristics of animals-** There are a few basic characteristics which all animals have. The first is that all are eukaryotes. Next, all animals are heterotrophs. All animals are multicellular and are usually differentiated into tissues. Most animals are capable of movement. Most animals are diploid and go through sexual reproduction. Finally, animals do not have rigid cell walls.
 * [[image:radial.jpg width="165" height="233" align="left" caption="Radial Symmetry"]]What is symmetry? Radial vs. bilateral symmetry?** Symmetry is the balanced arrangement of parts of an [[image:bilateral.jpg width="176" height="202" align="right" caption="Bilateral Symmetry"]]organism. Radial symmetry is when parts of an organism are symmetrical around a central axis. Most sponges and sea anemones have radial symmetry. Bilateral symmetry occurs when an organism has a mirror image of the left and right side. Humans would be considered bilaterally symmetrical.
 * Germ layers-** Germ layers are the group of cells formed during embryogenesis. They eventually give rise to all of an animal's tissues and organisms through organogenesis. The three types of germ layers include: endotherm, mesoderm and ectoderm. The endotherm is the first layer of flattened columnar cells. The endotherm forms the epithelial lining of the digestive tube. It forms the stomach, colon, liver, pancreas, urinary bladder, urethra, trachea, lungs, pharyx, thyroid, parathyroid and the intestines. Mesoderm is the layer between the endotherm and the ectotherm. It forms the skeletan, skeletal muscle, the dermis of the skin, connective tissue, the heart, blood and the spleen. Finally, ectoderm is the tissue that covers the body. It makes up the central nervous system, the lens of the eye, cranial and sensory, the ganglia and nerves, pigment cells, head connective tissues, the epidermis, hair and mammary glands.
 * Animal Development-**
 * Cleavage-- cleavage occurs after a cell has been ferlilized and the cells begin to divide but the embryo does not become larger; rather, they become smaller with each division.
 * Blastula-- is formed by cleavage and is a ring of cells around a central fluid-filled cavity called the blastocoel.
 * Gastrulation-- In gastrulation, germ cells have just started to form and the embryo is undergoing major changes. Through organogenesis, oragans of the embryo begin to form.
 * Gastrula-- The gastrula is formed at the end of the blastula. It will become the oragans of the embryo.
 * Larva-- Amphibians have less yolk because they have larva swimming around which can obtain their own food.
 * Cephalization-** Cephalization is when tissue gathers at one part of an organism over many generations to form a region with sensory organs such as a head.
 * Body cavity-** The body cavity may also be called the ventral cavity. A pseudocoelomate is an invertebrate with a three-layered body and a pseudocoel. A coelomate is an organism with a cavity lined by epithelium cells. Its organs are formed inside the coelom and can move and grow independently of the body wall but are cushioned from shocks by fluid. An acoelomate does not have a fluid-filled cavity.

Subkingdom Parazoa- Subkingdom Eumetazoa- Importance of Biodiversity on Earth Biodiversity on Earth is by far the greatest and most important factor in the life we live. Biodiversity gives us medicine, timber, food and indirect factors such as climate, pollution and nutrient cycling. Biodiversity ranges from genes to ecosystems and from biomes to functional processes. Without such diversity, life on Earth the way we know it would cease to exist.
 * Phylum Porifera- The name means pore bearer. Organisms in this group include over 5,000 species of sponges. Charaterics include: perforated interior walls with mesohyl sandwhiched between two thin cell walls and no digestive, nervous or circulatory systems.
 * Radial Symmetry
 * Phylum Cnideria- This group includes over 11,000 organisms. They are most noted for their nematocysts, or stinging cells. Their bodies consist of mesoglea between two layers of epithelium usually only one cell thick. Organisms in this group include corals, jellies and sea pens.
 * Bilateral Symmetry
 * Acoelomates
 * Phylum Platyhelminthes- Phylum Platyhelminthes- This group contains flatworms. There are over 25,000 species in this phylum. They contain no body cavity and no specialized respiratory or circulatory systems. Their flat body allows oxygen to pass through them by diffusion.
 * Psuedocoelomates
 * Phylum Nematoda- The name of this phylum means "thread-like". It consists of round worms and contains between 80,000-1 million species. So far, 15,000 of the species have been parasites. They have tube-like digestive systems and have adapted to nearly every ecological niche.
 * Phylum Rotifera- This phylum contains rotifers which are microscopic animals. They contain an anterior crown of cilia which separates them from other species.
 * Coelomates/Protostome Development
 * Phylum Mollusca- The name means "thin shell" and it consists of 112,000 species of molluscs. It is the largest marine phylum. The phylum contains the most advanced invertebrates including the giant squid and the octopus. They all contain a mantle and a cavity used for excretion and breathing.
 * Phylum Annelida- This phylum contains over 15,000 species of segmented worms. Their unique characteristics include multiple cirular segments. They include earthworms and leeches. Their bodies are covered by a cuticle which does not contain cells. Rather, the cells underneath the cuticle secrete collagen to make it up.
 * Phylum Anthropoda- In the phlylum Anthropoda, over 1 million species exist. They have distinguishable features such as jointed appendages, an exoskeleton and a segmented body. The tarantula, wasp and prawn all belong to this phylum.
 * Coelomates/Deuterostome Development
 * Phylum Echinodermata- This phylum contains sea stars and sand dollars as well as thousands of other species. They are radially symmetrical and have mesodermal calcified spines. Many members of this phylum have become extinct.
 * Phylum Chordata Phylum- Hallow dorsal nervous cord and a post-anal tail set these species apart. They include vertebrates and invertebrates. They also have a notochord and an endostyle at one point in their lives. This phylum includes tuna and starfish as well as the earliest know fish: the Haikouichthys from 518 million years ago near China.
 * Subphylum Urochordata- There are around 3,000 spieces in this subphylum. They are underwater, saclike filter feeders. They have a notochord but do not have segmentation in their body and tail as adults. Sea tulips are an example.
 * Subphylum Cephalochordata- This subphylum was created more than 520 million years ago. An example are lancelets which are harvested for food for humans or domesticated animals and can be found in Asia. They have a notochord, a small circulatory system, phayrnx and a post-anal tail.
 * Subphylum Vertebrata- Vertebrata consists of vertebrates which are chordates with backbones. Their distinguishing characteristic would be the backbone. An example of a verebrata would be the blue-tounged lizzard.
 * Gnathostomes- vertebrates with jaws
 * Class Chondrichthyes- Chondrichthyes are jawed fish with paired fins and nares, scales, two-chambered hearts and sketetons made of cartilage. Most are ectothermic. The great white shark and electric rays fall into this category.
 * Class Osteichthyes- Osteichthyses are bony fish. They have several different types of bones throughout their bodies. They also have a swim bladder and no placoid scales. Ray-finned fish and herring both fit under this class.
 * Tetrapoda- four-limbed vertebrates
 * Class Amphibia- This class includes frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and other cold-blooded animals. They lay their eggs in water and usually have four limbs. Also, the larvae have exterior gills.
 * Class Sauropsida- This class includes, reptiles, dinousaurs and birds. This class is distinguished by the chambers of the organisms hearts and their forebrains.
 * Class Aves- Aves are birds that have wings, bipedal, are endothermic, and are vertebrates and they lay eggs. There are around 10,000 living species. Among them are the bee hummingbird and the ostrich. The hummingbird is 2 inches and the ostrich is 8 feet 10 inches. Sparrows are another species.
 * Class Mammalia- Mammals are characterized by mammary glands, sweat glands, hair, hearing and a neocortex part of the brain. All species of mammals except five give birth to live young. Right now, there are around 5,400 species of mammals. Some include: giraffe, bats, lions and hedgehogs.
 * Monotremes- Monotremes are mammals that lay eggs. The eggs remain inside the mother for some time so that the eggs can get nutrients. Also, monotremes lactate. Some species are they platypus and the long-beaked echidna.
 * Marsupials- Marsupials are organisms in which the mother has a pouch that the young grow up in through early infancy. Kangaroos, koalas and possums are marsupials.
 * Placental mammals (eutharians)- Placental mammals are mammals born at an advanced stage. The young are nourished by a placenta prior to birth. There are nearly 4,000 species of placental mammals. Humans, camels, rodants, bats, ardvarks, cheetahs and many others are included in this group.

"We find ourselves ethically destitute just when, for the first time, we are faced with ultimacy, the irreversible closing down of the earth's functioning in its major life systems. Our ethical traditions know how to deal with suicide, homicide and even genocide, but these traditions collapse entirely when confronted with biocide, the killing of the life systems of the earth, and genocide, the devastation of the earth itself." - Father Thomas Berry

We as citizens of the United States and the entire world need to protect what we have been given. Recycling and conservation efforts need to be increased and more thought must be put into the effects humans have on the world around us. The biodiversity of Earth can not continue to go on if steps are not taken to help preserve its state and make better what we have destroyed. We as humans need everything among us to continue to inhabit the Earth.

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