The Living World: Key Definitions and Points (Based on Class 11 NCERT)

1. Distinctive Characteristics

o Definition: Unique features that distinguish living organisms from non-living entities.

o Important Points:

 Characteristics include growth, reproduction, metabolism, cellular

organization, and consciousness.

 These features collectively define life.

2. Growth and Its Twin Characters

o Definition: Growth involves an increase in size and mass of an organism.

o Important Points:

 Twin Characters: Growth is often accompanied by reproduction in some

organisms and is a result of cellular division and enlargement.

3. Growth in Living and Non-living, and in Plants and Animals

o Definition: Growth in living organisms involves internal processes, whereas in non-

living things, it occurs by external addition.

o Important Points:

 Plants: Growth continues throughout life due to meristematic tissues.

 Animals: Growth occurs up to a certain age.

4. In Vitro Cultures

o Definition: Growth of plant or animal cells in a controlled artificial environment.

o Important Points:

 Used for research, breeding, and biotechnology applications.

 Can be used to propagate plants or produce clones.

5. Higher Animals and Plants - Growth & Reproduction Mutually Exclusive Events

o Definition: In higher plants and animals, growth and reproduction are distinct and
not simultaneous processes.

o Important Points:

 Growth occurs during the juvenile phase, while reproduction occurs in the
adult phase.

6. Reproduction in Various Organisms

o Definition: The process by which organisms produce offspring.

o Important Points:

 Fungi: Reproduce through spores.

  Yeast: Reproduce by budding.

 Hydra and Planaria: Reproduce by regeneration and budding.

 Flatworms: Reproduce by fragmentation.

7. Reproduction - Synonymous with Growth in Unicellular Organisms

o Definition: In unicellular organisms, reproduction and growth are the same process.

o Important Points:

 A single cell divides to form two new cells, which is both growth and
reproduction.

8. Metabolism

o Definition: The sum of all biochemical reactions occurring within an organism.

o Important Points:

 Includes anabolic (building up) and catabolic (breaking down) processes.

 Essential for maintaining life.

9. Exhibited by Plants, Microbes, Fungi, etc.

o Definition: Metabolic processes are exhibited by all living organisms, including

plants, microbes, and fungi.

o Important Points:

 Universal characteristic of life.

 Involves energy transformation and matter cycling.

10. Isolated Metabolic Reactions

o Definition: Metabolic reactions that occur outside the living cell, in vitro.

o Important Points:

 Can occur in a test tube, demonstrating the biochemical nature of life

processes.

11. Photoperiod

o Definition: The duration of light and dark periods an organism is exposed to.

o Important Points:

 Influences various biological processes such as flowering, germination, and

reproduction in plants.

12. Self-Consciousness

o Definition: Awareness of oneself and the ability to reflect on one's own existence.

o Important Points:
  Unique to humans.

 Distinguishes humans from other animals.

13. Coma Patient - Brain Dead

o Definition: A state where a person is alive but lacks awareness and higher brain
functions.

o Important Points:

 A brain-dead patient cannot exhibit self-consciousness but may retain some

basic biological functions.

14. Living Organisms Linked by Genetic Material

o Definition: All living organisms share DNA as the genetic material.

o Important Points:

 DNA carries hereditary information and is passed from generation to

generation.

 Universal genetic code links all life forms.

15. Biodiversity

o Definition: The variety of life forms on Earth.

o Important Points:

 Includes diversity at the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels.

 Critical for ecosystem stability and resilience.

16. Nomenclature

o Definition: The system of naming living organisms.

o Important Points:

 Standardizes names to avoid confusion.

 Based on rules set by international codes.

17. Identification

o Definition: The process of determining the correct name and classification of an

organism.

o Important Points:

 Essential for studying biodiversity and understanding relationships among

organisms.

18. ICBN (International Code of Botanical Nomenclature)

o Definition: The set of rules for naming plants and algae.

o Important Points:
  Ensures consistency and universality in plant naming.

 Periodically updated to reflect new discoveries and changes.

19. ICZN (International Code of Zoological Nomenclature)

o Definition: The set of rules for naming animals.

o Important Points:

 Ensures consistency and universality in animal naming.

 Provides guidelines for naming new species and resolving naming conflicts.

20. Binomial Nomenclature

o Definition: The system of naming organisms using two terms: the genus name and
the species name.

o Important Points:

 Developed by Carolus Linnaeus.

 Genus name is capitalized, species name is not, and both are italicized (e.g.,
Homo sapiens).

21. Carolus Linnaeus and His Publications

o Definition: Swedish botanist who developed the binomial nomenclature system.

o Important Points:

 Published "Systema Naturae" which laid the foundation for modern

taxonomy.

 His work standardized the naming and classification of organisms.

22. Classification

o Definition: The process of arranging organisms into groups based on similarities and
differences.

o Important Points:

 Helps in understanding evolutionary relationships.

 Organized into a hierarchical system (kingdom, phylum, class, order, family,

genus, species).

23. Taxa

o Definition: Groups or categories used in classification.

o Important Points:

 Each taxon represents a level of organization (e.g., species, genus).

 Taxa reflect evolutionary relationships.

24. Taxonomy
 o Definition: The science of classifying organisms.

o Important Points:

 Involves naming, describing, and classifying organisms.

 Based on morphological, genetic, and biochemical evidence.

25. Modern Taxonomic Studies

o Definition: Contemporary approaches to taxonomy using advanced techniques.

o Important Points:

 Include molecular phylogenetics, genetic sequencing, and bioinformatics.

 Provide more accurate and detailed classification.

26. Processes Basic to Taxonomy

o Definition: Fundamental methods used in the study of taxonomy.

o Important Points:

 Involves identification, nomenclature, and classification.

 Requires careful observation, comparison, and documentation.

27. Systematics

o Definition: The study of the diversity of organisms and their evolutionary

relationships.

o Important Points:

 Derived from Latin "systema," meaning systematic arrangement.

 Encompasses taxonomy and phylogenetics.

28. Scope of Systematics Enlarged to Include...

o Definition: Systematics now includes a broader range of studies beyond traditional

taxonomy.

o Important Points:

 Incorporates evolutionary biology, ecology, and genetics.

 Aims to understand the origins and relationships of all life forms.

29. Systematics Takes into Account Evolutionary Relationships Between Organisms

o Definition: Systematics focuses on the evolutionary connections among species.

o Important Points:

 Uses phylogenetic trees to represent relationships.

 Helps in tracing the lineage and common ancestry of organisms.

 30. Taxonomic Categories

o Definition: The hierarchical levels in the classification system.

o Important Points:

 Includes kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.

 Each category represents a different level of organization and relationship.

31. Essential and Prime Source of Taxonomic Studies of Plants and Animals

o Definition: Specimen collections, literature, and databases are vital resources.

o Important Points:

 Herbaria, museums, and botanical gardens preserve specimens for study.

 Scientific publications and databases provide critical taxonomic information.

32. Derivations of Words

o Definition: The origins and meanings of scientific terms.

o Important Points:

 Many taxonomic terms are derived from Latin or Greek.

 Understanding derivations helps in comprehending scientific names and

classifications.

List of Words Derived from Greek and Latin

1. Biology:

o Greek: "Bios" (life) + "Logos" (study)

2. Taxonomy:

o Greek: "Taxis" (arrangement) + "Nomos" (law)

3. Botany:

o Greek: "Botane" (plant)

4. Zoology:

o Greek: "Zoon" (animal) + "Logos" (study)

5. Metabolism:

o Greek: "Metabole" (change)

6. Photosynthesis:

o Greek: "Photo" (light) + "Synthesis" (putting together)

7. Genetics:

o Greek: "Genesis" (origin)

8. Nucleus:

o Latin: "Nucleus" (kernel)

9. Species:

o Latin: "Species" (kind, form)

10. Evolution:

o Latin: "Evolutio" (unrolling)

11. Ecology:

o Greek: "Oikos" (house) + "Logos" (study)

12. Heredity:

o Latin: "Hereditaria" (inheritance)

13. Cytology:

o Greek: "Kytos" (cell) + "Logos" (study)

14. Anatomy:

o Greek: "Anatomia" (dissection)

15. Physiology:

o Greek: "Physis" (nature) + "Logos" (study)

16. Enzyme:

o Greek: "En" (in) + "Zyme" (leaven)

17. Chromosome:

o Greek: "Chroma" (color) + "Soma" (body)

18. Mitosis:

o Greek: "Mitos" (thread)

19. Mutation:

o Latin: "Mutatio" (change)

20. Symbiosis:

o Greek: "Syn" (together) + "Biosis" (living)