Question

Why do you think classification system has undergone changes over the years?

Accepted Answer

The classification system has undergone several changes over the years. This can be justified as follows:

The earliest system of classification was proposed by Aristotle. He classified plants as herbs, shrubs, and trees. Animals were classified on the basis of the presence or absence of red blood cells. This system of classification failed to classify all the known organisms.

Carolus Linnaeus proposed a two-kingdom system of classification. It consists of kingdom Plantae and kingdom Animalia. This system failed to differentiate between unicellular and multicellular organisms and between eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Therefore, the position of numerous organisms could not be justified by this system. Further, Ernest Haeckel, placed unicellular eukaryotic organisms into a separate kingdom named Protista and hence, gave three kingdom system of classification.

After that Copeland placed all prokaryotic organisms into a separate kingdom named Monera and hence, Four-Kingdom systems of classification came into existence.

And lastly, a five-kingdom system of classification was proposed by R.H. Whittaker in 1969 to separate non-chlorophyllous, decomposer organism into a separate kingdom named Fungi. So five kingdoms now are: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. As a whole, it can be said that the systems of classification has undergone changes over the years because the two, three, and four kingdom systems of classification were unable to justify the position of each organism in the particular kingdom.

Water hyacinth	Evergreen
Mangroves	Spines
Conifers	Shed leaves
Cactus	Breathing roots
Deciduous trees	Air pockets

Why do you think classification system has undergone changes over the years?

Important Questions on Diversity in Living Organisms

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