Biological Kingdoms

An introduction to the six kingdoms of living things

3 Domains

Archaea

Bacteria

Eukaryota

6 Kingdoms

Archaebacteria

Eubacteria

PlantaeFungi

AnimaliaProtista

Domain Eukaryota

Kingdom

Click video to play

Click here for the Animalia video.

Animals are a group of multicellular eukaryotic organisms. The word animal comes from the Latin

word animalis meaning “having breath.”

Animals are different from other eukaryotes in a

number of ways. First, animal cells lack the rigid

cell wall that plants, fungi, and algae have.

Second, animals are heterotrophic, meaning that

they must ingest other organisms in order to

survive. Heterotrophs are the consumers in the

food chain. Third, all animals are motile, or able to

move, at least during one stage of their life cycle.

Nearly all animals undergo some form of sexual

reproduction, where specialized sex cells form and

fuse together to form zygotes, which develop into

individuals. Some animals are also capable of

asexual reproduction, through budding or forms of

cloning.

The Kingdom Animalia is divided into approximately

40 Phyla including Phylum Chordata, which includes

all the vertebrate animals, or animals with a backbone

and spinal column. Humans, as well as fish, birds,

reptiles, amphibians, and other mammals, belong to

the Phylum Chordata. Other phyla include Phylum

Arthropoda, to which crabs, spiders, and insects

belong; and Phylum Nematoda, which are the

roundworms.

Domain Eukaryota

Click here for the Plantae video.

Kingdom PlantaeOrganisms from the Kingdom Plantae are multicellular eukaryotic

organisms. Plants have characteristics that make them different

from other eukaryotic organisms. One of the main differences is

that they are autotrophic, meaning they are able to make their own

food using simple inorganic substances. They do this through a

process known as photosynthesis, in which plants convert

sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into sugar and oxygen. Plants

are multicellular and, unlike animals, their cells have rigid cell

walls made from cellulose or hemicellulose.

Some species of plants reproduce sexually and some reproduce

asexually. In asexual reproduction, such as budding, an exact

copy of the parent is produced. Plant sexual reproduction can be

assisted by animals, as is the case with flowers and honeybees.

As the bees go from flower to flower collecting nectar, they carry

pollen, plant sex cells, with them and pollinate other plants.

Pollination is the first step in plant sexual reproduction.

The Kingdom Plantae is divided into 11 Phyla.

Phylum Coniferophyta are cone producing plants. Most of the

Conifers are evergreens like pines and firs.

Phylum Anthophyta are flowering, seed producing plants.

They are a very diverse group and include organisms such as

strawberry plants, palm trees, and water lilies.

Phylum Bryophyta are mosses- small, soft plants that don’t

have flowers or seeds. They absorb water and nutrients

through their leaves.

Plants are a very diverse group!

Domain Eukaryota

Kingdom

fungi

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Click here for the Fungi video.

Fungi are a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes

such organisms as yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. Many fungi

are multicellular, but some are unicellular.

Some differences between fungi and other eukaryotes are at the

cellular level. Fungal cells have cell walls that contain chitin,

unlike plant cell walls which contain cellulose. Another difference

between plant cells and fungal cells is that fungal cells lack

chloroplasts, so most fungi are heterotrophs. They take in

nutrients by absorbing them from their environment.

Fungi reproduction is complex. Many fungi reproduce both

asexually and sexually at different stages in their life cycles.

Fungal reproduction often involves the production and dispersal

of spores.

Fungi can be both harmful and helpful. Some fungi grow in or on

plants or animals causing disease, such as Dutch Elm Disease or

Ringworm. Other fungi, such as the mold that the antibiotic

penicillin is made from, can help organisms by killing bacteria.

Domain Eukaryota

KINGDOM PROTISTA

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Click here for the Protista video.

Protists are a diverse group of eukaryotic microorganisms. They do not

have much in common except that they are relatively simple eukaryotes.

They are either unicellular or multicellular without reaching the

specialized tissue level of organization. Protists include organisms such

as algae, amoebae, protozoans, euglena, and slime molds.

Protists live in almost any environment that contains liquid water.

Some protists, such as algae, are photosynthetic, so they are

autotrophs. Other protists are heterotrophs, obtaining nutrients from

their environment. Amoebae engulf, or take into their membrane, other

cells. This process is called phagocytosis.

Most protists reproduce asexually, through a form of cell division. Other

protists engage in a form of sexual reproduction.

Some protists are responsible for diseases such as malaria in humans

and potato blight in potato plants. Research scientists are

experimenting with ways to use protists to wipe out fire ants and other

pests.

Domain Bacteria

Kingdom Eubacteria

Click here for the Eubacteria video.

Kingdom Eubacteria

Organisms in the Kingdom Eubacteria are unicellular prokaryotes.

Prokaryotes do not have a membrane bound nucleus or membrane

bound organelles. Eubacteria are found in all habitats. Some eubacteria

remain independent as single cells and other group into colonies.

Eubacteria reproduce asexually through cell division.

Some eubacteria are autotrophic, making their own food, and others are

heterotrophic, taking in nutrients from their environment.

Eubacteria can cause various diseases, from strep throat to Rocky

Mountain spotted fever, but they can also be very helpful. Lactobacillus

is used to help make foods like cheese and yogurt, and is also present in

the human digestive system. Decomposing organic matter and cycling

nitrogen are also important functions of eubacteria.

Domain Archaea

Click here for the Archae video.

Organisms in Kingdom Archaebacteria are unicellular prokaryotes.

They have no membrane bound nucleus or organelles in their single

celled bodies. Archaebacteria are similar in size and shape to

eubacteria. The differences between the two have more to do with their

chemical and genetic make up. Some of the genes of archaebacteria

are more closely related to eukaryotes than eubacteria. The cell walls

of archaebacteria are different from both eubacteria and eukaryotes.

Like eubacteria, archaebacteria reproduce asexually through cell

division. They can also be autotrophic, making their own food, or

heterotrophic, obtaining food from their environment, just like

eubacteria.

Some archaebacteria are extremeophiles, living in extreme

environments such as in hot springs, extremely acidic environments,

polar seas, and even in extremely salty water.

The End