1. Taxonomy, Classification, and Identification Karl Hagenbuch Department of Biological Sciences San Antonio College

2. Taxonomy = the study of naming, describing and classifying organisms, including the rules, theories, principles and procedures Taxon = a group of organisms recognized at any level of a taxonomical hierarchy (e. g. Family, Class)

3. Classification = the orderly arrangement of organisms into a hierarchal system that is derived from an accumulation of information about the individual organisms, the end result expressing an interrelationship Why? Because it provides humans with a means to address organisms and their relationships to one another Because it allows humans to make inferences about unfamiliar organisms Because it is in our nature

4. Classification Systems: Artificial = based on obvious or convenient items of information called characters (e.g. flower color, locality). Natural = based on morphological features that give the sense of correlation with those of another organism. (e.g. trees, grasses) Phylogenetic = based on the proposed lineage derived from a wide variety of information.

7. Carl von Linné Carolus Linnaeus Swedish botanist, zoologist, and physician First to illustrate the usefulness of binomial nomenclature Developed the modern taxonomic hierarchy Binomial Nomenclature Modern Hierarchy (Biological Classification) Domain – Eukarya Kingdom – Animalia Phylum – Cordata Class – Mammalia Order – Primates Family – Hominidae Genus – Homo Species – Homo sapiens Specific epithets: Descriptives – Quercus macrocarpa = Oak with big fruit Honorifics – Quercus buckleyi = Oak named for Mr. Buckley Localities – Quercus virginiana = Oak first described in Virginia = a two-word name consisting of a generic name and a specific epithet Current system recognizes 3 Domains: Eukarya: Kingdom Animalia Kingdom Plantae Kingdom Fungi Archaea & Bacteria The previously recognized Kingdoms of Protista & Monera have been disolved

8. Phylogenetic Classification = the evolutionary history of a species or group of species Typically represented as a phylogenetic tree (cladogram) a branching diagram showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological species or other taxa that are believed to have a common ancestor The Pylogenetic Tree

10. Time

11. Species 1 Species 2 Species 3

14. Identification = the assigning of an existing name to an unknown organism Methods Expert assistance – local university, school, museum Comparison method – guide books, internet Dichotomous key – local manuals, floras

15. Dichotomous Key Keys based on a sequence of pairs of contrasting statements The user chooses the statement that better describes the plant in question Each time a choice is made a number of plants are eliminated Eventually the number of possible identifications is reduced to one

16. Dichotomous Key 1. Growth habit an herb 1. Growth habit a vine, shrub or tree . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . 4 4. Growth habit a vine 4. Growth habit a shrub or tree . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . 7 7. Growth habit a shrub 7. Growth habit a tree . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

17. Dichotomous Key 30. Leaf arrangement opposite 30. Leaf arrangement whorled or alternate . . . . Fraxinus . 31 31. Leaves simple 31. Leaves compound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 32. Venation palmate 32. Venation pinnate or reticulate . . . . . . . Washingtonia . . . . . . 33

18. Dichotomous Key 33. Margin entire 33. Margin toothed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 34. Lobes present 34. Lobes absent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 35. Blades palmately lobed 35. Blades pinnately lobed . . . . . Platanus . . . . . . . . . 36

19. Dichotomous Key 36. Lobes rounded 36. Lobes pointed . . . Quercus macrocarpa . . . . . Quercus buckleyi

20. Thank You It is both an honor and pleasure to speak before the Master Naturalist I wish you all continued success