Levels of Taxonomy
There are three levels of taxonomy corresponding with three periods of taxonomy:
- Alpha taxonomy: This is the level of taxonomy by which species are characterized and naming of the species is done.
- Beta taxonomy: This is the level of taxonomy by which the arrangement of species in their natural system of categories is made.
- Gamma taxonomy: This is the level of taxonomy which deals with the intra specific variations and evolutionary sequence and also a causal interpretation of organic diversity.
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is derived from two Greek words taxis, meaning order, and nomos, meaning rule. The system of naming and categorizing flora, fauna, and microorganisms is known as taxonomy. Taxonomists identify and classify species using observations of their morphology, behaviour, genetics, and biochemistry. It is estimated that between 10 and 15 million species have evolved on Earth but taxonomists have only identified 1.78 million species of plants, animals, and microorganisms to date. Taxonomy is not limited to just biology but it has been developed in other practical fields also such as computing.
Table of Content
- Classification of organisms
- The Linnaean system ( Naming of organisms)
- Three Domains of Classification
- Whittaker’s five kingdom classification
- Plant Taxonomy
- Animal Taxonomy
- Levels of Taxonomy
- FAQ’s on Taxonomy