Chapter 3: Diversity in Living Things and Their Classification
Solved textbook questions with step-by-step explanations.
Grade 6 Q&A: Chapter 3: Diversity in Living Things and Their Classification
Welcome to the Questions and Answers section for Grade 6 Environmental Studies (Part One), Chapter 3: "Diversity in Living Things and Their Classification." This chapter delves deeper into the incredible variety of life on Earth, exploring how plants and animals differ based on their habitats, structures, and adaptations. We will learn about different types of plants and animals and the scientific methods used to classify them into groups.
Important Questions and Answers
Q1: What is meant by 'diversity in living things'?
Answer: Diversity in living things refers to the wide variety of plants and animals found on Earth, differing in their forms, sizes, colors, habitats, and characteristics.
Q2: How do plants show diversity based on their habitats?
Answer: Plants show diversity based on habitats by adapting to different environments, such as terrestrial plants (on land), aquatic plants (in water), desert plants, and plants in snowy regions.
Q3: Give examples of terrestrial plants.
Answer: Examples of terrestrial plants include mango, banyan, neem, and most common trees and shrubs found on land.
Q4: What are the characteristics of desert plants?
Answer: Desert plants have adaptations like thick stems to store water, small or no leaves (often modified into thorns) to reduce water loss, and deep roots to absorb water from deep underground. Example: Cactus.
Q5: How do plants in snowy regions adapt to their environment?
Answer: Plants in snowy regions (like conifers) have conical shapes to prevent snow accumulation on branches, and needle-like leaves with a waxy coating to withstand cold and reduce water loss.
Q6: What are aquatic plants? Give an example.
Answer: Aquatic plants are plants that live in water. Examples include water lily, lotus, and hydrilla.
Q7: What is the main difference between flowering and non-flowering plants?
Answer: Flowering plants produce flowers, fruits, and seeds (e.g., rose, mango), while non-flowering plants do not produce flowers or seeds, reproducing through spores or other means (e.g., ferns, mosses).
Q8: What are trees, shrubs, and herbs?
Answer:
- Trees: Tall, large plants with a hard, woody stem (trunk) and branches (e.g., Banyan, Neem).
- Shrubs: Medium-sized plants with hard, woody stems that branch out near the ground (e.g., Rose, Hibiscus).
- Herbs: Small plants with soft, green stems, usually living for a short period (e.g., Spinach, Basil).
Q9: What are climbers and creepers?
Answer:
- Climbers: Plants with weak stems that need support to grow upright (e.g., Money plant, Grapevine).
- Creepers: Plants with weak stems that grow along the ground (e.g., Pumpkin, Watermelon).
Q10: How do animals show diversity based on their habitats?
Answer: Animals show diversity based on habitats by living in different environments like land (terrestrial), water (aquatic), both land and water (amphibious), or air (aerial).
Q11: Give examples of terrestrial animals.
Answer: Examples of terrestrial animals include deer, tiger, cow, and dog.
Q12: Give examples of aquatic animals.
Answer: Examples of aquatic animals include fish, whale, dolphin, and octopus.
Q13: What are amphibians? Give an example.
Answer: Amphibians are animals that can live both on land and in water, typically having moist skin and laying eggs in water. Example: Frog, Salamander.
Q14: What are aerial animals? Give an example.
Answer: Aerial animals are animals adapted for flight, spending much of their time in the air. Examples include birds and bats.
Q15: What are reptiles? Give an example.
Answer: Reptiles are cold-blooded animals typically having scales, and most lay eggs on land. Examples include snakes, lizards, and crocodiles.
Q16: What are mammals? Give an example.
Answer: Mammals are warm-blooded animals that typically have hair or fur, give birth to live young, and feed their young with milk. Examples include humans, cows, and elephants.
Q17: What is the purpose of classification in the living world?
Answer: The purpose of classification is to organize and group living organisms based on their similarities and differences, making it easier to study, identify, and understand the vast diversity of life.
Q18: Who proposed the scientific method of classifying living things?
Answer: Carl Linnaeus is known as the "Father of Taxonomy" for developing the modern system of classifying organisms.
Q19: How do animals adapt to cold regions? Give an example.
Answer: Animals in cold regions adapt by having thick fur or layers of fat to keep warm (e.g., polar bear), or by hibernating during winter. Example: Polar bear, Penguin.
Q20: What are parasites in plants? Give an example.
Answer: Parasites in plants are those that depend on other plants for their food. Example: Cuscuta (Dodder plant) which grows on other plants and absorbs nutrients.
Q21: How do carnivorous plants obtain food? Give an example.
Answer: Carnivorous plants trap and digest insects or small animals to obtain nutrients, especially nitrogen, from them. Example: Venus flytrap, Pitcher plant.
Q22: What are some common criteria used for classifying plants?
Answer: Plants can be classified based on their size (trees, shrubs, herbs), presence of flowers (flowering, non-flowering), habitat (terrestrial, aquatic, desert), and lifespan (annual, biennial, perennial).
Q23: What are some common criteria used for classifying animals?
Answer: Animals can be classified based on their habitat (terrestrial, aquatic, aerial, amphibious), presence of backbone (vertebrates, invertebrates), mode of reproduction (egg-laying, live birth), and food habits (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores).
Q24: What is the importance of understanding diversity in the living world?
Answer: Understanding diversity helps us appreciate the complexity of ecosystems, recognize the interconnectedness of life, and realize the importance of conserving different species for ecological balance.
Q25: What is the scientific name of humans?
Answer: The scientific name of humans is *Homo sapiens*.
Q26: How do plants that grow in grasslands differ from desert plants?
Answer: Grassland plants typically have fibrous root systems that hold soil and can withstand grazing, while desert plants have adaptations to conserve water due to scarcity.
Q27: What is the role of roots in plants?
Answer: Roots anchor the plant to the ground, absorb water and minerals from the soil, and sometimes store food.
Q28: What is the role of stems in plants?
Answer: Stems support the plant, transport water and nutrients between roots and leaves, and hold leaves, flowers, and fruits.
Q29: How do leaves help plants?
Answer: Leaves are the primary sites for photosynthesis, where plants make their food using sunlight, and they also play a role in transpiration (water loss).
Exercise Solutions
Q1: Fill in the blanks.
- Plants that grow in water are called aquatic plants.
- The cactus plant is found in desert regions.
- Animals that live both on land and in water are called amphibians.
- Birds are aerial animals.
- The scientific system of classification was developed by Carl Linnaeus.
Q2: Match the pairs.
(Note: As an AI, I cannot create interactive matching. I will provide the correct pairs.)
- Rose - Shrub
- Banyan - Tree
- Spinach - Herb
- Money plant - Climber
- Pumpkin - Creeper
Q3: True or False.
- All plants have flowers. False
- Desert plants have broad leaves. False
- Fish are aquatic animals. True
- Mammals give birth to live young. True
- Classification helps in studying living things. True
Q4: Answer the following questions.
- What is diversity in plants?
Answer: Diversity in plants refers to the wide variety of plant forms, sizes, structures, and adaptations found in different habitats, from tiny algae to giant trees. - How do animals adapt to their habitats?
Answer: Animals adapt to their habitats by developing specific body features or behaviors that help them survive in their environment, such as gills for aquatic animals, fur for cold regions, or wings for aerial animals. - What is the importance of classification of living things?
Answer: Classification of living things is important because it helps scientists and students to organize, study, identify, and understand the relationships between the vast number of different organisms on Earth in a systematic way. - Give examples of different types of animals based on their habitat.
Answer: Examples include terrestrial animals (e.g., deer), aquatic animals (e.g., fish), amphibious animals (e.g., frog), and aerial animals (e.g., birds).
Q5: Give reasons.
- Desert plants have small or no leaves.
Reason: Desert plants have small or no leaves (often modified into thorns) to reduce the loss of water through transpiration, as water is scarce in desert environments. - Birds have hollow bones.
Reason: Birds have hollow bones to make their bodies lighter, which is an important adaptation that helps them to fly efficiently. - It is easier to study living things after classification.
Reason: It is easier to study living things after classification because grouping them based on similarities and differences helps to organize the vast diversity, making it simpler to identify, compare, and learn about their characteristics systematically.
References
- Maharashtra State Board Environmental Studies (Part One) Standard Six Textbook (2015 Edition) - Chapter 3: Diversity in Living Things and Their Classification.
- Maharashtra State Board 6th Standard Environmental Studies Syllabus.
- Balbharati Environmental Studies Part 1 Textbook.