7.14.B:  describe the characteristics of the recognized kingdoms and their importance in ecosystems such as bacteria aiding digestion or fungi decomposing organic matter.

Describe

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RECOGNIZED KINGDOMS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE IN ECOSYSTEMS

Including, but not limited to:

• Kingdom – second largest grouping in organism classification, as in the animal kingdom

• Archaea

  • Characteristics:

    • Single-celled

    • Live in extreme environments, like hot springs and very salty water

  • Importance in ecosystem

    • Involved in nutrient cycling

    • Primary producers and consumers of organic matter within high-temperature ecosystems

• Bacteria 

  • Characteristics:

    • Single-celled

    • Includes bacteria of all types, like the kind that are in soil, water, and other living things

    • Some are heterotrophs, and others are autotrophs.

  • Importance in ecosystem

    • Involved in nutrient cycling

• Protista 

  • Characteristics:

    • Mostly single-celled

    • Some are heterotrophs, and some are autotrophs.

    • Includes amoeba, algae, and paramecium

  • Importance in ecosystem

    • Primary producers

    • Decomposers

• Fungi 

  • Characteristics:

    • Single or multicellular

    • Includes mushrooms, yeast, and mold

    • Heterotrophs

    • Reproduce with spores

    • Have cell walls

  • Importance in ecosystem

    • Decomposers

• Plantae 

  • Characteristics:

    • Multicellular

    • Cells are surrounded by cell walls.

    • Autotrophs

    • Make their own food using photosynthesis

    • Reproduce

  • Importance in ecosystem

    • Producers

    • Base of almost all ecosystems

    • Provides food and habitats

• Animalia – kingdom of multicellular eukaryotic heterotrophs whose cells do not have cell walls

  • Characteristics:

    • Multicellular

    • Heterotrophs

    • Can be separated into vertebrates or invertebrates

    • Sexual reproduction

  • Importance in ecosystem

    • Secondary-Tertiary consumers

    • Consumers that recycle matter in the ecosystem