The study of taxonomy has impacted how I view the individuality of each organism since it has opened my eyes to show that each organism is connected yet so different. The science of classification in general—taxonomy is more specifically the classification of living and extinct creatures—is. Taxonomy comes from the Greek words taxis (“arrangement”) and nomos (“law”). So taxonomic classification is, by definition, the methodology and principles of the classification of living organisms. The broadest level of taxonomic classification is the domain of the organism. Based on variations in the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) nucleotide sequences, membrane lipid structures, and antibiotic sensitivity, organisms can be categorized into one of three domains. The Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya are the three domains. Since the cells that make up our organism, the Visayan Warty Pigs, have nuclei that are encased in nuclear membranes and grow to become enormous, complex animals, they can be categorized as Eukarya. The next level of classification in the taxonomic hierarchy is the kingdom of the organism. Animal, plant, fungal, protist, and monera are the five kingdoms that make up all living things. Our organism is in the animal kingdom. The animal kingdom is made up of organisms with eukaryotic cells that are multicellular creatures. The cells lack cell walls and are arranged into tissues. They don't engage in photosynthesis and get most of their nutrition through eating. Our organism is an animal since its cells lack cell walls and are arranged into tissues, and it can’t make its own food. The third level of classification is phylum, our organism is in the Chordata phylum. Animals in the phylum Chordata have support systems for their dorsal, or back, sides. The majority of the species found in the phylum Chordata are vertebrates, or backboned animals. Our organism falls within the class Mammalia at the fourth level of categorization, a collection of living things with a shared characteristic further subdivided into one or more orders. The class of vertebrate creatures known as Mammalia, is distinguished by the presence of mammary glands, which in females produce milk for feeding their offspring, as well as fur or hair. The Visayan Warty Pig is under this class since it has fur or hair and feeds its offspring with its mammary glands. Our organism is classified at the order level, which is the fourth level of classification, as an artiodactyla. Any animal that belongs to the group of mammals known as even-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla), which also includes pigs, peccaries, hippopotamuses, camels, chevrotains, deer, giraffes, pronghorn, antelopes, sheep, goats, and cattle. The Visayan Warty Pig is under this order since it is a pig and has even-toed ungulates. The Visayan Warty Pig is a member of the Suidae family, a group of mammals with stout bodies and short legs that are known for their distinctive snouts. This family includes pigs, boars, and warthogs, and these animals use their snouts for digging and foraging for food. Suidae are omnivorous and can be found in a variety of habitats, such as forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Like other members of the Suidae family, the Visayan Warty Pig eats both plants and animals.. The second to last classification is genus, the Visayan Warty Pig is under the sus genus. The pig (Sus domesticus), sometimes known as swine, hog, or domestic pig to distinguish it from other Sus species, is a domesticated, omnivorous mammal with even toes and a hoof. The Visayan Warty Pig’s scientific name is Sus cebifrons. The Latin word "Sus" means pig, and the species name "cebifrons" likely refers to the long mane and forehead tuft of the animal. It is also a reference to the island of Cebu where the type specimen was collected. This species is sometimes called the "Cebu bearded pig" because of this connection. Although it is now extinct on Cebu, the name remains. The study of taxonomic classification helps me appreciate the uniqueness of the different organisms in the world and the environment since with the different levels to the taxonomic classification it narrows down the organism’s different traits to make it unique to itself. The process of identifying the levels in the taxonomic chart makes you understand and appreciate the unique characteristics of each organism. Taxonomic classification might seem like a very boring or tedious process to people but studying it made me learn to appreciate it, since it is a very delicate process that scientists use to name organisms. Since every organism is unique to itself, I think that we should show respect to its uniqueness by appreciating the process that goes into naming and classifying them.

Biodiversity is derived from the greek word “Bios” meaning life and “diversitas” which means variety or difference. The whole word biodiversity generally therefore means variety of life or difference of life in a place. In general, biodiversity is the diversity of living organisms on Earth, including plants, animals, microbes, and fungi. Although there are still more species to be discovered due to Earth's abundant variety, many species are in danger of going extinct due to humans or other organisms, endangering the planet's stunning richness. Some people might put off biodiversity as something that needs to be protected or kept in good condition since it may not seem relevant to them but biodiversity is very important to us. The systems that sustain all life on Earth, including humans, depend on biodiversity. We cannot have the healthy ecosystems that we depend on to give us the air we breathe and the food we consume without a diverse variety of animals, plants, and microorganisms. For example, if there is a drastic decrease in the number of species of plants and animals, there will be less food available for us humans to consume. If we don’t maintain a healthy biodiversity, it can lead to species’ population decreasing, making them endangered or even worse extinct. Our organism the Visayan Warty Pig (Sus cebifrons) require dense forested areas as well as grasslands but unfortunately 95% of their natural habitats were destroyed especially in the lowlands. They lost their habitat due to humans not being able to keep the biodiversity healthy/stable. The word "ecology" is derived from the Greek word "logos," which means "learning about," and "eco" from the Greek word "oikos," which means "home." This simply means that ecology is the study of the relationships between organisms and their physical environment. One example can be the food chain and food web. The food chain is the sequence of transferring of energy from one organism to another. Food webs and food chains are connected since all organisms consume more than one organism to survive. Mainly at the bottom of the food chain/web are the plants (also called producers because they can produce for themselves) since the plants use photosynthesis to create food for itself, it doesn’t need to feed on another organism so other organisms feed on plants. On the other hand the organisms that are on the top of the food chain are called predators, predators are mainly carnivores which feed on plant-eating animals. An example of a food chain can be a grasshopper eating grass (which is a producer). The grasshopper might be eaten by a rat, then the rat gets eaten by a snake, then finally a hawk eats the snake. Another example of ecology are the relationships between the organisms in the ecosystem. For our organism its relationships between the trees in its ecosystem is that it eats the fruits/seeds of the trees then later on poops it out which helps populate the tree population.

Based on my study of and reflections on ecology, biodiversity, and taxonomic classification. It has taught me to value and respect the individuality of every organism. I learned from my research and reflection how everything is intertwined and how each organism depends on the others for resources. For instance, our organism, the Visayan Warty Pig (Sus cebifrons), consumes fruit from trees and then poops it, aiding in the dispersal of the tree's seeds. The seed dispersal area would be less if the Visayan Warty Pig died extinct since it wouldn't be able to poop out the seeds. I also learnt that many species, not just those found in the Philippines, are at risk due to either natural or man-made dangers. I have some ideas on how to decrease our damaging effects on the ecosystem since there isn't much we can do about the natural risks. Despite my youth, there are many things I can do to protect the environment. For instance, giving up the usage of single-use plastics like bags, cutlery, and other items is one way I can do my part to protect the environment. I can use eco-bags in place of plastic bags, paper straws in place of plastic straws, or even no straw at all. I can also use metal cutlery in place of plastic utensils. By reducing the amount of plastics used, it should reduce pollution and climate change, which are harming our ecosystem. The 3Rs are a further easy method to help the environment (reduce, recycle and reuse). To reduce means that the best way to manage waste is to not produce it. To recycle means to reuse products especially if the product is plastic. Recycling is the process of taking a discarded product and processing, remanufacturing, and using it as a new one. The 3Rs aim to save energy and decrease the emissions of greenhouse gasses that fuel climate change. promotes environmental protection for future generations. less garbage will need to be recycled or transferred to landfills and incinerators. Saving the resources we have, such as water, electricity, food, and other resources, is a third easy strategy to protect the environment. We can turn off the faucets that are not in use, turn off the appliances that are not in use, and stop wasting food by finishing the food we have. In conclusion, conserving resources will help us protect the environment by reducing the amount of resources used to produce items that cause climate change.