Taxonomy - a systematic approach to classifying living organisms
Biologists arrange and classify living organisms based on traits they may or may not share with other living organisms. This can be a very noticeable trait or something not as evident. However, from this organized, systematic method, all living organisms (plants, animals, or fungus) can be classified into a category by themselves. On this basis, a new field of science was born. This field of science was called taxonomy. Modern scietific taxonomy is based on physical characteristics and genetic characteristics.
Taxonomy was founded by a Swedish scientist, Carolus Linnaeus. In 1758, Linnaeus pusblished a book, Systema Naturae, on how he classified animals. Because latin was the international language at the time, the names given to the living organisms was in latin. His method of categorizing and naming animals worked similar to a filing system with heirarchical levels. The top levels included organisms that shared many characteristics while the bottom level narrowed similarities to just one. The heirarchical levels are arranged in order from more inclusive to less inclusive. Each level is given a name. The are as follows kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. Within each level there can be sublevels to further classify organisms. Species is the most basic unit for taxonomy. A group of species can make up a genus. Likewise, a group of genre can make a family. And this method of orgainzation continues to the level kingdom.
Carolus Linnaeus
Carolus Linnaeus worked in many fields of science. These included zoology, medicine, and botany. Through his work, he laid the basis of binomial nomenclature. He is considered the father of taxonomy and ecology. Carolus Linnaeus' last name actually came from the latin name of a tree in his home in Sweden. His father was one of the first to adopt a permanent last name. He attended Uppsala University and taught botany there in 1730. Five years later, Linnaeus began writing Systema Naturae in the Netherlands. During the 1740's, Linnaeus began finding, cataloging, and classifying plants and animals. He continued this work well into the 1760's. At the time of his death, he had made impressions of several philosophers and authors of his time. He was known as one of the greatest scientists of his time. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote "With the exception of Shakespeare and Spinoza, I know no one among the no longer living who has influenced me more strongly." Jean-Jacques Rosseau said in a message "Tell him I know no greater man on earth."