Explain merits and demerits of Whittaker’s classification.👇
Ans. 👇
I. Merits of Whittaker’s
classification:
(1) The classification system that
Whittaker has adapted is totally based on scientific foundation.
(2) Prokaryotes are placed separately in a
different kingdom. The prokaryotic organisms are different from other
organisms, thus placing them separately is justified.
(3) All unicellular eukaryotic organisms
are clubbed together in one kingdom named, Protista. This has helped to solve
the placement of Euglena.
(4) Euglena has chloroplasts like plants
but as animals it has flagella and thus there was conflict about such species
during previous classification systems. It was placed in protozoa previously.
(5) Fungi are saprophytic and hence they
are placed separately in a unique kingdom.
(6) According to five kingdom
classification, the cell structure, organization of cell, mode of nutrition lifestyle
and phylogenetic relationship are taken into consideration.
(7)
therefore, the system of 5 kingdom classification become most authentic system
of biological classification.
II.
Demerits of Whittaker’s method of Classification:
(1)
Some organisms belonging to Monera and Protista have ability to perform
photosynthesis. Thus, they show mode of nutrition as autotrophic, while others
are heterotrophic. Similarly, some Monerans have cell wall and some Protista
also have cell wall. This becomes confusing during their placement.
(2) In kingdom Protista, organisms show varied characteristics.
In spite of this they are placed together.
(3) In kingdoms, Plantae, Animalia and Fungi the, organisms
having primitive characters and were initial examples during evolution are not
included. E.g. In Kingdom Animalia, amoeba is not included though it is said to
be unicellular animal. This creates confusion.
(4) Similarly, if algae are unicellular, they are placed in
kingdom Protista and if they are multicellular, they are placed in kingdom
Plantae. In reality, unicellular and multicellular algae both show much
similarity. But due to Whittaker's classification system they are placed awayfrom each other.
(5) Species of algae such as Chlorella, Chlamydomonas are
not included in Kingdom Protista.
(6) Viruses are not included in any of the kingdoms by
Whittaker. Their classification has become a point of debate among
the biologists.
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