Systematics is the science necessary to establish order in the diverse world of wildlife. Without a simple, understandable, and also well-organized system, it is impossible for scientists to easily understand each other. Nevertheless, the science of systematics has evolved over several centuries.
History of systematics
Which scientist is considered the founder of taxonomy? Konrad Gesner, who lived in the 16th century, was one of the first to try to systematize known living organisms. Later, the British, Italians and Dutch used and improved, and also introduced their own kind of system of the world of wildlife. The Englishman John Ray in the 17th century proposed to streamline numerous organisms, using knowledge of the differences and similarities between them. This proposal was a significant step forward in the development of biology.
Nevertheless, Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist, is recognized as the founder of taxonomy.
It was he who proposed binary nomenclature instead of long names of animal and plant species. Carl Linnaeus - the founder of modern taxonomy,the same one that is used all over the world at the present time. It has not become obsolete due to its simplicity and ease of use.
Biography of Carl Linnaeus
The founder of systematics was born in a Swedish village in the family of a priest in 1707. He became interested in the plant world as a child. However, after graduating from high school, on the advice of a teacher, he entered the medical department of the university. As a result, the founder of taxonomy became a doctor of medical sciences. He used his knowledge as a doctor throughout his life. He treated people using herbs, which he was well versed in, as he was fond of botany since childhood.
Carl Linnaeus visited Lapland, different parts of his native country, on the islands of the B altic Sea. Everywhere, the founder of taxonomy was engaged in the study of plants and their distribution into taxonomic groups.
Binary nomenclature
View is the basic unit of taxonomy in biology. Organisms of the same species interbreed and produce full-fledged offspring. It was Carl Linnaeus who came up with how to designate species names. The founder of systematics described each type of organism in two words: the first word is the name of the genus (higher taxon), and the second is the species name proper. In this case, there is minimal confusion in concepts, because there are still much fewer genera in biology than species.
Moreover, Carl Linnaeus attributed each species of organism to taxonomic groups of different hierarchies. He used the concepts of class, order, genus and species. Hierarchy in biology allows you to restore complete order in a huge numberrepresentatives of wildlife. For example, the rock dove belongs to the genus of pigeons, the family of pigeons, the order of pigeon-like birds, and the class of birds.
The taxonomy of Carl Linnaeus is presented in Latin. In it, each species has a specific, unique name for it. For example, the wolf is Canis lupus. The genus Canis, which means "wolf", includes different types of wolves, including jackals. The species name (Canis lupus) includes only individuals capable of producing full-fledged offspring. Around the world, the common wolf has formed about 37 subspecies: red wolf, tundra wolf, dog, wild dog dingo and many others.
A little later, a slight confusion arose that the same species can have several specific names in Latin: either the generic name or the specific word changes. This is due to the work of various scientists or the fact that experts have not determined which specific genus the representative of the world of wildlife belongs to.
The great work of Carl Linnaeus
The founder of taxonomy determined the place of man in the system of the world of wildlife. He described himself as Homo sapiens and attributed the species of humans to primates. The description is given in the work of the author "The System of Nature".
The same work describes the division of the natural world into animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms.
Thus, scientists consider Carl Linnaeus the founder of modern taxonomy, because he did the mostgreat work to establish the principles of classification of living organisms. These principles are still in use today. Binary nomenclature and hierarchy in taxonomy have proven to be practical.
