Surveying Kingdom Diversity
Lab
Many biologists classify living things into six kingdoms. The organisms in a
kingdom have fundamental characteristics in common. For example, the organisms of
two kingdoms are made of prokaryotic cells, while the organisms in the other four
kingdoms are made of eukaryotic cells. Some kingdoms contain only unicellular or
colonial organisms while others contain only multicellular organisms, and some
contain both.
Materials for lab:
 Compound Microscopes
 Specimens
 Slide specimens
 Lab notebook
 Pencil
Procedure A: Before you begin
1. Write a definition for each bolded term in the paragraph above and for each of
the following terms: tissue, organ, system, autotroph, heterotroph.
Procedure B: Conducting a survey
With your lab group visit the station for each kingdom. Examine the specimens and
answer the questions in your lab book in complete sentences. You may use the book
or notes to help you.
1. Bacteria: Examine the different slides and pictures of Archaebaceria.
a. How do you think the size of bacterial cells compare with the size of cells
in the other kingdoms? Are they larger or smaller? How can you tell?
b. How do the different bacteria appear to obtain energy (nutrition)? Can
they make their food or must they ingest it? How can you tell?
2. Protists: Examine the prepared slides of amoeba and paramecium and pictures
in the books.
a. What does a microscope reveal about the cell type and body types of
these three specimens?
b. How do the protists compare in size to the bacteria cells? Are they larger
or smaller? How can you tell? (hint: magnification)
c. How do these protozoans appear to obtain their nutrition? (Hint: green
indicated chloroplasts)
d. Take a look at the Algae (seaweed). How does it differ from the
protozoans?
3. Fungi: Examine the mushrooms and yeast and pictures in textbook
a. Are fungi unicellular, multicellular or both?
b. How do the Fungi appear to obtain nutrition? Are they autotrophic or
heterotrophic? (hint: color)
4. Plants: Examine the live and preserved specimens
a. What are the most striking characteristics shared by these plants?
b. Hoe does the plant cell different from the cell of an animal?
5. Animals: Examine the preserved specimens (and live ones…YOU!)
a. What is one of the most striking characteristics shared by these animals
(Not that they are dead!!)
b. What is one of the most striking differences among these animals?
Analysis questions:
1. What are the main differences observed among the six kingdoms?
How does the size of the bacterial cells compare with the cell size in the other
kingdoms?
2. How does the size of bacterial cells compare with the cell size in the other
kingdoms?
3. How did you determine the cell type fro each kingdom? What do you look for in
the organisms to tell the difference?
4. Which kingdom exhibits the most diversity? Explain your answer.