Question

Select the incorrect statement from the following. (A) NBRI is situated at Lucknow. (B) Plant families like Convolvulaceae and Solanaceae are included in the order polymoniales mainly based on the floral characters. (C) All living organisms such as from present, past and future are linked to one another by the sharing of the common genetic material but to varying degree. (D) The order Solanum, Datura and Petunia are placed in family Solanaceae. (a) (A) only (b) (B) and (D) only (c) (D) only (d) (B) and (C) only

Short answer

The incorrect statement is (B), hence the correct answer choice is (a) (B) only.

Step-by-step solution

Analyze Statement (A)

Statement (A) says 'NBRI is situated at Lucknow.' The National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) is a research institute of CSIR in Lucknow, indeed. This statement (A) is therefore correct.

Analyze Statement (B)

Statement (B) says 'Plant families like Convolvulaceae and Solanaceae are included in the order polymoniales mainly based on the floral characters.' According to the classification of plants, Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae are a part of Solanales order, not Polymoniales. Hence, this statement (B) is incorrect.

Analyze Statement (C)

Statement (C) says 'All living organisms such as from present, past and future are linked to one another by the sharing of the common genetic material but to varying degrees.' All living organisms are indeed linked to one another by sharing common genetic material as stated by the principle of common descent according to evolution. This statement (C) is correct.

Analyze Statement (D)

Statement (D) says 'The order Solanum, Datura and Petunia are placed in family Solanaceae.' Actually, Solanum, Datura, and Petunia are not orders but genera and they do belong to the family Solanaceae. Therefore, this statement (D) is correct.

Key concepts

Taxonomy

Taxonomy, the science of classification, plays a critical role in understanding the vast diversity of life on Earth. It is through taxonomy that biologists categorize and name organisms, both living and extinct, according to their natural relationships. Taxonomy is based on a hierarchical system that begins with domains and kingdoms, and further narrows down to phyla, classes, orders, families, genera, and species.

The importance of taxonomy can be seen in the way it communicates much about the organism. For example, the genus and species names, often in Latin, provide insights into an organism's characteristics or the person who discovered it. Classifications are not just important for naming organisms; they also allow scientists to infer information about the evolution, biology, and behavior of species.

The accuracy of the statement regarding the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), which is indeed located in Lucknow, reflects the importance of reliable information in taxonomy. Misplacing an institution or organism within a taxonomy can lead to confusion and miscommunication, highlighting the need for meticulous attention to detail in this scientific discipline.

Plant Classification

Plant classification is a specialized subset of taxonomy with its own unique set of challenges. It is designed to organize the immense variety of plant life into a structured system that reflects evolutionary relationships and morphological characteristics. The system considers a wide array of traits, from reproductive strategies and leaf patterns to the structural details of flowers and seeds.

Floral characteristics are particularly important in the classification of plant families, as they often indicate close evolutionary relationships. This is evident in the exercise solution that points out the incorrect grouping of plant families Convolvulaceae and Solanaceae under the order Polymoniales based on floral characteristics, as they actually belong to the order Solanales.

This correction exemplifies how plant classification is constantly evolving with new scientific discoveries. With improved techniques such as molecular phylogenetic analysis, botanists can now examine the genetic material of plants to refine their classification, ensuring a more accurate representation of plant relationships.

Evolutionary Biology

Evolutionary biology studies the origins and changes in the diversity of life over time. One of the fundamental principles in this field is the concept of common descent, which posits that all living beings share a common ancestor and thus, common genetic material. Evolution operates at the genetic level where mutations, natural selection, gene flow, and genetic drift influence the genetic makeup of populations, driving the evolutionary process.

The correct statement from the exercise, which mentions that all living organisms from the past, present, and future are linked by sharing common genetic material to varying degrees, underscores the unity of life from an evolutionary standpoint. The varying degrees of shared genetics amongst organisms define their evolutionary relationship, often visualized in the form of a phylogenetic tree.

This perspective has far-reaching implications in fields like medicine, agriculture, and conservation biology, where understanding the genetic links between organisms can help us develop new treatments, crops, and conservation strategies. As such, evolutionary biology not only explains the diversity and complexity of life but also provides the tools for manipulating and preserving it.