7 Kingdoms of Life
Today, living things are separated into large groups called kingdoms. They are classified mainly according to their cell structure and methods of respiration, nutrition and reproduction.
For example, fungi feed through absorption, animals feed through ingestion (eating) and plants mostly feed themselves through photosynthesis (as discussed, they use the sun’s energy to create sugars from carbon dioxide and water).
Current thinking is that there are 6 kingdoms:
1. Archaebacteria (Domain Archaebacteria – ancient bacteria)
2. Eubacteria (Domain (True) Bacteria)
3. Protista
4. Fungi (absorption)
5. Animalia (ingestion)
6. Plantae (photosynthesis)
Some people argue that viruses may form a seventh kingdom.
NOTE: Classification is evolving continually!!