How would a scientist justify choosing cellular organisation as a more fundamental characteristic for the basis of classification rather than the presence of xylem and phloem?

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Educart · Accepted Answer

A scientist would justify this choice on the following grounds:

(1) Cellular organisation is a universal feature applicable to all living organisms, including bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. It reflects the most basic and ancient division in the living world.

(2) Cellular organisation determines how genetic material is organised, how cellular processes are carried out, and the level of complexity an organism can attain. These are far more fundamental biological properties than the presence of specific conducting tissues.

(3) Features used for classification should be broad enough to distinguish major groups organisms across all kingdoms. Cellular organisation fulfils this requirement whereas the presence of xylem and phloem classifies only a subset within the plant kingdom.

Therefore, cellular organisation is a more fundamental and universally applicable criterion for classification.

How would a scientist justify choosing cellular organisation as a more fundamental characteristic for the basis of classification rather than the presence of xylem and phloem?

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