The diversity of living organisms

Such is the pressure on teaching time in schools and universities that students are taught less and less of the diversity that is life on this planet. Most students, and indeed most professional biologists that these students become, know far more of cell function than of biodiversity. This text is a profusely illustrated, quick-reference guide to all types of living organisms, from the single-celled prokaryotes and eurkaryotes to the multicellular fungi, plants and animals. All surviving phyla and their component classes are characterised and described, as are their lifestyles, ecology, relationships, and within-group diversity (with orders displayed in list form). Overall, the book's aim is to provide biologists and others with a clear, concise picture of the nature of all groups of organisms with which they may be unfamiliar. The Diversity of Living Organisms is an accessible, descriptive and richly illustrated account of all the known groups of living organisms down to the taxonomic level of class. It provides a succinct overview of the five kingdoms including a full index allowing easy and direct reference for students in any branch of the life sciences.