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Diversity in the Living World

NCERT Class 6 · Science Based on NCERT Class 6 Science textbook · Free CBSE study kit

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Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter introduces students to the immense variety of plants and animals around us, known as biodiversity. It explains how to observe, record, and group living things based on similarities and differences in features like stems, leaves, roots, seeds, movement, and habitats. The big idea is that understanding this diversity helps us appreciate the interdependence of life and the need to protect habitats to conserve biodiversity for future generations.
Key Concepts (20)
Biodiversity
The variety of plants and animals found in a particular region.
e.g. In a park, you may find grasses, bushes, mango trees, crows, butterflies, and monkeys — this variety is the biodiversity of that park.
Herbs
Small plants with soft, green stems.
e.g. Tomato plant, common grass, tulsi (holy basil).
Shrubs
Plants of medium height with hard, woody stems that branch close to the ground.
e.g. Rose plant, hibiscus (gudhal).
Trees
Tall plants with hard, thick, brown, woody stems and branches that start higher up on the stem.
e.g. Mango tree, neem tree, deodar tree.
Climbers
Plants with weak stems that need support to climb and grow.
e.g. Money plant, grapevine.
Creepers
Plants with weak stems that creep along the ground.
e.g. Pumpkin plant, watermelon plant.
Venation
The pattern of veins on a leaf.
e.g. The net-like pattern on a hibiscus leaf is reticulate venation; the parallel lines on a banana leaf are parallel venation.
Reticulate venation
A net-like pattern of veins on both sides of a thick middle vein on a leaf.
e.g. Leaves of hibiscus, neem, and chickpea (chana) show reticulate venation.
Parallel venation
A pattern in which veins run parallel to each other on a leaf.
e.g. Leaves of banana plants, grasses, and wheat show parallel venation.
Taproot
A root system consisting of one main root (taproot) with small side roots arising from it.
e.g. Mustard plant, hibiscus, chickpea (chana), sadabahar (periwinkle).
Fibrous root
A root system that appears as a bunch of similar-sized thin roots arising from the base of the stem.
e.g. Common grass, wheat, lemongrass.
Cotyledon
A part of a seed that stores food for the baby plant; seeds may have one or two cotyledons.
e.g. Chickpea seed splits into two parts — each part is a cotyledon. Maize seed has a single thin cotyledon.
Dicotyledons (dicots)
Plants that have seeds with two cotyledons.
e.g. Chickpea, hibiscus, mustard, sadabahar.
Monocotyledons (monocots)
Plants that have seeds with a single cotyledon.
e.g. Maize, wheat, grass, lemongrass.
Adaptation
Special features that enable plants and animals to survive in a particular region.
e.g. Cactus has thick, fleshy stems to store water in the desert; deodar trees have a conical shape and sloping branches to let snow slide off easily in mountains.
Habitat
The place where plants and animals live, which provides them food, water, air, shelter, and other needs for survival.
e.g. The habitat of a camel is the desert; the habitat of a fish is the ocean or pond.
Terrestrial habitats
Habitats on land where plants and animals live.
e.g. Forests, deserts, grasslands, mountains.
Aquatic habitats
Habitats in water where plants and animals live.
e.g. Ponds, lakes, rivers, oceans.
Amphibians
Animals that can live both in water and on land.
e.g. Frog, crocodile (crocodile is also an amphibian in the context of this chapter).
Sacred groves
Undisturbed patches of forests protected by local communities, where no one is allowed to harm animals or cut trees.
e.g. Sacred groves found in the Western Ghats of India.
How It Works
Grouping plants based on height and stem type
  1. Step 1: Observe the height of the plant — is it short (shorter than you), medium (as tall as you), or tall (taller than you)?
  2. Step 2: Observe the nature of the stem — is it green or brown? Is it tender (soft) or hard? Is it thick or thin?
  3. Step 3: Observe where branches arise — close to the ground or higher up on the stem.
  4. Step 4: Based on these observations, classify the plant as a herb (short, green, soft stem), shrub (medium height, hard, brown, branching near ground), or tree (tall, hard, thick, brown stem, branches higher up).
💡 Students often confuse shrubs and trees. Remember: shrubs branch close to the ground; trees branch higher up on a single main trunk.
Relating leaf venation to root type
  1. Step 1: Observe the leaf of the plant and identify the pattern of veins — is it net-like (reticulate) or parallel?
  2. Step 2: Dig out the plant carefully (e.g., a small herb) and wash the roots.
  3. Step 3: Observe the root system — is there one main root with side roots (taproot) or a bunch of thin roots (fibrous)?
  4. Step 4: Generally, plants with reticulate venation have taproots, and plants with parallel venation have fibrous roots.
💡 This is a general rule, not an absolute law. However, for board exams, always state 'generally' or 'typically' to be accurate.
Relating seed type to leaf venation and root type
  1. Step 1: Soak a seed (e.g., chickpea or maize) for 2-3 days and remove the seed coat.
  2. Step 2: Observe the number of cotyledons — two (dicot) or one (monocot).
  3. Step 3: Dicot plants generally have reticulate venation and taproots. Monocot plants generally have parallel venation and fibrous roots.
💡 Do not mix up the pairs: dicot → reticulate venation + taproot; monocot → parallel venation + fibrous root.
Grouping animals based on movement
  1. Step 1: Observe the animal and note how it moves — walks, runs, flies, swims, crawls, hops, or jumps.
  2. Step 2: Identify the body parts used for that movement — legs, wings, fins, etc.
  3. Step 3: Group animals that use similar body parts for similar types of movement.
💡 Some animals use multiple body parts (e.g., pigeon walks and flies). Mention all relevant body parts in your answer.
How adaptations help survival in different habitats
  1. Step 1: Identify the habitat (e.g., hot desert, cold desert, mountains, ocean).
  2. Step 2: Note the environmental conditions (e.g., little water, extreme temperatures, heavy snowfall, strong winds).
  3. Step 3: Observe the special features of plants and animals in that habitat (e.g., fleshy stems, conical shape, long legs, humps, thick fur).
  4. Step 4: Explain how each feature helps the organism survive (e.g., fleshy stems store water; conical shape lets snow slide off; long legs help walk on sand; humps store food; thick fur protects from cold).
💡 Always link the adaptation directly to the survival need. For example, 'Camels have long legs with wide hooves to walk on sand without sinking.' Do not just list features without explaining their advantage.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing herbs, shrubs, and trees
✗ A rose plant is a herb because it is small.
→ Size alone is not the criterion. A rose plant has hard, woody stems that branch close to the ground, making it a shrub, not a herb. Herbs have soft, green stems.
✓ A rose plant is a shrub because it has a medium height, hard and woody stems, and branches arise close to the ground.
⚠ Mixing up taproot and fibrous root examples
✗ Grass has a taproot.
→ Grass has a fibrous root system — a bunch of thin roots of similar size arising from the base of the stem. Taproots have one main root.
✓ Grass has a fibrous root system, not a taproot.
⚠ Wrong pairing of venation and root type
✗ Plants with parallel venation have taproots.
→ Generally, plants with parallel venation (like grasses, wheat, banana) have fibrous roots, not taproots.
✓ Generally, plants with parallel venation have fibrous roots, and plants with reticulate venation have taproots.
⚠ Confusing dicot and monocot seed examples
✗ Maize is a dicot because it has two cotyledons.
→ Maize is a monocot — it has a single thin cotyledon. Chickpea is a dicot with two cotyledons.
✓ Maize is a monocot with one cotyledon; chickpea is a dicot with two cotyledons.
⚠ Misidentifying habitat of amphibians
✗ Frogs live only in water.
→ Frogs are amphibians — they can live both in water and on land. They are not exclusively aquatic.
✓ Frogs are amphibians because they can live in water as well as on land.
⚠ Confusing adaptation with habitat
✗ The habitat of a camel is its hump.
→ The hump is an adaptation (a special feature), not a habitat. The habitat of a camel is the desert.
✓ The habitat of a camel is the desert. Its hump is an adaptation that stores food to help it survive when food is scarce.
Compare & Contrast
Height and nature of stem
Herbs
Shrubs
Herbs are small with soft, green stems; shrubs are medium-sized with hard, woody stems that branch close to the ground.
Structure of root system
Taproot
Fibrous root
Taproot has one main root with smaller side roots; fibrous root has a bunch of similar-sized thin roots arising from the base of the stem.
Pattern of veins on a leaf
Reticulate venation
Parallel venation
Reticulate venation has a net-like pattern; parallel venation has veins running parallel to each other.
Number of cotyledons in seed
Dicot plants
Monocot plants
Dicots have two cotyledons; monocots have one cotyledon.
Type of environment
Terrestrial habitats
Aquatic habitats
Terrestrial habitats are on land (forests, deserts, mountains); aquatic habitats are in water (ponds, lakes, rivers, oceans).
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 Very Short Answer (1 mark), 1 Short Answer (3 marks), 1 Long Answer (5 marks) — total approximately 10 marks.
Most asked: Classification of plants into herbs, shrubs, and trees with examples · Types of roots (taproot and fibrous root) and their examples · Types of leaf venation (reticulate and parallel) and their examples · Relation between venation, root type, and seed type (dicot/monocot) · Adaptations of camels (hot and cold desert) and deodar trees · Definition and examples of habitat and biodiversity
Don't skip: Explain the relationship between leaf venation, root type, and number of cotyledons with examples (5 marks).; Describe the adaptations of camels in hot and cold deserts (3 marks).; Classify given plants into herbs, shrubs, and trees with reasons (3 marks).
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. Biodiversity is the variety of plants and animals found in a particular region.
  2. Herbs are small plants with soft, green stems, e.g., tomato and grass.
  3. Shrubs are medium-sized plants with hard, woody stems branching close to the ground, e.g., rose and hibiscus.
  4. Trees are tall plants with hard, thick, brown stems and branches higher up, e.g., mango and neem.
  5. Reticulate venation is a net-like pattern of veins on a leaf, e.g., hibiscus and neem.
  6. Parallel venation has veins running parallel, e.g., banana and grass.
  7. Taproot has one main root with side roots, e.g., mustard and chickpea.
  8. Fibrous root is a bunch of thin roots, e.g., grass and wheat.
  9. Dicot plants have two cotyledons, reticulate venation, and taproots.
  10. Monocot plants have one cotyledon, parallel venation, and fibrous roots.
  11. Adaptations are special features that help plants and animals survive in their habitat.
  12. Habitat is the place where a plant or animal lives, providing food, water, air, and shelter.
  13. Terrestrial habitats are on land; aquatic habitats are in water.
  14. Amphibians like frogs can live both in water and on land.
  15. Sacred groves are community-protected forests that preserve biodiversity.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. What do we call the variety of all different plants and animals living in one region?

  • A. Biodiversity ✓
  • B. Climate
  • C. Habitat
  • D. Ecosystem

Answer: A — Biodiversity specifically means the variety of different plants and animals found in a particular region.

Q2. Which of these is a hard-stemmed plant?

  • A. Grass
  • B. Neem ✓
  • C. Wheat
  • D. Paddy

Answer: B — Neem has a hard and thick stem, while grass has a soft thin stem.

Q3. How are tulsi leaves arranged on the stem?

  • A. All leaves at the top
  • B. In opposite pairs on either side ✓
  • C. One above the other in a line
  • D. Randomly scattered

Answer: B — Tulsi has leaves arranged in pairs that grow opposite to each other on the stem.

Q4. Which animal can live both on land and in water?

  • A. Fish
  • B. Crow
  • C. Frog ✓
  • D. Squirrel

Answer: C — Frogs are amphibians that live both on land and in water, unlike fish (water only) or crows (land/air only).

Q5. What does a crow do with a twig that it carries in its beak?

  • A. Eats it
  • B. Uses it to build a nest ✓
  • C. Plays with it
  • D. Stores it for winter

Answer: B — Crows carry twigs in their beaks to build nests where they live and raise their young.

Q6. If you observe that an animal has six legs and lives in soil burrows, which animal is it most likely?

  • A. Spider
  • B. Ant ✓
  • C. Lizard
  • D. Worm

Answer: B — Ants have exactly six legs and live in nests and burrows in the soil; spiders have eight legs.

Q7. Based on the table in your textbook, which plant has smooth leaves?

  • A. Grass
  • B. Tulsi
  • C. Neem ✓
  • D. Hibiscus

Answer: C — In the observation table, neem leaves are described as having a smooth surface.

Q8. Why do animals help plants in nature's biodiversity?

  • A. Animals only eat plants for food
  • B. Animals scatter seeds after eating fruits, helping new plants grow ✓
  • C. Animals protect plants from weather
  • D. Animals water the plants

Answer: B — When animals eat fruits, seeds spread to new locations and grow into new plants, showing the plant-animal relationship.

Q9. During a nature walk, what should you NOT do to respect plants and animals?

  • A. Observe them quietly
  • B. Listen to their sounds
  • C. Pluck leaves and flowers ✓
  • D. Record observations in a notebook

Answer: C — During a nature walk, we should not pluck leaves or flowers because this disturbs and harms the plants.

Q10. In the diagram showing different plants' leaves, which pattern shows leaves growing one after another from different points on the stem?

  • A. Opposite arrangement
  • B. Alternate arrangement ✓
  • C. Cluster arrangement
  • D. Spiral arrangement

Answer: B — Alternate arrangement means leaves grow from different points on the stem, one after another, like in grass — not opposite each other.

Flashcards

What does biodiversity mean in simple words?

Biodiversity means the variety of different plants and animals living together in one particular place or region.

Name three features we can observe on plants to group them.

Three features are: stem type (soft or hard), leaf shape and arrangement, and flower colour.

How do we observe animals without disturbing them?

We watch quietly from a distance, listen carefully to their sounds, note where they live and what they eat, without touching or chasing them.

What is one example of how plants and animals depend on each other?

Trees give fruit to animals; animals eat the fruit and scatter seeds to new places, helping new trees grow.

Why is it helpful to group plants and animals by their features?

Grouping helps us organize and understand the huge variety in nature, and makes it easier to study and remember different types.

Give one example of a soft-stemmed plant.

Grass is a soft-stemmed plant that is thin and bends easily.

What is a nature walk and why do we do it?

A nature walk is a slow walk in a park or forest where we carefully observe and appreciate the variety of plants and animals around us.

Name one animal that lives both on land and in water.

A frog is an animal that can live both on land and in water.

How are tulsi leaves arranged on its stem?

Tulsi leaves are arranged in opposite pairs on different sides of the stem.

What job do birds play in nature's biodiversity?

Birds eat insects and fruits, give shade-providing trees places to perch, and help spread seeds by carrying them to new locations.

Important Board Questions

What is biodiversity? Give one example from your surroundings. [1 mark]

Biodiversity = variety of different plants and animals in one place. Give any real example: garden with grass, flowers, and birds; or park with trees and insects.

Name two features of plants that help us group them into different types. [2 marks]

Choose any two from: stem type (soft/hard), leaf shape, leaf arrangement (opposite or alternate), flower colour. Give one example for each (e.g., grass has soft stem, neem has hard stem).

How do plants and animals depend on each other? Explain with one example from nature. [3 marks]

Plants give food and shelter to animals; animals help spread seeds. Example: birds eat fruit from trees and drop seeds in new places where new plants grow. Or: trees give shade and nesting place to birds; birds eat insects that might harm the tree.

During a nature walk, you observed many different plants and animals. Draw and label a simple diagram showing at least three different features of plants (stem, leaves, flowers) and write how they are different from each other. Also explain why we should respect and not disturb them during the walk. [5 marks]

Draw three simple plants with labels: (1) soft thin stem with alternate leaves (grass), (2) hard thin stem with opposite leaves (tulsi), (3) hard stem with flowers (neem or hibiscus). Write how each is different. Explain: disturbing plants stops their growth, harms insects living on them, and is disrespectful to nature. We observe without touching.

Fill in the blanks: (a) Trees provide ________ and ________ to birds and animals. (b) When animals eat fruits, they help spread ________ to new places. (c) All plants and animals together make the ________ of a region. [2 marks]

(a) food, shelter (or shade). (b) seeds. (c) biodiversity. Match correct words to complete the relationship between plants and animals.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Diversity in the Living World

Q1. Assertion (A):

Trees provide shade and shelter to birds and other animals.

Reason (R):

Trees have leaves and branches that birds and animals can live on and hide under.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why trees provide shelter and shade to animals - because of their leaves, branches, and structure.

Q2. Assertion (A):

We should not pluck leaves and flowers during a nature walk.

Reason (R):

Because all plants are green colored.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is true (the chapter advises not to pluck leaves and flowers), but the reason is false - plants being green has nothing to do with not plucking them. The real reason is to avoid disturbing nature.

Q3. Assertion (A):

Biodiversity includes both plants and animals in a region.

Reason (R):

Because biodiversity means only the number of trees in a forest.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is true - biodiversity includes all varieties of plants and animals. However, the reason is false because biodiversity is not just about tree count; it's about all living organisms.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Diversity in the Living World

Case Study:

Ravi visited his uncle's farm near Delhi during his school holidays. He observed many different plants like wheat, mustard, mango trees, and marigolds. He also noticed several animals including crows, sparrows, rabbits, butterflies, and insects. The crows were eating grain from the field, while the butterflies were visiting the marigold flowers. Ravi noticed that the mango tree provided shelter to many birds and squirrels.

Q1. What is the main reason that butterflies visit marigold flowers?

  • A. To lay eggs on the flowers
  • B. To collect nectar and pollen from flowers ✓
  • C. To damage the flowers
  • D. To find a place to sleep

Answer: B

Q2. Which of the following shows how plants and animals depend on each other on Ravi's uncle's farm?

  • A. Crows eating grain and butterflies visiting flowers ✓
  • B. The farm being located near Delhi
  • C. All plants being green in color
  • D. Ravi visiting the farm during holidays

Answer: A

Q3. The mango tree provides shelter to birds and squirrels. This is an example of:

  • A. Animals helping plants
  • B. Plants helping animals ✓
  • C. Birds flying in the sky
  • D. Farmers growing crops

Answer: B

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