Explain why scientists place a mushroom and a rose plant into different kingdoms in the five kingdom classification system.
Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).
The five kingdom classification system groups all living organisms into one of five kingdoms: Animalia, Fungi, Plantae, Prokaryotae and Protoctista. A mushroom and a rose plant are both multicellular organisms that live in similar habitats, yet they are placed into different kingdoms.
Model answer (4 marks)
The mushroom is classified in the kingdom Fungi because it cannot photosynthesise, it lacks chlorophyll and it absorbs nutrients by breaking down organic matter (saprotrophic nutrition). The rose plant is classified in the kingdom Plantae because it can photosynthesise, contains chlorophyll and its cell walls are made of cellulose. These differences in nutrition and cell wall composition mean the two organisms belong to different kingdoms.
Examiner tips
- Use the key differences (nutrition, chlorophyll, cell wall) to justify each kingdom.
- Show the mushroom’s lack of photosynthesis and the plant’s presence of chlorophyll.
- Mention the cell wall material for each kingdom.
- Keep the answer concise and directly linked to the mark scheme points.
Common mistakes
- Confusing the cell wall material (e.g., saying fungi have cellulose instead of chitin).
- Forgetting to state that the mushroom cannot photosynthesise.
- Giving extra, irrelevant details such as habitat or size.
Mark scheme (4 marks)
- The mushroom is placed in the kingdom Fungi
- The rose plant is placed in the kingdom Plantae
- The mushroom cannot photosynthesise / does not have chlorophyll / gains nutrients by absorbing organic matter from its surroundings (saprotrophic nutrition)
- The rose plant can photosynthesise / contains chlorophyll / has a cell wall made of cellulose, meaning it has different characteristics to fungi
Key terms in this question
five kingdom classification system
Related
- All Edexcel GCSE Biology (1BI0) revision notes →
- How to answer a "Explain" question →
- Decode the mark scheme abbreviations →
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