Final answer:
The effort to classify the diversity of organisms is called systematics. It involves organizing living beings based on evolutionary relationships, a step beyond the physical trait-based Linnaean system developed by Carolus Linnaeus in the 1700s. Phylogenetic classification further expands on this by focusing on the evolutionary history of organisms. option a.
Step-by-step explanation:
The effort to classify the diversity of organisms is known as systematics. Systematics is the science that focuses on understanding the evolutionary relationships between organisms, including their classification, description, identification, and naming. The most famous historical figure in taxonomy is Carolus Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, zoologist, and physician who developed the Linnaean system of classification in the 1700s. This system groups organisms based on shared morphological traits and is organized hierarchically into categories from domains to species.
The adoption of Linnaean taxonomy laid the foundation for modern classification systems. It provided a standard framework and terminology that allowed scientists from all over the world to communicate more effectively about the various species. Although Linnaean taxonomy was based on physical similarities, contemporary systematics has incorporated evolutionary principles to build upon this foundation and create a more detailed and accurate picture of life's diversity through phylogenetic classification.
Phylogenetic classification, unlike Linnaean taxonomy, takes the evolutionary history of organisms into account. It is represented through diagrams known as phylogenetic trees. This method builds on the premise established by Darwin's theory of evolution and aims to reflect the ancestral relationships among species more accurately.