chemotaxonomy
/ˌkimoʊtækˈsɑnəmi/
noun
- The scientific classification of living things based on their chemical composition and biochemical characteristics.
- The textbook explained how chemotaxonomy differs from traditional classification methods that rely on physical features.
- Chemotaxonomy helps scientists identify plant species by analyzing their unique chemical compounds.
- Using chemotaxonomy, researchers reclassified several bacteria based on their fatty acid profiles.