Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy.[1] Modern biology is a vast and eclectic field, composed of many branches and subdisciplines. However, despite the broad scope of biology, there are certain general and unifying concepts within it that govern all study and research, consolidating it into single, coherent fields. In general, biology recognizes the cell as the basic unit of life, genes as the basic unit of heredity, and evolution as the engine that propels the synthesis and creation of new species. It is also understood today that all organisms survive by consuming and transforming energy and by regulating their internal environment to maintain a stable and vital condition.
Subdisciplines of biology are defined by the scale at which organisms are studied, the kinds of organisms studied, and the methods used to study them: biochemistry examines the rudimentary chemistry of life; molecular biology studies the complex interactions among biological molecules; botany studies the biology of plants; cellular biology examines the basic building-block of all life, the cell; physiology examines the physical and chemical functions of tissues, organs, and organ systems of an organism; evolutionary biology examines the processes that produced the diversity of life; and ecology examines how organisms interact in their environment
Main branches
of biology:
- Aerobiology – the study of airborne organic
particles
- Agriculture – the study of producing crops and
raising livestock, with an emphasis on practical applications
- Anatomy
– the study of form and function, in plants, animals, and other organisms,
or specifically in humans
- Histology
– the study of cells and tissues, a microscopic branch of anatomy
- Astrobiology (also known as exobiology,
exopaleontology, and bioastronomy) – the study of evolution, distribution,
and future of life in the universe
- Biochemistry – the study of the chemical reactions
required for life to exist and function, usually a focus on the cellular
level
- Bioengineering – the study of biology through the
means of engineering with an emphasis on applied knowledge and especially
related to biotechnology
- Biogeography – the study of the distribution of
species spatially and temporally
- Bioinformatics – the use of information
technology for the study, collection, and storage of genomic and other
biological data
- Biomathematics (or Mathematical biology) – the
quantitative or mathematical study of biological processes, with an
emphasis on modeling
- Biomechanics – often considered a branch of medicine,
the study of the mechanics of living beings, with an emphasis on applied
use through prosthetics or orthotics
- Biomedical research – the study of health
and disease
- Pharmacology
– the study and practical application of preparation, use, and effects of
drugs and synthetic medicines
- Biomusicology – the study of music from a
biological point of view.
- Biophysics – the study of biological processes
through physics, by applying the theories and methods traditionally used
in the physical sciences
- Biosemiotics – the study of biological processes
through semiotics, by applying the models of meaning-making and
communication
- Biotechnology – the study of the manipulation of
living matter, including genetic modification and synthetic biology
- Synthetic biology – research integrating
biology and engineering; construction of biological functions not found
in nature
- Building biology – the study of the indoor
living environment
- Botany
– the study of plants
- Cell biology – the study of the cell as a complete
unit, and the molecular and chemical interactions that occur within a
living cell
- Cognitive biology – the study of cognition
as a biological function
- Conservation biology – the study of the
preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment, natural
ecosystems, vegetation, and wildlife
- Cryobiology – the study of the effects of lower than
normally preferred temperatures on living beings
- Developmental biology – the study of the
processes through which an organism forms, from zygote to full structure
- Embryology
– the study of the development of embryo (from fecundation to birth)
- Ecology
– the study of the interactions of living organisms with one another and with
the non-living elements of their environment
- Environmental biology – the study of the
natural world, as a whole or in a particular area, especially as affected
by human activity
- Epidemiology – a major component of public health
research, studying factors affecting the health of populations
- Evolutionary biology – the study of the
origin and descent of species over time
- Genetics
– the study of genes and heredity.
- Epigenetics
– the study of heritable changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype
caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence
- Hematology (also known as Haematology) – the study of
blood and blood-forming organs.
- Integrative biology – the study of whole
organisms
- Limnology
– the study of inland waters
- Marine biology (or Biological oceanography) –
the study of ocean ecosystems, plants, animals, and other living beings
- Microbiology – the study of microscopic organisms
(microorganisms) and their interactions with other living things
- Bacteriology
- the study of bacteria
- Mycology
– the study of fungi
- Parasitology
– the study of parasites and parasitism
- Virology
– the study of viruses and some other virus-like agents
- Molecular biology – the study of biology and
biological functions at the molecular level, some cross over with
biochemistry
- Nanobiology - the study of how nanotechnology
can be used in biology, and the study of living organisms and parts on the
nanoscale
level of organization
- Neurobiology – the study of the nervous system,
including anatomy, physiology and pathology
- Population biology – the study of groups of
conspecific organisms, including
- Population ecology – the study of how
population dynamics and extinction
- Population genetics – the study of
changes in gene frequencies in populations of organisms
- Paleontology – the study of fossils and sometimes
geographic evidence of prehistoric life
- Pathobiology
or pathology – the study of diseases, and the causes, processes,
nature, and development of disease
- Physiology – the study of the functioning of living
organisms and the organs and parts of living organisms
- Phytopathology – the study of plant diseases
(also called Plant Pathology)
- Psychobiology – the study of the biological bases
of psychology
- Quantum biology - the study of quantum mechanics to biological objects and
problems.
- Sociobiology – the study of the biological bases of
sociology
- Structural biology – a branch of molecular biology, biochemistry,
and biophysics
concerned with the molecular structure of biological macromolecules
- Zoology
– the study of animals, including classification, physiology, development,
and behavior, including:
- Ethology
– the study of animal behavior
- Entomology
– the study of insects
- Herpetology
– the study of reptiles and amphibians
- Ichthyology
– the study of fish
- Mammalogy
– the study of mammals
- Ornithology
– the study of birds
