Dictionary > Branches of biology
Branches of biology
Branches of biology
n., singular: branch of biology
[ˈbɹɑːntʃɪz ɔv baɪˈɒlədʒɪ]
Definition: the diverse fields of biology
Table of Contents
What is a Branch of Biology?
Abranch of biology is a specialized field or a sub-discipline in a much broader field ofbiology. Biology, in simple definition, is the science of life. It studies all living creatures — from themicroscopic to themacroscopic life forms. A branch of biology will therefore be rooted in this definition diverging into unit components that specialize in distinct areas yet remain connected to the other branches, like a dense, ramified tree.
Branches of Biology
Biology is the scientific study oflife. It includes several relevant branches. Below is a list of major branches of biological sciences with a brief description of each:
- Agriculture – the science and practice of producing trees, crops, and livestock from thenaturalresources of the earth
- Anatomy – the study of theanimalforms, such as thehumanbody. It is a large field that may be further divided into subfields. For instance,histology (also referred to as microscopic anatomy), in particular, deals with the study of the structure and organization of tissues and cells at the microscopic level.Comparative anatomy is concerned with the anatomy of different organisms, and comparing them to identify homology and thus understand their evolutionary relationships and shared ancestry.
Anatomy is the study of the physical aspects of biological structures, especially the internal organs. Image prepared byMaria Victoria Gonzaga ofBiology Online - Astrobiology – the branch ofbiology concerned with the effects of outer space on livingorganisms and the search forextraterrestrial life.
- Biochemistry – the study of thestructure,function, chemical nature (properties), and molecular and chemical interactions of biological chemicals, such asproteins,carbohydrates,lipids,nucleic acids, and otherbiomolecules, and of their functions andtransformations during chemical reactions required for various lifeprocesses.
Tutorial:Chemical Composition of the Body - Bioclimatology – a science concerned with the influence of climates on biologicalorganisms, for instance, the effects of climate on the development and distribution of plants, animals, and humans
- Bioengineering – orbiological engineering, is a broad-based engineering discipline that deals with bio-molecular and molecular processes, product design, sustainability, and analysis of biologicalsystems. Genetic bioengineering, for instance, is a subfield that is concerned with genetic modifications, deliberately altering the organism’s genetic material, for the desired outcome.
- Biogeography – a science that attempts to describe the changing distributions and geographic patterns of living andfossil species ofplants and animals in the past and present days.
Tutorial:New Zealand’s Unique Geographical History - Bioinformatics – information technology as applied to the life sciences, especially thetechnology used for the collection, storage, and retrieval ofgenomic data
- Biomathematics –mathematical biology orbiomathematics is an interdisciplinary field of academic study that aims at modeling natural biological processes using mathematical techniques and tools. It is a mathematical research integrating biology involving both practical and theoretical applications.
- Biophysics – orbiological physics is an interdisciplinaryscience that applies the theories and methods of physical sciences to questions ofbiology
- Biotechnology – applied science that is concerned with biological systems, livingorganisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use
- Botany– the biological study ofplants. It is a wide field that encompasses diverse biological disciplines. Thus, it could be further divided into subfields, such as plant physiology, plant anatomy, plant taxonomy, plant ecology, plant genetics, phytopathology, ethnobotany, paleobotany, phycology, bryology, palynology (study of pollen grains and spores), etc.
Tutorial:Plant Biology - Cell biology – the study ofcells at themicroscopic or the molecular level. It includes studying the cells’ physiological properties, structures, organelles, interactions with theirenvironment,life cycle,division, andapoptosis.
Tutorial:Biological Cell Introduction - Chronobiology – a science that studies time-related phenomena in living things
- Conservation Biology – concerned with the studies and schemes ofhabitatpreservation. environmental conservation, economic importance, and species protection to alleviateextinction crisis and conservebiodiversity
- Cryobiology – the study of the effects of low temperatures on living organisms
- Developmental Biology – deals with the developmental stages and developmental processes of organisms, such as how anorganism develops from azygote to its fully mature form.
Tutorial:Developmental Biology - Ecology – the scientific study of the relationships between living and nonliving matter (i.e. plants, animals, and theirenvironment). It also considers the economic aspects and the consequences of ecosystem services, such as water purification and carbon sequestration.
- Ethnobiology – a study of the past and present human interactions with the environment, for instance, the use of diverseflora andfauna by indigenous societies
- Evolutionary Biology – a subfield concerned with theorigin and descent of species, as well as their change over time, such as theevolution of the human race. It studies the evolutionary processes responsible for the diversity of life on Earth and how species have changed and adapted over time.
- Freshwater Biology – a science concerned with the life and ecosystems offreshwater habitats.
Tutorial:Freshwater Ecology - Genetics – the science that deals withheredity, especially the mechanisms of hereditary transmission and thevariation of inheritedcharacteristics among similar or related organisms. Molecular genetics is a branch focusing on the structure and function of genes at the molecular level, seeking to understand how genes are organized, replicated, regulated, and expressed within cells.
Tutorial:Genetics and Evolution - Genomics – a multidisciplinary field of biology that involves the study of an organism’s entire set of genes (genome). Human genomics, for instance, studies the sequences, structures, functions, and variations of the human genome.
- Geobiology – a science that combines geology and biology to study theinteractions of organisms with theirenvironment
- Human biology – the branch of biology that focuses specifically on the study of human beings, particularly,Homo sapiens. It covers a wide range of topics related to the structure, function, genetics, evolution, and behavior of humans.
- Immunobiology – a study of the structure and function of theimmune system, innate and acquiredimmunity, the bodily distinction of self from nonself, and laboratory techniques involving theinteraction ofantigens with specific antibodies
- Marine Biology – the study of ocean and sea (marine) plants and animals and their ecological relationships
- Medicine – the science which relates to the prevention, cure, or alleviation ofdisease
- Microbiology– the branch of biology that deals with microscopic organisms (i.e.microorganisms) and their effects on other living organisms
- Molecular Biology – the branch of biology that deals with theformation, molecular structure biology and biologicalfunctions essential to life. A molecular biology study would primarily be concerned with biologicalmacromolecules, such as nucleic acids and proteins and their role in cellreplication and the transmission ofgenetic information
- Mycology – the study offungi
- Neurobiology – the branch of biology that deals with theanatomyphysiology and pathology of thenervous system. Neuroscience, as others refer to it, focuses on the structure, mental faculties, functions, development, and disorders of the brain.
- Paleobiology – the study of the various life forms existing in prehistoric or geologic times, as represented by the fossils of plants, animals, and other organisms and sometimes geographic evidence of prehistoric life
- Parasitology– the study ofparasites andparasitism
- Pathology – the study of thenature, causes, processes, development, and consequences ofdiseases
- Pharmacology– the study of the preparation and use ofdrugs and synthetic medicines. It combines aspects of biology, chemistry, and medicine to understand drug properties, effects, safety, and mechanisms of action, for use as drug treatment.
- Physiology – the biological study of the functions of living organisms and their parts
Tutorial:The Human Physiology - Protistology – the study ofprotists
- Psychobiology – the study of mental functioning and behavior about other biological processes
- Reproductive biology – a branch of biology that focuses on the study ofreproduction in organisms, focusing on the male and female reproductive organs.
- Research biology (or biological research) and bioethics – encompasses various branches and subfields of biology where systematic knowledge is gained through scientific research and biological experiments rooted in the ethical, moral, and philosophical conventions of the scientific community
- Toxicology – the study of how natural or man-madepoisons cause undesirable effects in living beings
- Virology – the science dealing withviruses
- Zoology – The branch of biology that deals with animals andanimal life, including the study of the structure,physiology, development, andclassification of animals
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Last updated on September 20th, 2023
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