Saturday, December 10, 2011

Biology

Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines. Among the most important topics are five unifying principles that can be said to be the fundamental axioms of modern biology:
1. Cells are the basic unit of life.
2. New species and inherited traits are the product of evolution.
3. Genes are the basic unit of heredity.
4. An organism regulates its internal environment to maintain a stable and constant condition.
5. Living organisms consume and transform energy.

Subdisciplines of biology are recognized on the basis of the scale at which organisms are studied and the methods used to study them: biochemistry examines the rudimentary chemistry of life; molecular biology studies the complex interactions of systems of biological molecules; cellular biology examines the basic building block of all life, the cell; physiology examines the physical and chemical functions of the tissues, organs, and organ systems of an organism; and ecology examines how various organisms interact and associate with their environment.

Branches of biology
These are the main branches of biology:
1. Aerobiology — the study of airborne organic particles
2. Agriculture — the study of producing crops from the land, with an emphasis on practical applications
3. Anatomy — the study of form and function, in plants, animals, and other organisms, or specifically in humans
4. Arachnology — the study of arachnids
5. Astrobiology — the study of evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe—also known as exobiology, exopaleontology, and bioastronomy
6. Biochemistry — the study of the chemical reactions required for life to exist and function, usually a focus on the cellular level
7. Bioengineering — the study of biology through the means of engineering with an emphasis on applied knowledge and especially related to biotechnology
8. Biogeography — the study of the distribution of species spatially and temporally
9. Bioinformatics — the use of information technology for the study, collection, and storage of genomic and other biological data
10. Biomathematics or Mathematical Biology — the quantitative or mathematical study of biological processes, with an emphasis on modeling
11. 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
12. Biomedical research — the study of the human body in health and disease
13. Biophysics — the study of biological processes through physics, by applying the theories and methods traditionally used in the physical sciences
14. Biotechnology — a new and sometimes controversial branch of biology that studies the manipulation of living matter, including genetic modification and synthetic biology
15. Building biology — the study of the indoor living environment
16. Botany — the study of plants
17. Cell biology — the study of the cell as a complete unit, and the molecular and chemical interactions that occur within a living cell
18. Conservation Biology — the study of the preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment, natural ecosystems, vegetation, and wildlife
19. Cryobiology — the study of the effects of lower than normally preferred temperatures on living beings.
20. Developmental biology — the study of the processes through which an organism forms, from zygote to full structure
21. Ecology — the study of the interactions of living organisms with one another and with the non-living elements of their environment
22. Embryology — the study of the development of embryo (from fecundation to birth). See also topobiology.
23. Entomology — the study of insects
24. Environmental Biology — the study of the natural world, as a whole or in a particular area, especially as affected by human activity
25. Epidemiology — a major component of public health research, studying factors affecting the health of populations
26. Ethology — the study of animal behavior
27. Evolutionary Biology — the study of the origin and descent of species over time
28. Genetics — the study of genes and heredity
29. Herpetology — the study of reptiles and amphibians
30. Histology — the study of cells and tissues, a microscopic branch of anatomy
31. Ichthyology — the study of fish
32. Integrative biology — the study of whole organisms
33. Limnology — the study of inland waters
34. Mammalogy — the study of mammals
35. Marine Biology — the study of ocean ecosystems, plants, animals, and other living beings
36. Microbiology — the study of microscopic organisms (microorganisms) and their interactions with other living things
37. Molecular Biology — the study of biology and biological functions at the molecular level, some cross over with biochemistry
38. Mycology — the study of fungi
39. Neurobiology — the study of the nervous system, including anatomy, physiology and pathology
40. Oceanography — the study of the ocean, including ocean life, environment, geography, weather, and other aspects influencing the ocean
41. Oncology — the study of cancer processes, including virus or mutation oncogenesis, angiogenesis and tissues remoldings
42. Ornithology — the study of birds
43. Population biology — the study of groups of conspecific organisms, including
     a. Population ecology — the study of how population dynamics and extinction
     b. Population genetics — the study of changes in gene frequencies in populations of organisms
44. Paleontology — the study of fossils and sometimes geographic evidence of prehistoric life
45. Pathobiology or pathology — the study of diseases, and the causes, processes, nature, and development of disease
46. Parasitology — the study of parasites and parasitism
47. Pharmacology — the study and practical application of preparation, use, and effects of drugs and synthetic medicines
48. Physiology — the study of the functioning of living organisms and the organs and parts of living organisms
49. Phytopathology — the study of plant diseases (also called Plant Pathology)
50. Psychobiology — the study of the biological bases of psychology
51. Sociobiology — the study of the biological bases of sociology
52. Structural biology — a branch of molecular biology, biochemistry, and biophysics concerned with the molecular structure of biological macromolecules
53. Virology — the study of viruses and some other virus-like agents
54. Zoology — the study of animals, including classification, physiology, development, and behavior (See also Entomology, Ethology, Herpetology, Ichthyology, Mammalogy, and Ornithology)

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