Branches of Biology

November 8, 2010 by Leave a Comment
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When you think of biology, you may think back to your class in junior high or high school. What exactly is biology? Literally, biology mean the study of life. There are many different facets of biology, and most biologists focus on only one area of biology. Each of the different types of study of life has a specialization, whether it be plant life, animal life, or even down to microscopic life.

If you are interested in the interactions and relations between the environment and different organisms, you are interested in Ecology. Ecologists are extremely interested in ecosystems, and how all life interacts with each other.

Botanists are more interested in the specific study of plant life. Understanding the science behind how plants grow, what they need, and how they work is botany. This is a branch of ecology that focuses on one area of the world of organisms. There are different branches of botany, including mycology, which is the study of fungus.

Zoology is another branch of ecology, but zoology focuses on animal life. Zoologists focus on the evolution, behavior and structure of animals. They are also the ones that find and name new species of creatures on our planet. There are even branches of biology that focus on particular types of creatures. For example, herpetology is the study of reptiles.

Biochemistry studies the reactions in chemicals that are require for existence and function of life. Generally biochemistry has a large focus on cells and life at a cellular level.

There are so many different branches of biology that it is difficult to talk about them all. If you are interested in the study of life, you may be interested in looking into a career in biology. No matter your particular interest, you can find a field that will work best for you.

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Science – Careers in Botany

October 16, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The scientific study of plants is called botany. There are many different tasks for botanists to perform – discovering and inventorying plants in various biomes, studying diseases of both wild plants and food crops (plant pathology), use of plants for medicines, and genetic modification of plants. Plant science has many specialties. The study of field crops is called agronomy. Study of ornamental plants as well as fruits and vegetables is called horticulture. Agriculture depends heavily on the work of botanists, who identify the causes of problems, and find solutions. For example, a new method of controlling fruit flies in Kenya, using parasitic wasps, is expected to more than double crop yields of mangoes.

Because different plants grow in each location throughout the world, botanists often have the opportunity to travel to exotic places as part of their work. Inventory of species is an ongoing process, with previously unknown plants being discovered all the time. This branch of science is called taxonomy. Recent developments in identifying the genetic sequences of living things have increased the accuracy with which species can be sorted. Previous classifications and boundaries between species are being altered as the genetic makeup of various plants is examined.

Characteristics of plants are so extensive, and interesting, that one could make a lifetime career of the study of just one type of plant, such as the potato. In some South American markets, shoppers may have 50 varieties of potato from which to choose. There are many more species that grow wild. If extensive travel does not appeal to someone, there is more than sufficient work in botany that is performed in laboratories.

Forestry is an interesting field for botanists. Related to that is the job of a conservationist. A botanist might be a person who loves working with living things, but prefers working the subjects of study to be less mobile and more cooperative than animals. A person who selects a career in the science of botany should expect to use many high-tech tools, including electron microscopes and computers.

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LIfe Science

August 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Life Science looks into the building blocks of life on Planet Earth. Biology, Anatomy, Ecology, Botany and Zoology are some of the major areas of study and research, however, each main area is divided into numerous other, specific disciplines which provide greater insight into how and why life works in such miraculous ways. Each animal or plant presents new opportunities for in-depth study and understanding, revealing how the symphony and ever-changing manifestations of living creatures affect themselves and each other.

New discoveries in Genetics have unlocked mysteries which can solve human suffering from deadly afflictions like cancer and genetic defects. Even human life and the lives of other creatures can be enhanced and lengthened through the development of new genetic codes and better understanding of how genetics evolves in each generation of any living organism.

Marine Biology studying the life cycles and activities of animals living in the oceans, rivers and lakes has created ground-breaking information in the way all beings have evolved and adapted to the constantly-changing environment on Earth. Ecological studies have dispelled myths and misconceptions about the interplay of plants and animals in any given environment and how that microcosm of life can affect a wider-ranging set of conditions in a given ecosystem.

Global Warming, El Nino and La Nina ocean currents, and even specific conditions that result in hurricanes crossing the oceans have begun to see the effects of studying the make-up of mankind, plants and animals and how they can be a factor in modern daily life. Plants and animals have been studied to determine if they are accurate predictors of weather patterns, ocean current changes and other ecological phenomenon. Science can now truly discern whether a butterfly’s wing beat in West Africa can be the catalyst which results in a hurricane over the Bahamas.

Interdisciplinary research coupled with wide-ranging networks of researchers, scientists and students have helped expose connections between man, plants and animals which were unheard of less than twenty years ago. Continuing exploration into the natural world and Life Sciences will answer important questions regarding man’s place in the cycle of life.

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