Branches of Biology

Branches of Biology

• Botany: study of plants
• Zoology: study of animals
• Microbiology: study of microorganisms
• Ecology: study of interactions between organisms and their environment
• Biochemistry: study of chemical processes in living organisms
• Molecular Biology: study of structure and function of biomolecules
• Genetics: study of heredity and variation
• Evolutionary Biology: study of evolution and natural selection

Cell Biology

• Cell Structure:
  • Plasma membrane
  • Cytoplasm
  • Nucleus
  • Mitochondria
  • Endoplasmic reticulum
  • Ribosomes
• Cellular Processes:
  • Photosynthesis
  • Respiration
  • Cell division (mitosis, meiosis)
  • Cellular signaling

Genetics

• Mendel's Laws:
  • Law of Segregation
  • Law of Independent Assortment
  • Law of Dominance
• DNA Structure:
  • Double helix model
  • Nucleotides (A, C, G, T)
  • DNA replication
• Gene Expression:
  • Transcription
  • Translation
  • Protein synthesis

Evolution

• Mechanisms of Evolution:
  • Natural selection
  • Genetic drift
  • Gene flow
  • Mutation
• Evidence for Evolution:
  • Fossil record
  • Comparative anatomy
  • Molecular biology

Ecosystems

• Ecosystem Components:
  • Producers (plants, algae)
  • Consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores)
  • Decomposers (bacteria, fungi)
• Energy Flow:
  • Trophic levels
  • Food chains
  • Food webs
• Ecological Relationships:
  • Symbiosis (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism)
  • Predation
  • Competition

Branches of Biology

• Botany is the study of plants
• Zoology is the study of animals
• Microbiology is the study of microorganisms
• Ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and their environment
• Biochemistry is the study of chemical processes in living organisms
• Molecular Biology is the study of the structure and function of biomolecules
• Genetics is the study of heredity and variation
• Evolutionary Biology is the study of evolution and natural selection

Cell Biology

Cell Structure

• Plasma membrane is a part of cell structure
• Cytoplasm is a part of cell structure
• Nucleus is a part of cell structure
• Mitochondria is a part of cell structure
• Endoplasmic reticulum is a part of cell structure
• Ribosomes are a part of cell structure

Cellular Processes

• Photosynthesis is a cellular process
• Respiration is a cellular process
• Cell division includes mitosis and meiosis

Genetics

Mendel's Laws

• The Law of Segregation states that each pair of alleles separates from each other during gamete formation
• The Law of Independent Assortment states that alleles for different genes are sorted independently of each other during gamete formation
• The Law of Dominance states that one allele can be dominant over another allele

DNA Structure

• The double helix model is the structure of DNA
• Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA
• A, C, G, and T are the four nucleotides in DNA
• DNA replication is the process of creating new DNA

Gene Expression

• Transcription is the process of creating RNA from DNA
• Translation is the process of creating protein from RNA
• Protein synthesis is the process of creating protein from amino acids

Evolution

Mechanisms of Evolution

• Natural selection is the process of favorable traits being passed on to the next generation
• Genetic drift is the random change in allele frequencies
• Gene flow is the movement of genes from one population to another
• Mutation is a change in the DNA sequence

Evidence for Evolution

• The fossil record shows a pattern of gradual changes in life forms over time
• Comparative anatomy shows similarities and homologies between different species
• Molecular biology shows similarities in DNA and protein sequences between different species

Ecosystems

Ecosystem Components

• Producers, such as plants and algae, make their own food
• Consumers, such as herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores, obtain energy by consuming other organisms
• Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, break down dead organic matter

Energy Flow

• Energy flows from producers to consumers in trophic levels
• Food chains show the flow of energy from one organism to another
• Food webs show the complex interactions between different species in an ecosystem

Ecological Relationships

• Symbiosis includes mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism
• Predation is the interaction between predators and prey
• Competition is the interaction between organisms for limited resources