Ecology: Terrestrial, Freshwater, Estuarine, and Marine Environments

10 Questions

What is the main focus of evolutionary biology?

Change in the characteristics of a species over several generations

What does Microevolution focus on?

Evolution on the smallest scale or species level

Give an example of Microevolution.

Pesticide resistance or antibiotic resistance

What is the main concern of Macroevolution?

Evolutionary patterns and processes above the species level

What is Paleontology concerned with?

Prehistoric organisms identified and recorded as fossils

What does Micropaleontology study?

Microscopic fossil organisms

Give an example of Paleobotany.

Petrified wood or leaf imprints on rocks

What does Palynology deal with?

Fossilized spores like pollen grains

What does Invertebrate Paleontology focus on?

Fossil animals without backbones

Give an example of an ancient animal studied in Invertebrate Paleontology.

Trilobites

Study Notes

Organismal Biology

Study of structure, function, ecology, and evolution at the level of organisms
Concerned with all aspects of life of organisms (living things)

Morphology

Deals with form or shape of organisms revealed as a whole
Subdivisions:
- Gross Anatomy (Whole Body Structural Biology/Macroscopic Anatomy)
  - Deals with internal structures of organisms revealed through dissection
- Histology (Microscopic Anatomy/Tissue Biology)
  - Deals with study of aggregates of cells or tissues that comprise organs of the body
- Cytology (Cell Biology/Cellular Science)
  - Deals with structure, function, and evolution of cells, the structural and functional units of life

Supramolecular Biology (Subcellular Biology)

Subdivisions:
- Biochemistry (Chemical Biology)
  - Deals with structural configurations and physico-chemical properties of biomolecules (nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates)
- Molecular Biology
  - Deals with structural and functional properties of biomolecules (nucleic acids and proteins) that comprise genes and body structures
- Genetics
  - Deals with transmission of traits/characteristics from parents to offspring
  - Concerned with mechanisms of heredity and variation at molecular and cellular levels

Physiology (Functional Biology)

Deals with functions or activities of parts of organisms at molecular, cellular, and gross-anatomical levels
Subdivisions:
- Microbial Physiology
  - Deals with genetic and genetic mutations of microorganisms (viruses and bacteria)
- Plant Physiology
  - Deals with functions or activities of plant body parts
- Animal Physiology
  - Deals with functions or activities of animal body parts

Developmental Biology

Deals with embryonic and post-embryonic development of organisms
Subdivisions:
- Embryology
  - Deals with development of organisms from fertilized egg to formation of form and organs
- Fetology
  - Deals with post-development of embryo to form fetus (prenate)
- Teratology
  - Deals with abnormal or defective (pathological) development

Natural History

Observational method of study of organisms in their natural environment
Oldest branch of biology that predates human technology, product, and design
Deals with ways of life and life histories of organisms

Ecology (Environmental Biology)

Deals with interrelationships of organisms to their physical environment
Subdivisions:
- Terrestrial Ecology
  - Deals with interrelationships of organisms to land or soil environment
- Freshwater Ecology (Limnology)
  - Deals with interrelationships of organisms to freshwater environment
- Estuarine Ecology
  - Deals with interrelationship of organisms to brackish-water environment
- Marine Ecology
  - Deals with interrelationships of organisms to marine or saltwater environment

Biogeography (Distributional Biology)

Deals with past and present distribution of biological diversity and their underlying environmental and historical causes
Concerned with distribution of life at geographic or continental scale
Subdivisions:
- Phytogeography (Plant Biogeography)
  - Deals with distribution of plants on different land continents
- Zoogeography (Animal Biogeography)
  - Deals with distribution of animals on different land continents and oceanic depths