BRANCHES-OF-BIOLOGY-and-Its-SUBDIVISIONS-for-merge.docx

**BRANCHES OF BIOLOGY and Its SUBDIVISIONS** **BIOLOGY (Biological Science or Life Science)** - Greek word **"bios"** means life and **"logos"** means discourse/science, is the branch of the natural or pure science that deals with all aspects of living things. It is considered a mult...

**BRANCHES OF BIOLOGY and Its SUBDIVISIONS** **BIOLOGY (Biological Science or Life Science)** - Greek word **"bios"** means life and **"logos"** means discourse/science, is the branch of the natural or pure science that deals with all aspects of living things. It is considered a multidisciplinary science because it has many subdivisions and linkages with other fields of life and non-life (physical) sciences. **MAJOR SUBDIVISIONS:** I. **ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY** - deals with all aspects of structures and functions, heredity development, evolution and distribution of organisms. II. **SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY** - deals with particular taxon or species of living organisms grouped or classified under proper taxonomic categories. It also deals with the classification & nomenclature, (naming) diversity and evolutionary relationships (phylogeny) of living things. III. **APPLIED BIOLOGY** - deals with the practical applications of the principles, theories and concepts of biology with the use of methods or techniques of other sciences. **SUBDIVISIONS OF ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY** **1.MORPHOLOGY (Surface Anatomy)** - deals with shape or form and external structures of the body of living things viewed as a whole. a. **Gross Anatomy (Macroscopic Anatomy/Whole-Body Anatomy)** deals with the internal macroscopic or visible external and internal structures of living things revealed by cutting up or dissection of body parts. It includes the dissection organs and organ systems of the whole plant and animal bodies. b. **Histology (Tissue Biology/Microscopic Anatomy)** deals with structure and functions of tissues that composed organs the body of living things. c. **Cytology (Cell Biology)** deals with the structure, function and evolution of cells ,the basic unit of the body of living things. 2. **Physiology (Functional Biology)** - deals with the functions or activities of the parts of the body of living things. - e.g. movement, reproduction/cell division, metabolism, photosynthesis, growth. 3. **Developmental Biology** - deals with the development of organisms from fertilized egg (zygote) to developement. **Subdivisions:** a.**Embryology** deals with the study of embryonic development from gametogenesis to organogenesis b.**Teratology-**deals with abnormal or defective animal embryonic and fetal development due to chemical hazards(teratogenic drugs) and nuclear radiation. 4. **Ecology (Environmental Biology)** deals with interrelationships of living things to their physical environment. e.g. food chain, food web, biogeochemical cycles,ecosystem components. **Subdivision:** a**.Limnology (Freshwater Ecology) --** deals with the interaction of organisms in their freshwater environment. b**.Marine Ecology(Saltwater Ecology)**-- deals with the interactions of marine organisms in their saltwater(saline) environment. 5. **Biogeography** deals with the distribution of living things in the different continents of the world. a.**Phytogeography(Plant Biogeography)** -- deals with the distribution of plants(Flora) on the different regions or continents of the earth. b.**Zoogeography(Animal Biogeography)**-- deals with the distribution of animals(Fauna) on the different regions or continents of the earth. It includes description of Wallace's zoogeographic realms namely: **Oriental, Palearctic, Nearctic,** **Neotropical, Ethiopian and Australian.** 6. **Paleontology (PALEOBIOLOGY)** deals with the identification and distribution of prehistoric organisms as recorded in sedimentary rocks. **Subdivisions:** a. **Micropaleontology** deals with prehistoric or fossil microorganisms. e.g. radiolarians and foraminiferans,diatoms(chrysophytes) **b. Paleobotany (Plant Paleontology/Paleophytology)** deals with prehistoric or fossil plants. e.g. rhyniophytes, zosterophyllophytes, giant tree-ferns and clubmossess. **b.1 Palynology** -- deals with fossil spores and pollen grains of ancient flowering plants. **c. Paleozoology (Animal Paleontology)** deals with prehistoric or fossil animals. e.g. trilobites, giant dragonfly, dinosaurs ,saber-toothed cats,giant sloths 7. **Evolutionary Biology (Biologicalevolution**) deals with the development of the different species of organism from ancestral forms as a result of gene mutation and environmental adaptations. e.g. agnathan placoderms bonyfishes birds amphibians reptiles mammals 8. **Genetics (Gene Biology)** deals with the transmisssion of hereditary or genetic traits and characteristics of organisms from ancestors to descendants or from parents (progenitors) to offsprings(progenies). These characteristic traits are carried by genes or the genetic material in the form of DNA. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance,Modification of Mendel's Basic Laws, Molecular Biology of the Gene. I. **SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY (BIOSYSTEMATICS)** - deals with the types of organisms their classification and nomenclature (naming) based on standard taxonomic scheme or categories. It also deals with the history of life based on evolutionary relationships of organisms. **SUBDIVISIONS OF SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY** **1.MICROBIOLOGY (Microbial Science)** deals with the structure and functions and interactions of microorganisms. It includes the study of bacteria, viruses, microscopic algae, microscopic fungi and certain parasitic protozoa and helminthes (worms). **Subdivisions:** **a.Bacteriology-**deals with bacteria (schizophytes) and cyannobacteria (blue green algae) **b.Virology-**deals morphology,classification and pathogenecity of RNA and DNA viruses **c.Parasitology (Parasite Biology)-**deals with parasitic organisms such as protozoa, worms, anthropods and the mode of parasitic relationships. 9. **BOTANY (Phytology/Plant Biology)** - deals with the study of all aspects of plant life **Subdivisions:** **a. Phycology** **(Algology/Algal Biology)** -- deals with algae (microscopic and macroscopic) **b. Mycology (Fungal Biology)** -- deals with fungi (microscopic and macroscopic)such as molds,lichens and cupfungi and mushrooms **c. Bryology(Bryophyte Biology)** -- deals with bryophytes (mosses, liveworths and hornworts). **d. Pteridology (Pteridophyte Biology/Fern Biology)** -- deals with ferns **e. Spermophytology** -- deals with seed-bearing plants like gymnosperms and angiosperms. **e.1 Coniferophytology** -- deals with gymnosperms or naked seedplants such as cone bearing plant and allies. e.g. pines, spruces, firs, cedars, ginkgos and cycads. **e**.**2** **Anthophytology** **(Angiosperm Biology)**deals with flowering seedplants that are of one seed leaf (monocots/liliophytes) or with two seed leaves(dicots/magnoliophytes **3. ZOOLOGY (Animal Biology)**-deals with all aspects of animal life. **Subdivisions:** **A. INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY (Invertebrate Animal Biology)** deals with animals without backboness or devertebrated animals. **b.Spongiology** -- deals with simple pore-bearing animals called sponges. (e.g Dead man's fingers,bathsponge,glass sponge) **c.Cnidariology**(CoelenterateBiology)-deals with hollow-intestined animals called cnidarians/coelenterates such as hydra, jellyfish, sea anemone,portuguese-man-of war. **d.Helminthology (Vermology)** -- deals with free living and parasitic flatworms and roundworms and segmented worms such as planarians,earthworms,leeches,flukes and tapeworms. **d.1 Oligochaetology-**deals with earthworms **d.2 Hirudinology-**deals with leeches **d.3 Polychaetology-**deals with many-bristled worms or polychaetes **d.4 Nematology**-deals with free-living and parasitic roundworms (nematodes) **d.4 Trematodology-**deals with flukes or trematodes **d.5 Cestodology-**deals with tapeworms or cestodes **e.Malacology (Molluscan Biology)** -- deals with stomach-footed, bivalve and head-footed mollusk with or without shells. Such as snails,clams,squids and chitons. **e.1** **Conchology** -- deals with the collection of molluscan shells for economic and aethetic purposes **f.Entomology (Insect Biology)** -- deals insects or hexapods (winged and wingless). **f.1 Myrmecology** -- deals with ants and wasps **f.2 Apiology (Apicolology/Melittology)**-- deals with bees **f.3 Lepidopteriology** -- deals with butterflies and moths. **f.4 Odonatology-**deals with dragonflies and damselflies **f.5 Orthopterology-**deals with grasshoppers,locusts and crickets. **g.Arachnolgy** -- deals with arachnids (spiders, scorpions, mites) **g.1 Acarology** -- deals with ticks and mites. **g.2 Araneology** -- deals with spiders **g.3 Scorpionology** -- deals with scorpions and pseudoscorpions. **h.Crustaceology** -- deals with crustaceans particularly decapods (lobsters,crayfishes, prawns, shrimps and crabs) **h.1 Carcinology** -- deals with crabs **h.2 Penaeology-**deals with prawns and shrimps A. **VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY (Vertebrate Animal Biology)** **a.Ichthyology (Fish Biology/Ichthyofaunal Biology)** deals with the biology of jawed and jawless, cartilaginous and bony fishes. **a.1 Chonchrichthyology-**deals with cartilaginous fishes such as sharks,stingrays,skates,sawfishes and angelsharks **a.2 Osteichthyology-**deals with bonyfishes (coelacaths,lungfishes,bichirs,paddlefishes,sturgeons,garpikes and teleosteans-common fishes in the market) **b.Herpetology** deals with the biology of reptiles and amphibians **b.1 Batrachiology(Amphibology)** -- deals with structure, function and evolution of amphibians. **b.2 Saurology-**deals with lizards such as common lizards,geckkos, monitor lizards **b.3 Ophidiology(Serpentology)-**deals with snakes or serpents such as boas,pythons,cobras,crates and anacondas **b.4 Archosaurology**-deals with terrible ruling reptiles called dinosaurs **c.Ornithology (Aviology/Avian Biology)** deals with the biology of feathered warm-blooded vertebrates called birds which maybe flightless (ratites) or have the ability to fly and with keel or carina (carinates). **c.1 Psittacology-**deals with parrots and lovebirds **c.2 Falconology-**deals with birds of prey such as falcons,hawks and eagles. **c.3 Anatidology-**deals with ducks,geese and swans. **c.4 Gallinology-**deals with land fowls such as chickens,quails pheasants,turkeys,peafowls,guineafowls **d.Mammalogy (Theriology/Mammalian Biology)** deals with hairy, warm-blooded vertebrates called mammals which maybe egg laying (monotremes), with pouch (marsupials) and with placentae (placentals). **d.1** **Primatology** -- deals with monkeys, apes and man collectively called primates. **d.2** **Cetology** -- deals with aquatic marine mammals comprising whales and dolphins. **d.3** **Anthropology** -- deals specifically with evolutionary history and culture of humans and their fossil relicts and artifacts. **d.4** **Rodentology-**deals with gnawing mammals called rodents **d.4.1 Sciurology-**deals with squirrels **d.4.2 Muridology-**deals with mice and rats **d.5 Lagomorphology-**deals with hares and rabbits **d.6.Felinology-**deals with big and small cats or felids **d.7**.**Cynology(Caenology)-**deals with dogs,wolves,foxes and jackals **d.8 Ursidology-**deals with bears and pandas **d.9 Suidology-**deals with pigs and peccaries **d.10.Hippology-**deals with horses,zebras,and hippopotamuses **d.11. Proboscidology-**deals with elephants II. **APPLIED BIOLOGY (PRACTICAL BIOLOGY)** **c.Biometry (Mathematical Biology)** -- deals with application of statistical methods in biology investigation essential in population determination and structural design of organisms. **d.Bioinformatics**--deals with the exploitation of formidable information storage and processing capabilities of computer to develop tools for the collection, collation, retrieval and analysis of biologic data on a mass scale. **e.Conservation Biology -** deals with the maintenance of the environmental quality and biological resources. **e.1** **Wildlife Biology** -- deals with the preservation and conservation management of the diversity of wildlfie (wild plants and animals) especially those subject to endangerment, extinction or extermination. It is the study of conservation of wild animals and their habitats. **e.2 Fishery Biology-**deals with fish research in understanding their diseases,natural habitats and behavior. **f**.**Cryptobiology** -- deals with organisms that live in hidden or secluded situations or places such as cryptozoans, invertebrate animals that live beneath plant litters submerged in water and in soil. (e.g. tardigrades or waterbears) **g.Agriculture-**deals with the production of plants and animals useful to man, involving soil cultivation and the breeding and management of crops and livestock. **g.1 Agrobiology** -- deals with the care, propagation and management of organisms that serve as beneficial crops or livestocks for economic, aesthetic and industrial purposes. **h.Veterinary Medicine (Zootherapeutics/Medical Zoology)** -- deals with diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of domestic and exotic animals especially the beasts of burdens (goats,carabao, cattle,elephants). **i. Radiobiology(Radiation Biology)-**deals with effects of ionizing radiation such as ultraviolet rays,x-rays,gamma rays on the cells,tissues and organs of living organisms.