branches of Biology

What are the Branches of Biology? This topic covered biology branches with description. Helpful QuickTime reviews for competitive examinations.

What is Biology?

How Many Types of Biology? The study of a living world is a special endeavor of humans. Humans are biological beings and are a little different from other living organisms. Although several animals have curiosity, it is this feature that makes humans singularly different from other living organisms.

We keep pets, nature plants, visit zoological and botanical gardens, climb mountain peaks or dive deep into the sea and undertake trekking in the forests to enjoy the serenity of wildness along with its vast living and non-living resources.

All these activities reflect the innate attraction of humans to the natural world and their feeling of connectedness to living things.

In fact, the scientific extension of human curiosity has given birth to the science of biology.

branches of Biology

In this topic, we have included the basic branches of Biology (Branches of Biology List) and its description. Those are very useful for all competitive examination on Characteristics of Living Organisms.

Branches of Biology and its definitions

  1. Cytology: The study of Cells
  2. Physiology: The study of the functioning of various organ systems
  3. Embryology: The study of the development of animals from unicellular to multicellular adult
  4. Ecology: The study of the relationship between organisms and environment. (Living Organisms and Their Surroundings)
  5. Paleontology: The study of Fossils
  6. Evolution: The study deals with the development of highly organized species from lowly organized species by a gradual change
  7. Histology: The study of structure and function of tissues
  8. Genetics: The study of Heredity and variation in the organism. It deals with the inheritance of characters from parents to offspring.
  9. Biochemistry: Study of Chemical nature and sequence of biochemical reactions in organisms. The scope of Biochemistry.
  10. Molecular Biology: Study of biology at molecular level E.g.: Studies of biological molecules like DNA and RNA
  11. Genetic Engineering: It deals with the method of splitting (cutting) the useful genes from one organism and rearranging them in another organism in order to get desirable characters. It is also described by Recombinant DNA technology.
  12. Microbiology: Organisms that can be seen only through a microscope are called microbes and the study is called Microbiology. E.g.: Bacteria, Algae, and Fungi
  • Anatomy: The study of internal structures of organisms
  • Biotechnology: The Study of Application of modern biological techniques for the benefit of humanity.
  • Plant Breeding: Study of improvement of cultivated varieties of crop plants
  • Horticulture: Study of growing gardens and ornamental plants.
  • Taxonomy : The study and classification of Plants and Animals
  • Lithology : The study of Fishes
  • Batrachology : The study of Frogs
  • Herpetology : The study of reptiles
  • Saurology : The study of Lizards
  • Ophiology : The study of snakes
  • Ornithology: The study of Birds
  • Anthropology : The study of Man
  • Protozoology: The study of unicellular organisms
  • Mammology: The study of mammals
  • Nematology : The study of Nematodes
  • Helminthology : The study of helminth organisms
  • Entomology : The study of Insects
  • Myrmecology: The study of Ants
  • Malacology : The study of Molluscans
  • Conchology : The study of shells
  • Ethology : the study of the behavior of animals
  • Limnology: The study of freshwater organisms
  • Parasitology: the study of parasites
  • Virology: The study of Virus
  • Dermatology: The study of Skin
  • Gynecology: The study of female reproductive organs
  • Odontology: The study of Teeth
  • Phrenology: The study of Skull
  • Enzymology: The study of Enzymes
  • Osteology : The study of Bones
  • Otorhinolaryngology: The study of ear, nose, and throat
  • Opthalmology: The study of eyes
  • Urology: the study of Excretory organs
  • Neurology: The study of the nervous system
  • Cardiology: The study of heart
  • Hematology: The study of Blood
  • Angiology: The study of blood vessels
  • Serology: The study of antibodies and antigens
  • Toxicology: The study of poison substances on organisms
  • Radiology: The study of radioactive substances
  • Endocrinology: The study of endocrine glands and their secretions
  • Pleurology: The study of lungs
  • Aerobiology: The study of a living organism in the air
  • Eugenics: The study of improvement of human characters by applying the laws of heredity
  • Euthenics: The study of the effect of the environment on human beings
  • Animal husbandry: Science dealing with the culture of fishes
  • Pisciculture: The study of dealing with the culture of fishes
  • Apiculture: The culture of honeybees
  • Aquaculture: The study of Water organisms culture
  • Poultry: The study of rearing of hens, chicks, ducks, etc.
  • Morphology: It deals with the form and structure of various plant organs. If it deals with external characters like roots, stem, leaves, fruits, etc. It is described as External morphology. If it deals with the internal structure of various organs, it is known as internal morphology. There are three branches of internal morphology.
    1. Cytology: Study of different cell organelles and their function
    2. Histology: It deals with the study of tissues and tissue systems. A group of cells similar in origin and function is called tissue.
    3. Anatomy: Study of the internal structure of organs like root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit, and seed.
  • Virology: Study of Viruses
  • Pharmacology: The study of the effect of drugs

The above given all are included in Branches of Biology.