Major Brances of Biology
MAJOR BRANCHES OF BIOLOGY
Biology, the scientific study of life, includes several relevant branches. Below is a list of major branches of biology with a brief description for each.
Agriculture - science and practice of producing crops and livestock from the natural
resources of the earth.
Anatomy - study of the animal form, particularly human body
Astrobiology - branch of biology concerned with the effects of outer space on living
organisms and the search for extraterrestrial life.
Biochemistry - the study of the structure and function of cellular components, such as
proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules, and of
their functions and transformations during life processes
Bioclimatology - a science concerned with the influence of climates on organisms, for instance
the effects of climate on the development and distribution of plants, animals,
and humans
Bioengineering - or biological engineering, is a broad-based engineering discipline that
deals with bio-molecular and molecular processes, product design, sustainability
and analysis of biological systems.
Biogeography - a science that attempts to describe the changing distributions and
geographic patterns of living and fossil species of plants and animals
Bioinformatics - information technology as applied to the life sciences, especially the
technology used for the collection, storage, and retrieval of genomic data
Biomathematics - mathematical biology or biomathematics is an interdisciplinary field of
academic study which aims at modelling natural, biological processes using
mathematical techniques and tools. It has both practical and theoretical
applications in biological research.
Biophysics - or biological physics is an interdisciplinary science that applies the
theories and methods of physical sciences to questions of biology
Biotechnology - applied science that is concerned with biological systems, living
organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for
specific use
Botany - the scientific
study of plants
Cell biology - the study of cells at the microscopic or at the molecular level. It
includes studying the cells’ physiological properties, structures, organelles,
interactions with their environment, life cycle, division and apoptosis
Chronobiology - a science that studies time-related phenomena in living organisms
Conservation Biology - concerned with the studies and schemes of habitat preservation and
species protection for the purpose of alleviating extinction crisis and
conserving biodiversity
Cryobiology - the study of the effects of low temperatures on living organisms
Developmental Biology - the study of the processes by which an organism develops from a zygote to
its full structure
Ecology - the scientific study of the relationships between plants, animals, and
their environment
Ethnobiology - a study of the past and present human interactions with the environment,
for instance the use of diverse flora and fauna by indigenous societies
Evolutionary Biology - a subfield concerned with the origin and descent of species, as well as
their change over time, i.e. their evolution
Freshwater Biology - a science concerned with the life and ecosystems of freshwater habitats
Genetics - a science that deals with heredity, especially the mechanisms of
hereditary transmission and the variation of inherited characteristics among
similar or related organisms
Geobiology - a science that combines geology and biology to study the interactions of
organisms with their environment
Immunobiology - a study of the structure and function of the immune system, innate and
acquired immunity, the bodily distinction of self from nonself, and laboratory
techniques involving the interaction of antigens with specific antibodies
Marine Biology - study of ocean plants and animals and their ecological relationships
Medicine - the science which relates to the prevention, cure, or alleviation of
disease
Microbiology - the branch of biology that deals with microorganisms and their effects
on other living organisms
Molecular Biology - the branch of biology that deals with the formation, structure, and
function of macromolecules essential to life, such as nucleic acids and
proteins, and especially with their role in cell replication and the
transmission of genetic information
Mycology - the study of fungi
Neurobiology - the branch of biology that deals with the anatomy and physiology and
pathology of the nervous system
Paleobiology - the study of the forms of life existing in prehistoric or geologic times,
as represented by the fossils of plants, animals, and other organisms
Parasitology - the study of parasites and parasitism
Pathology - the study of the nature of disease and its causes, processes,
development, and consequences
Pharmacology - the study of preparation and use of drugs and synthetic medicines
Physiology - the biological study of the functions of living organisms and their parts
Protistology - the study of protists
Psychobiology - the study of mental functioning and behavior in relation to other
biological processes
Toxicology
- the study of how natural or man-made poisons cause undesirable effects in
living organisms
Virology - study of viruses
Zoology - The branch of biology that deals with animals and animal life, including
the study of the structure, physiology, development, and classification of
animals
Ethology - the study of animal behavior
Entomology - the scientific study of insects
Ichthyology - the study of fishes
Herpetology - the study of reptiles and amphibians
Ornithology - the study of birds
Mammalogy - the study of mammals
Primatology - the science that deals with primates
Cryobiology - the study of the effects of lower than normally preferred temperatures on
living beings.
Herpetology - the study of reptiles (and amphibians)
Oceanography - the study of the ocean, including ocean life, environment, geography,
weather, and other aspects influencing the ocean. See Marine Biology
Paleontology - the study of fossils and sometimes geographic evidence of prehistoric
life
Pathobiology or pathology - the study of diseases, and the causes, processes, nature, and development
of disease
Pharmacology - the study and practical application of preparation, use, and effects of
drugs and synthetic medicines.
Physiology - the study of the functioning of living organisms and the organs and parts
of living organisms
Phytopathology - the study of plant diseases
Limnology- is closely related to aquatic ecology and hydrobiology, which study
aquatic organisms in particular regard to their hydrological environment.
Gerontology-The scientific study of old age, the process of aging, and the particular
problems of old people.
Histology-The study of the microscopic structure of tissues.
Zoogeography-The branch of zoology that deals with the geographical distribution of
animals.
Molecular biology-The branch of biology that studies the structure and function of the
macromolecules (e.g., proteins and nucleic acids) essential to life.
Biotechnology-The exploitation of biological processes for industrial and other purposes.
