BIOLOGY

THE STUDY OF LIFE

BIOLOGY – study of life
Bios – life; logos – study
It is a science that deals with structures, functions, and relationships of living things and
their environment.
Various Levels
1. Molecular
2. Cellular
3. Organismal
4. Population
5. Community
6. Ecosystems
Levels of Structural Organization

1. Carbon Atom
2. DNA molecule
3. Organelle
4. Cell
5. Tissue
6. Organ
7. Organ System
8. Organism
9. Population
10. Community
11. Ecosystem
THREE MAJOR DIVISIONS OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES:
Microbiology-is the study of microscopic organism those being inecellular, multicellular
or acellular.
Botany- is the scientific study of plant, including their physiology, Structure , Genetics
and ecology
Zoology- is the scientific study of the behavior, Structure, physiology, Classification and
Distribution of animal
Taxonomy – naming and classifying organisms
Cytology – structures and functions of cells
Embryology – function and development of organisms
Anatomy – structures and parts of organisms
Physiology – functions of living organisms and their parts
Biochemistry – biochemical compositions and processes of living things
Genetics – heredity and variation
Evolution – origin and differentiation of various organisms
Ecology – relationships of organisms with each other and their environment
Bioinformatics – Biological data using computer programs
genomics – entire genetic material (genome) of an organism
Molecular biology – molecules that make up the cells of living organisms
Pharmacogenomics– how genes affect a person’s response to drugs
Proteomics – Proteins in a living organism
Synthetic biology – artificial biological systems

Why study Biology?

 Studying biology helps you understand the functions and reactions of your body.
 It explains your similarities and differences with other organisms.
 It helps in understanding how animals survive, respond, and interact with the
environment.
 Organisms keep the balance in the environment, esp. in the food chain.
 Other animals (mice, frogs, and monkeys) are used as specimens to further
understand the body systems.
 Biology encompasses the study of different causative agents of diseases such as
bacteria and viruses.
 People find ways to fight and prevent the spread of diseases caused by various
infections.
 Biology helps you respond to the demands of human population, esp. in food
production, which is made possible by careful study and research.
 Biology also studies reproduction and population growth of living organisms to
assure that problems regarding overpopulation will be solved.
 Biology helps you respond to the demands of human population, esp. in food
production, which is made possible by careful study and research.
 Biology also studies reproduction and population growth of living organisms to
assure that problems regarding overpopulation will be solved.
 Understanding biological processes that lead to natural calamities can help
preserve these endangered species and their ecosystems.
 BIOLOGY helps you think critically, make informed choices, and solve problems.
 This will enable us to determine the biases of investigators, mass media, and
others that we encounter, thus, we are guided to make sound judgments on
biological scenarios in daily life.