Scope of biology – branches and relation with other sciences
Scope of biology
Have you ever wondered why biology is taught in your school? Can you answer how a tall
and gigantic banyan tree just came out from a small seed without knowing the concept of
biology? No right? So why do we need to learn biology and what is the nature and scope of
biology? How does it help us in understanding the living world around us? Let us dig deep
into the world and scope of biological through this article.
In this article, we will learn what biology is, why it is important for us to learn it, how it can
be used for the welfare of society and also how it is misused. So, without wasting any time,
let us get started with the scope of biological science. In this article, we shall also learn about
the history of biology and biological science scope after the 12th.
What is biology and biological science scope?
Biology is a branch of science that deals with the study of living organisms (plants, animals,
and microorganisms), their biological processes and functions and how they are important for
the environment.
It can also be defined as the study of all living organisms and their interactions with the
environment.
History of biology
The study of biology is dated back to the 4th and 5th century when Greek philosophers were
the pioneers to start studying things that have life. Hence the word ‘biology’ came from
Greek. The first person who was curious about human intelligence and came to beknown as
the pioneer of the study of anatomy was alcmaeon from crotona in the 5 th century. He was the
first person who had started dissection, and later, many other people started to gain interest in
the topic of living creatures. Until then, everyone thought that life and death, disease and
health, poverty and wealth, everything is given by divine power.
Later, many attempts were made to find out the actual theory of life. After alcmaeon, several
other famous philosophers had shown keen interest in studying living beings. Aristotle was
one of these pioneers. Later, his favourite student Theophrastus (known as the father of
botany) had done a detailed study on plants and their classification.
In the 14th century, leaonardo da vinci and Harvey gave the theory of the circulation of blood.
In the 16th century, science flourished, and many important inventions were made like the
microscope by leeuwenhoek and the complete and detailed classification of plants by
Linnaeus and many more. This is how the study of living creatures originated.
Originated of the term biology: scope of biological science
The word biology has come from the Greek word ‘bios’ meaning life and ‘logos’ means to
study. All the quests of life can be resolved by this vast branch of science. Aristotle is
regarded as the father of biology because he was the first person who related life and its
origin to biology rather than assuming it to be from a divine source, which was the thought of
people in that era. The word biology was coined by Lamarck and treviranus
Branches of biology
Biology can be divided into three main branches, namely:
1. Botany – study of plants
2. Zoology – study of animals
3. Microbiology – study of unicellular and microscopic organisms
These branches of biology can be understood under five main fields that we have explained
below:
1. The main group of living things: branches, including studies of particular organisms
such as bacteriology, virology, zoology etc fall under in this type
2. Living things and their environment: ecology, environment science, and biogeography
are some branches that include the study of organisms and their habitats
3. Structure and function: branching of biology like physiology, histology etc are the
ones that include structure and functional studies of living things
4. Applied biology: biotechnology is an example of applied biology
5. Changes and development: branches of biology like embryology, evolution and
genetics are directly or indirectly involved in changes and development that we
observe around us
Some other branches include biochemistry, biophysics, bioinformatics, cell biology,
immunology, molecular biology, pathology, radiobiology, taxonomy, and many more
Biology science scope after 12th
The fascinating aspect of biology is that it is not only the study that unveils mysterious
secrets of the world, but it is also a field of education and employment.
Literary sources, including books, journals, articles, periodicals, magazines, newsletters etc
are written and sold by people with knowledge different fields of biology.
Professional scopes are doctors, nurses, pharmacologists, scientists, research scholars
Other vocal sources include lectures, teachers, professors
Scope of molecular biology – there is a wide range of employment opportunities in research
labs set by the government of india in the research and development of numerous private
drug companies. They work towards the development of drugs, stem cell research and several
domains within the field of medical development.
Following are some points discussed in context to the practical application of the scope of
biology in different fields:
Agriculture : it gives important useful information about fertilizers, pesticides and
insecticides that must be used. It has great application in the development of disease-resistant
varieties, better production of crops in terms of quality and quantity. A major aspect of
agriculture such as the maintenance of field and soil and nutrients requirements of various
species of plants are also studies under biology.
Industries: the majority of industries use plant and animal products as their raw material. So
basically, it is the study of plants and animals that helps in running an industry. Major
industries include dairy, food, leather, textile, paper, jute
Medicine: it can be considered a boon to medicine. Be it a simple disease or contagious
disease. Drugs need to be there to cure it. It can be in the form of vaccines or steroids or
drugs. For example: the current pandemic situation is being cured by a detailed study of the
virus and by creating effective vaccines.
Conservation of the biosphere: conserving our ecosystem is an important aspect of the
present scenario. It has become very important to maintain stability in the environment. The
study of biology helps in preventing the extinction of flora and fauna by conserving the
biological hotspots and other endemic places with help of constructing botanical gardens,
zoological parks, sanctuaries.
Genetic engineering: it is an advanced study that has gotten its fame recently. Right now, it is
the most flourished scope of biology where recombinant DNA technology, somatic
hybridisation, cloning, tissue culture is getting advanced everyday.
Art and aesthetics: in the form of museum, art galleries, planetariums, exhibitions. The study
of biology has never failed to prove its importance. Apart from these, there is a vast scope in
sectors like biochemistry, biophysics, animal husbandary. New technologies keep developing
in every field and require biology as their primary source of knowledge.
Anthropology: it includes learning about the history of human lives through archaelogy to
understand the biological and psychological characteristics of humans and also their
evolution through different areas.
Biology and its relation with other sciences
As studied earlier, biology can be blended with many science subjects based on the
requirement. Some of these are given below:
Biochemistry: it is the study of chemical reactions, chemical composition, structural
orientation, acid and base equilibrium and everything related to chemistry in living
organisms.
Biophysics: it is the study of mechanics like force, pressure, or any other physical factors that
concern living beings.
Biostat: it is used to study of the statical data of living species, popularity density, ecological
balance.
Sociology in relation to biology: It involves the study of human behaviour. It can only be
done when one knows about the brain and nervous system in human beings and also about
hormonal changes.
Geology in relation to biology: many geological instances include biological factors. For
example, weathering of rocks happens only when there are biological factors like the growth
of lichens or growth of several microorganisms or precipitation of water
Bioinformatics: it is an interdisciplinary subject that combines biology with computer science
that is a compilation of data related to biomolecules, the human genome and other
macromolecules in software.
Nature and scope of biology in human welfare
Biology plays a vital role in human welfare. A very few of these are mentioned below as
there are no limits to the importance of this subject:
1. The study of human health and diseases is the most important criterion for humans,
wholly dependent on biology
2. The strategies that related to the enhancement of food are the second most important
criterion
3. The study of microorganisms under this subject plays a crucial role in decomposition,
biogeochemical cycles, pharmaceutical needs
4. It is applied in several essential industrial processes like the production of enzymes,
antibiotics, and several other by-products
5. To understand the interdependence of biotic and abiotic factors of the environment
and use this knowledge to maintain a balance between both
Therefore, we can say that life on earth can be studied only through biology and the
comfort and luxury we get is all because of the advancement in the subject
Misuse of biology
An abundance of power and knowledge always comes with a catch; the same applies to
biology as well
1. Advance technology in fields like biotechnology and genetics is leading to the
creation of many deadly pathogens or bioweapons like antibiotic-resistant microbes
that cause deadly diseases
2. Amniocentesis is a technique to diagnose abnormalities of the fetus in an early stage
of pregnancy. It is misused to know the gender and abort it if it is a female child
Career opportunities in the field of biology
There are plenty of career opportunities in the field of biology
1. A student studying biology can work in various fields as a doctor, nurse or
pharmacist, as a lecturer, a scientist or a research scholar
2. A biologist can work in the food, dairy, and leather industries, in biotechnological
labs, airports, as a food quality manager and a lot more
3. Almost all the fields hire biology graduates as basic knowledge of the subject is one
of the primary requirements in any field
teachesThere is a diverse range of opportunities for students of biology, just that one must be
passionate and persistent about the subject
Summary
Biology includes information about all forms of life such as plants, animals, including us and
even the smallest organisms like bacteria and viruses. It helps us to understand everything
that is happening around and inside us. Development in different branches of biology is
impacting our lives to a great extent. Basic knowledge of this subject is essential for each one
of us to lead life.
Frequently asked questions on scope biology
1. What are the main branches of biology?
2. What are the careers in biology?
3. What is biology?
4. What is the nature and scope of biology for students?
5. Explain the scope of biology with an example?
