Biology is a fascinating science that involves unlocking the mystery of life processes and the origin of life. Biologists study life at many different levels, from the molecular machinery of a cell to the relationship between the earth and its ecosystems.
Biology is so complex that it encompasses many disciplines relating to the different organizational levels of organisms. Each discipline contributes a different piece of the puzzle to increase our understanding of life.
Anatomy and Physiology Relate Structure and Function
Anatomists and physiologists are biologists who study the structure and function of animals, including humans. Their main focus is on tissues, organs, and the whole organism.
The mantra of anatomy and physiology is "structure dictates function." One studying this discipline begins by learning how to name basic structures and express their location in relation to each other. For example, the popliteal fossa is distal to the thigh, meaning the back of the knee is farther from the heart than the thigh. The student then advances to studying the structure of an organ system and how that structure allows the organ to do its job.
Cell Biology Focuses on Cell Structure and Function
Cell biology is the study of individual cells, whether they are from a complex, multicellular organism, or a single-cell organism. Cell biologists discovered that cells have organelles within in them that do different jobs. Some single-cell organisms have cilia around their exterior that they use for movement. Sperm cells have flagella that propel them forward.
Cell biologists also study cell abnormalities. They identify cancerous cells, cells that are infected with malaria, and other conditions. They have discovered the difference between a normal red blood cell and a sickle cell that causes anemia. They also observe how cells move and signal one another.
Molecular Biology Studies Molecular Interactions
Molecular biology deals with proteins and how they function within a cell. For example, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is located in the cell nucleus, is made up of proteins and phosphate groups that form a strong double-helix that has a unique sequence for each organism. Molecular biologists have discovered how the DNA strands separate and replicate.
Molecular biologists research other protein functions, as well. They have discovered how cells make energy using the processes of glycolysis, breakdown of pyruvate, citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. They study the complex molecular machinery that makes these and other processes happen.
Ecologists Investigate Ecosystems
Ecologists study ecosystems and the populations and communities within them. They investigate how the structure of the earth affects the kinds of organisms present, such as how the vegetation differs with elevation changes on a mountain. They may study how communities differ between saltwater and freshwater lakes, or how air currents affect the temperature along the western coast of North America and how that can change the communities along the coast.
Ecologists also study how different populations prey upon each other and how they may contribute to the extinction of another species. A current issue that ecologists are concerned with is the emerald ash borer, a beetle that is threatening ash trees in the state of Michigan and surrounding states and Canadian provinces. According to the article, "Emerald Ash Borer," from Emerald Ash Borer, a website maintained by the USDA Forest Service and Michigan State University as part of a collaborative effort with many other affected states and provinces, "Emerald ash borer probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia." There is currently a ban on moving firewood in an effort to keep the ash borer from spreading throughout the Midwest.
Systems Biology
Rather than focus on individual parts of organisms, systems biologists study how all of the parts work together. "Biologists now use the term systems biology to describe research that is aimed at understanding how the properties of life arise by complex interactions," say Brooker et al.
Different biological processes and levels of organization often involve different tools and experimental methods. Biologists of different disciplines are experts in utilizing those tools and methods that are best suited for their disciplines. They sometimes work together to more fully understand what they are investigating in the complex science of biology.
Reference
Brooker, Robert J., Widmaier, Eric P., Graham, Linda E., and Stiling, Peter D. Biology. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008.
Diane Ursu - Diane Ursu joined Suite101 as a contributing writer in August 2009 and became a Feature Writer in January 2010. She is a freelance writer ...
Join the Conversation