One of the oldest, but at the same time progressive, even today sciences is biology. This is a science that studies all the diversity of wildlife around us. After all, every day we come across hundreds of living things: insects, bacteria, viruses, plants and, of course, people. Each organism has its own peculiarities of structure and activity, all are interconnected by certain laws and are in various kinds of relationships. All this is studied by such an extensive, fascinating and truly great science as biology.
Earth biosphere
Our planet is inhabited by a wide variety of life forms. All of them, interacting with each other, form a common shell. The living shell of planet Earth. It is called the biosphere. In addition to the biosphere, our planet has such shells as the hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere. Naturally, the entire biomass of the biosphere shell could not exist separately from other shells. Therefore, this division is very arbitrary. In fact, each of the shells includes representatives of the biosphere.
For example, the lithosphere is densely populated by worms, bacteria, larvae, insects and mammals. It is also in it that the lower parts of most existing land plants are located.
The hydrosphere, represented by the totality of all types of water on Earth, is generally a whole world, beautiful and interesting, in its composition of biomass. The atmosphere is no exception. A variety of bacteria, viruses, insects, birds, and even mammals are an integral part of it and use it for permanent residence. Moreover, in general, almost all living creatures (with the exception of certain types of bacteria) are able to live only under aerobic conditions, that is, in terrestrial atmosphere.
The entire biomass of the biosphere shell is a multimillion-dollar community of living things. And such a science of living nature as biology, with all its departments included, is engaged in a detailed study of this great community.
Methods and materials used in biology
For complex analysis and convenient and detailed examination of all living objects of nature in biology, special materials are used. Such as the:
- scalpel;
- clamps;
- forceps;
- measuring instruments;
- stain traps;
- mortars and pestles;
- test tubes;
- baths and Petri dishes;
- dissecting needles and tables;
- mirrors and magnifiers;
- all kinds of microscopes and so on.
This, of course, is far from a complete list of the whole variety of materials that help biologists in their knowledge of the living and in scientific research.
There are also specific techniques that biology uses as a science. Biological methods are diverse, but the following can be attributed to the main ones.
Biological methodology
Scientific methods of biology| Method name | Materials used | Practical value |
| Observation | Field diary, binoculars, magnifying glass, microscope, video and photo equipment, etc. | Obtaining visual information about the observed object without interfering with natural processes, the accumulation of useful information. |
| Description | Computer, writing accessories, paper. | Fixation of the results that were obtained by observation. This method provides historical significance for the preservation of useful information. |
| Experiment | Laboratory equipment, microscope, etc. | Practical confirmation of the proposed scientific hypotheses. |
| Comparison | Literature or experiments on the topic. | It makes it possible to choose a more correct result, and also shows all the differences in life, the structure of organisms, depending on various factors. |
| Modeling (includes generalization, systematization) | Materials for creating models of the studied object. | Allows you to recreate the picture of ongoing processes and predict the result. |
| Analytical method | Measuring devices, computers | It allows you to derive general patterns or differences in living nature, and also provides a systematization of accumulated knowledge. |
Modern methods: - SAR (X-ray diffraction analysis);
- centrifugation;
- radiography;
- cytochemistry (histochemistry);
- cultivation of organisms on nutrient media;
- microscopy (electron, fluorescence, contrast, dark field);
- intravital staining.
| Centrifuges, special microscopes, Petri dishes, agar-based culture media , specific equipment and instruments. | Provide an accurate analysis of the smallest living units, give complete information about the processes occurring at the molecular level. They allow you to intervene in the genome and set the desired properties for living organisms. |
As a result, we obtain the following result. Biology is a science that studies living systems completely, comprehensively and using the most diverse modern technologies.
The main sections of biology
Today, biology has dozens of collateral young sciences, which were formed from it due to the accumulation of a large amount of various knowledge in the most delicate issues concerning living systems. We will single out the main, historically established sections of biological science.
- General biology.
- Genetics.
- Zoology.
- Botany.
- Physiology of plants and animals.
- Anatomy.
- Human physiology.
- Ecology.
- Biogeography.
- Biochemistry.
First of all, biology is a science of nature. Therefore, all of these sections are fundamental in the context of the consideration of this science.
General biology: essence, subject of study
By this name is meant the study of the basic vital moments of each living system: the emergence, development, formation in nature, functioning. Consequently, general biology includes the following sections:
- Cell theory and cell structure.
- Ontogenesis of organisms.
- Molecular biology.
- Genetics.
- The evolution of all living things.
- Ecology.
- The doctrine of the biosphere shell of the Earth.
From the list below it becomes clear that this biology is a science that studies the universal characteristics inherent in all living systems as a whole. In the course of school education, general biology is taught in high school, from 9 to 11 inclusive. And this is correct, because the concepts that it includes are quite complex, voluminous, and require a more mature worldview among students.
Botany in the school course
Today, scientists call the figure approximately 350,000 species when it comes to the diversity of modern plants. Naturally, this figure is too large, and the plants are unique and interesting, so as not to form a separate science, which deals exclusively with their study. Such science also includes botany, a section of biology.
All plants can be divided into land and water. But this is only a very crude, superficial classification. In fact, there are many taxa, genera, species, subspecies, and other systematic units into which plants are divided. This is the essence of the taxonomy of plants, one of the departments of botany.
There are also a number of other departments covering all aspects of plant life:
- plant morphology;
- plant physiology;
- ecology;
- biogeography;
- phylogeny;
- evolution;
- economic botany.
The totality of all these sciences, as well as those departments that are included in each of them, in turn, allows for a comprehensive total study of any plant organism. Therefore, we can say with confidence that biology is the science of plants.
Botany is studied in a school biology course in grades 6-7, depending on the curriculum. Phylogeny and evolution are studied in grade 11.
Zoology in the school course
The science of zoology has described more than 1350000 species of representatives of the animal world. The vast majority are invertebrates - insects, worms, marine life. This figure is not final, because zoologists do not stop their research. Despite the fact that, it would seem, there is already nothing to discover and all animals are known, the discovery of new species periodically occurs.
Zoology is one of the oldest sciences that includes biology. Animals are one of the most common and ubiquitous living systems of our planet. Zoology is engaged in the study of the structure (both external and internal) of all animals, their systematics, physiology, anatomy, ethology, ecology and geography.
As well as botany, zoology is an obligatory section of biological science for study at school. Her course falls on grade 7.
The role of biology in human life
Biology is a science that studies and covers so many different areas of life that there is no doubt about its importance and significance. The main examples that will clearly show and prove this are the following:
- Animals that are immune to cancerous tumors (sharks and stingrays) are an excellent basis for finding and discovering a cure for this disease of the 21st century.
- The achievements of microbiologists, biochemists and medical biologists allow mankind to get rid of a wide variety of ailments, including those of a viral and bacterial nature.
- Biotechnology, cell and genetic engineering makes it possible to increase agricultural productivity and provide nutrition to entire nations.
- Anthropological biology allows you to identify the origins of all life, recreate the picture of the world and avoid mistakes in the future.
These are far from all the reasons and circumstances that make it possible to speak of biology as an extremely important and significant science in the life and practice of people.
New sections of biology
Modern, young and promising sections of biological science include such as:
- biotechnology;
- microbiology;
- cell engineering;
- Genetic Engineering;
- molecular biology;
- biochemistry;
- space biology ;
- medical biology.
The whole complex of these sciences allows us to characterize any creature related to the living system. Therefore, biology is a science about living nature, first of all, and about the benefits that it can give a person.
Biology at school
Indirectly, biology is already affected at the stage of the course of natural science (5th grade of the school curriculum). Just as an object, it begins with grade 6 (botany), grade 7 - zoology, grade 8 - anatomy, 9-11 - general biology.
The school course of this science touches on a wide variety of topics in biology, which relate to almost all of its branches and sections. This is done to form a complete picture of the perception of the world in children, as well as to clearly assimilate students the importance and significance of the achievements of biological sciences in the modern world.