An Annotated List of Disciplines and Sub-disciplines in the Biological Sciences

Abstract

Biology has become a large and diversified science. Current biological research areas transgress academic and professional boundaries to such a degree that the biological sciences could arguably be referred to as "all encompassing." In this article, the author describes how he compiled information on currently recognised disciplines and sub-disciplines in the biological sciences. He searched primarily on the World Wide Web and internet-based literature databases for information relating to all research and teaching areas associated with the study of living systems across all levels. He used some discretionary criteria for evaluating the merits of a supposed discipline; criteria included whether or not the discipline is represented by: (1) learned society; (2) peer-reviewed journal; (3) active research institute; (4) national or international conference or symposium; and (5) advanced course in a university. The results are presented in the form of a dictionary-style manuscript entitled "Annotated List of Disciplines and Sub-disciplines in the Biological Sciences." The manuscript is accessible via http://www.cameron.edu/~bmcdonal/list/list.html. The intended purposes of this reference are: (1) illustrate the diversity of the biological sciences as a reflection of the diversity and complexity of living systems at many levels of organisation; (2) provide a reference for anyone to explore how, what, or why people similar to themselves in terms of educational major, career, or interests, are working in biology; (3) establish a guide for people to use for exploring education or career path options; and (4) present a document serving as a correlate for the history of science, assuming the present diversity of biological disciplines reflects the discoveries, innovations, and paradigm shifts that have re-structured human understanding of living systems across all levels and subsequently with far-reaching applications (e.g. medicine, psychology, law, warfare, sociology).