We explain the different facets of plant study.
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Botany is the science that is responsible for studying plants. It is a branch of biology, the science that is responsible for studying living beings in general. Although it refers to the study of plants, the study of fungi and algae are also included within the field.
The study of plants has occurred since time immemorial, originating in the practices of study andidentification of edible and medicinal plants since prehistory. Botany as we know it today is a science that began its activity in the nineteenth century, constantly renewing itself along with the technological and scientific advances of the moment.
There are several branches of botany, but in this article we will talk about 8 important areas of botany as well as their fields of study, so that we become familiar with this important branch of science.
The different branches of botany
Botany is a science of vital interest to humanity. Plants and algae are thelargest producers of oxygenin the Earth’s atmosphere, a vital element of the functioning of many organisms. In addition, they convert solar energy into food usable by other living beings, being the base of the food chain.
Within botany we can expect, as in most life sciences, a great diversity of specializations and fields of study, with different methodologies, approaches and applicability. Among them we can highlight:
1. Plant biochemistry
Plant biochemistry is the science thatis responsible for studying the chemicals produced by plants. The synthesizing capacity of plants is incredible and varied, which allows obtaining medicines and food, but also materials such as coal, cellulose, rubber, cotton…
Plant biochemistryalso focuses on the internal chemical processes of plants. Of special interest is the photosynthetic mechanism, by which they are able to build sugars from carbon dioxide, through water and sunlight. This process is carried out in chloroplasts, specialized organisms similar to mitochondria, which could also have an endosymbiotic origin.
2. Plant ecology
Plant ecology is thestudy of plants in the ecological context, that is, their role within an ecosystem and the relationship they have with the different aspects of it. Plants are immobile and require certain specific environmental conditions to live, so changes in the environment can seriously affect them.
It is also interesting the ability of plantsto influence their environmentin multiple ways, either competing with other plants for resources, in symbiotic relationships with other life forms such as bacteria, fungi or animals, or also as a key part of the orography and climatic conditions of a place.
- You could read: “Chlorophyll: 14 properties and benefits of this plant molecule”
3. Genetics
Plant genetics is also an incredibly dense and interesting field of botanical research. Plants, unlike animals, have far fewer restrictions on chromosomal endowment. This means that we can find plant species with some variation in the number of chromosomes, as for example in the case of polyploid species, which are commonly used in some crops, such as strawberry.
They are organisms very different from us, which use molecular tools in different ways, such as the mechanisms that influence epigenetics. It should be added that the first genetic studies were carried out in plants, by the hand of Gregor Mendel.
4. Plant evolution
Closely linked to plant genetics, plant evolution is a fascinating field of study, in which we try toclarify the evolutionary process carried out by plants, as well as the consequences and “marks” that may have left on these organisms.
Among some topics of interest within plant evolution, we find the divergence between plants and algae. Today it seems that the algal ancestor of land plants corresponds to carophytic algae, from which the current lineages of land plants evolved and developed.
5. Plant physiology
Plant physiologystudies the processes that plants carry out during the development of their lives. This includes mechanisms such as root systems, plant leaves and the exchange of gases they carry out, or even the hormones they use, trying to explain these processes.
Thanks to plant physiology, we understand how plants workand what mechanisms they use to survive. The hormonal study of plants is one of the most interesting topics within plant physiology, since they are not only used as an internal signal, but also serve as a form of communication, or even defense.
6. Plant anatomy
Plant anatomy, instead of studying the chemical and physical processes related to plant life, directly studies its form and structure. It is a basic science within botany, since the first plant studies focused on the morphological description of these living beings.
Thanks to plant anatomy we have a language and understanding of the different plant parts that allow us to investigate in a more efficient way. In addition, the enormous plant morphological variety makes plant anatomy an even more important and necessary field.
7. Paleobotany
Paleobotany constitutes the field of study of those plant remains found in a geological context , that is, in the form of fossils. Paleobotany is useful for understanding the ecosystems and environmental conditions of past times.
Plant fossils exist in multiple forms, but impressions and compressions are usually studied, stone engravings that show crushed plants, which allow studying the morphology of ancient plant species.
8. Mycology
Mycology, the study of fungi, has traditionally been part of botany despite studying a class of living beings more similar at a biological level to animals than to plants themselves. Despite this small irony, it is understood that fungi, by sharing certain morphological characteristics with plants, have been linked to them in their study.
The study of fungi is also a very varied field of botany, which also includes genetics, biochemistry, physiology, evolution… The enormous morphological variety of fungi, which even exist in unicellular form, as in the case of yeasts, in addition to their role in the ecosystem makes them a magnificent object of scientific study.
Bibliographic references
- Mauseth, James D. (2003). Botany : An Introduction to Plant Biology (3rd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning. ISBN 978-0-7637-2134-3.
- Park, J., Lee, Y., Martinoia, E., & Geisler, M. (2017). Plant hormone transporters: what we know and what we would like to know. BMC biology, 15(1), 93. doi:10.1186/s12915-017-0443-x.
- Lewis, L. A. and McCourt, R. M. (2004), Green algae and the origin of land plants. Am. J. Bot., 91: 1535-1556. doi:10.3732/ajb.91.10.1535.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.