Botany is a discipline of biology which is focused on understanding the science of plant species. Previously, scientists classified a larger variety of organisms as plant species, but this has narrowed overtime. For example, some scientists used to classify algae and fungi with plant species, whereas now these groups are seen as separate kingdoms (1).
Botany is a very broad term which encompasses many different applications and fields of study. For one, botany is intricately related to the field of taxonomy, which is the classification of plant species. Ethnobotany, which studies the relationship between humanity and native plants, is also derived from botany. In ancient times, botany came about from the study of plants for medicinal purposes, which is a major focus of ethnobotany.
Furthermore, the conservation of plant species is increasingly becoming a greater concern. Understanding the importance of plant species is critical to plant preservation and expressing why protection of the Earth’s native plants is critical. Other fields such as ecology, evolution and geography for example are also linked to botany.
In comparison to animal biology, plant biology may not seem as exciting. However, this should not be the case because plant biology is connected to numerous human-based applications. Future research focused on discovering ways to feed the increasing population or produce renewable forms of energy are only some examples of the ways in which plants can be applied to solve real-world problems. Thus, the importance of plant species must not be underestimated.
Reference:
© BrainMass Inc. brainmass.com April 28, 2024, 9:16 pm ad1c9bdddf