Biology is a subject dealing with living organisms of all varieties. And zoology and botany are two of their vast branches, discussing their different aspects. Zoology studies animals and their various whereabouts, while botany studies plants and their related components. Being two vast sub-branches, they are different in many ways.
Zoology vs Botany
The main difference between zoology and botany is that zoology deals with the scientific study of animal biology, which includes the animal kingdom except for all other living beings, on the other hand, botany deals with the scientific study of plant biology, involving the whole plant kingdom. Therefore, providing us with the knowledge of the entire animal and plant community.
Zoology is a branch of biology which studies animal life and its kingdom in general. It includes animals of all sizes, shapes, habitats, from tiny to large mammals. It includes topics like embryology, extinction, evolution, the pattern of life, animal behavior, genes, cellular control, etc. Thus, it is the scientific study involving the entire genus of the animal kingdom.
Botany is a branch of biology that studies plant life and its properties, structure, classification, interrelationship with the environment, and other biochemical processes. The subject matter of botany includes plant physiology, plant ecology, agronomy, plant anatomy, physiology, etc. Botany has been the foundation for other applied sciences such as agriculture, forestry, and others.
Comparison Table Between Zoology and Botany
| Parameters of Comparison | Zoology | Botany |
| Meaning | Zoology is a study area studying the animal, its kingdom, and everything concerning it. | Botany is the subject of plant study and its other related aspects. |
| Deals with | Zoology conducts the study of animals. | Botany deals with the study of plants. |
| Other names | Zoology is also called animal biology and animal science. | Botany is also known as plant biology, plant science, or phytology. |
| Specialist | The person who studies zoology or is an expert in the field is called a zoologist or animal scientist. | A botanist or a plant scientist is a person who studies botany or is an expert in the area. |
| Originator | Aristotle is well known as the Father of Zoology | Theophrastus is known as the Father of Botany |
What is Zoology?
The word Zoology is derived from the Ancient Greek word zoon, which means an animal, and logos means to study or knowledge.
Therefore, it is a discipline that conducts the study of animals and their kingdom, their evolution, structure, classification, habit, distribution, thus tracing the animal history from ancient to modern times.
Zoology specifically allows us to study the animal kingdom as compared to other living organisms to know how they live, survive, function, interact, reproduce, and carry on all other activities.
Darwin’s Theory of Evolution has revolutionized zoology by acting as a breakthrough moment in this field. But before that, the human was heavily interested in the study of animals which was formally made into practice by Aristotle and Galen in the Ancient Greco-Roman period.
Over time, zoology continued to develop with the help of various inventions such as the invention of Microscopy.
Due to its continuous evolution, zoology has got the opportunity to be evolved into numerous sub-branches such as Animal anatomy, Physiology, Zoography, Comparative anatomy, Classification, Biochemistry, Evolution, Vertebrate and Invertebrate zoology, Structural zoology, Animal physiology, and Ethology.
It can also include Genetics, Behavioral ecology, and Conservation.
From the perspective of a career, one can get a major in zoology so that the zoologist can work as a researcher, wildlife rehabilitator, zookeeper, and other entry-level jobs.
What is Botany?
The word Botany is derived from the Ancient Greek word botane means grass, fodder, herb, or pasture, and further derived from boskein which means to graze or feed.
Therefore, it is a discipline that conducts the study of plants, including all plant species.
Earlier, botany also included the study of algae and fungi. Nowadays, botanists study about 410,000 land plant species, of which about 391,000 are vascular plant species, and 20,000 are bryophytes.
Formally, it was known as Herbalism when it had originated in the prehistoric period. Thus, it is also said to be one of the oldest branches of science.
Around the 19th and 20th centuries, botany had indulged with new techniques such as optical microscopy and live-cell imaging, electron microscopy, plant chemistry, etc.
In the 20th century, it was further developed with other techniques while the 21st century saw the rise of dominant themes in botany like molecular genetics and epigenetics.
Botany became broad with time as a subject and came to be known as modern botany with subdisciplines such as Bacteriology, Mycology, Bryology, Pteridology, and Paleobotany.
Botany has many career prospects. For example, Botanist, research work, technician, plant explorer, ecologist, and many more can be made out of it.
Main Differences Between Zoology and Botany
- Zoology is a study area studying the animal, its kingdom, and its concerned aspects, whereas, on the other hand, Botany is a subject studying the plants and their other related aspects.
- Zoology conducts the study of animals. On the other hand, Botany deals with the study of plants.
- Zoology is also called animal biology and animal science while, Botany is also known by the name of plant biology, plant science, or phytology.
- A zoologist is a person who studies zoology or is an expertise in the field. The person can also be known as an animal scientist. However, Botanist is a person who studies botany or is an expertise in the field, and can also be called a plant scientist.
- The Father of Zoology is Aristotle whereas Theophrastus is known as the Father of Botany.
Conclusion
Since the difference between zoology and botany has been discussed above, one can clear out that even if both are a part of the science disciplinary and sub-branches of biology, they are still very different from each other.
Zoology is about studying animal lives, their habitat, body parts, evolution, distribution on the earth’s surface, mainly carried by a person called a zoologist. In contrast, botany is about the study of plant lives, their species, evolution, distribution on the earth’s surface, mainly carried by a person called a botanist.
Therefore, both disciplines teach us to learn about living organisms which are plants and animals, other than humans.
References
- https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/19520100522
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=0BGEs95p5EsC&oi=fnd&pg=PR3&dq=botany&ots=55N07AzKtV&sig=l3pM22Vwc3x3_CZZ8njuC3EiDOY