Delilah D Mays
AC10000756
SC160 Basic Biology
Assignment #8 Basic Biology
6/12/2017
Biology has grown to have several fields and tentacles under it. It may be impossible to
discuss every branch of biology comprehensively in one text. However, some of the most
outstanding branches of biology that still bear so much relevance today include forensic science,
population evolution, and microbial life, the ecology of biological diversity, plant and animal
evolution, population growth and biomes and ecosystems. These biological fields will be briefly
discussed in this study.
Forensic science is simply science purported to serve the law. It may involve scientific
analysis aimed at arriving at justice in issues relating to the law (aafs.org, 2017). DNA in
forensic science has several applications over the years. It was first applied by Jeffreys and Gills
in forensic in 1985 in solving up to 50,000 worldwide cases. However, today, it is being used
even much more in fields such as miniaturization and automation. DNA in forensic is primarily
employed to test paternity and to investigate criminal cases (Primorac & Schanfield, 2000).
Additionally, Curran (1997) wrote that DNA data bank had been immensely involved in
several countries to solve crime problems. In both the United States and Canada, the Automated
Fingerprint Identification System can search the national database collection of fingerprints to
identify unique fingerprints to solve crime issues. Moreover, DNA profiling or fingerprinting can
also be used in fishing out people that have been victimized in wars and disasters. This
technology has several benefits, but it is not devoid of some risks (Roewer, 2013).
Population evolution results from the variation in genes. Genes in a population evolve
due to five compelling forces which include mutation, gene flow, natural selection, genetic
hitchhiking and genetic drift. Microbes also evolve. As a matter of fact, the condition of the early
earth offered a convenient environment for microbes to evolve. It has been discovered that the
first microbial cell was prokaryotes which then evolved into distinct forms (hccfl.edu, n.d).
Microbes just like any other species want to grow, eat and reproduce in an environment that is
favorable to them. If the environment changes, the microbes will change and adjust their lives to
match with the environmental needs (Guerrero & Berlanga, 2009).
The microbial genome and evolution find application in predicting, detecting and
tracking of microorganisms. The ubiquity of microbiota and its interaction with the microbial
environment helps in tracking microorganisms. This can be easily achieved through technologies
