Physiology is the study of the functions of animals. Physiologists may observe how the heart pumps blood, how nerves transmit impulses, and how muscles contract. Other areas of zoology include genetics and ecology. Genetics is the study of heredity, the passing on of characteristics from parents to their young. This field of zoology is important in breeding livestock and in understanding certain human diseases.
Ecology is the study of the relationship of organisms to their environment.
A knowledge of ecology helps in managing the limited resources of the earth without harming plant and animal populations. How zoologists work Many zoologists work in modern laboratories at universities, research centers, zoos, and museums. Other zoologists do field studies in the outdoors. These studies might be performed in a wildlife refuge, at the North Pole, in the jungle, at sea, or anywhere else animals live. Like other scientists, zoologists conduct research by gathering information in an orderly way.