---
title: "Outline of natural science"
chunk: 5/12
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_natural_science"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:57:12.306970+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

==== Earth science ====
Earth science – all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. Earth science, and all of its branches, are branches of physical science.
Atmospheric sciences –  umbrella term for the study of the atmosphere, its processes, the effects other systems have on the atmosphere, and the effects of the atmosphere on these other systems.
Biogeography – study of the distribution of species (biology), organisms, and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time.
Cartography – study and practice of making maps or globes.
Climatology – study of climate, scientifically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of time
Coastal geography – study of the dynamic interface between the ocean and the land, incorporating both the physical geography (i.e. coastal geomorphology, geology and oceanography) and the human geography (sociology and history) of the coast.
Environmental science – an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems.
Ecology – scientific study of the distribution and abundance of living organisms and how the distribution and abundance are affected by interactions between the organisms and their environment.
Freshwater biology – scientific biological study of freshwater ecosystems and is a branch of Limnology
Marine biology – scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water
Parasitology – Parasitology is the study of parasites, their hosts, and the relationship between them.
Population dynamics – Population dynamics is the branch of life sciences that studies short-term and long-term changes in the size and age composition of populations, and the biological and environmental processes influencing those changes.
Environmental chemistry – Environmental chemistry is the scientific study of the chemical and biochemical phenomena that occur in natural places.
Environmental soil science – Environmental soil science is the study of the interaction of humans with the pedosphere as well as critical aspects of the biosphere, the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, and the atmosphere.
Environmental geology – Environmental geology, like hydrogeology, is an applied science concerned with the practical application of the principles of geology in the solving of environmental problems.
Toxicology – branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms.
Geodesy – scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space
Geography – science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth
Geoinformatics – science and the technology which develops and uses information science infrastructure to address the problems of geography, geosciences and related branches of engineering.
Geology – study of the Earth, with the general exclusion of present-day life, flow within the ocean, and the atmosphere.
Planetary geology – planetary science discipline concerned with the geology of the celestial bodies such as the planets and their moons, asteroids, comets, and meteorites.
Gemology
Geomorphology – scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them
Geostatistics – branch of statistics focusing on spatial or spatiotemporal datasets
Geophysics – physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods.
Glaciology – study of glaciers, or more generally ice and natural phenomena that involve ice.
Hydrology – study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability.
Hydrogeology – area of geology that deals with the distribution and movement of groundwater in the soil and rocks of the Earth's crust (commonly in aquifers).
Mineralogy – study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals.
Meteorology – interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere which explains and forecasts weather events.
Oceanography – branch of Earth science that studies the ocean
Paleoclimatology – study of changes in climate taken on the scale of the entire history of Earth
Paleontology – study of prehistoric life
Petrology – branch of geology that studies the origin, composition, distribution and structure of rocks.
Limnology – study of inland waters
Seismology – scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies
Soil science – study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the earth including soil formation, classification and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils; and these properties in relation to the use and management of soils.
Topography – study of surface shape and features of the Earth and other observable astronomical objects including planets, moons, and asteroids.
Volcanology – study of volcanoes, lava, magma, and related geological, geophysical and geochemical phenomena.

=== Life science ===