The two main sciences involved in the study of dinosaurs are geology (the study of the earth) and biology (the study of life). Within these sciences are all manner of other studies like:
Palaeontology
The study of ancient life. Under this banner come various studies, such as invertebrate palaeontology and vertebrate palaeontology, and also some of the following terms.
Palaeozoology
The study of ancient animal life.
Palaeobotany
The study of ancient plant life.
Ichnology
The study of footprints and other trace fossils.
Taphonomy
The study of what happens to dead organisms before they become fossilized.
Stratigraphy
The study of the layers of sedimentary rocks, the sequence in which they were laid down, and the conditions under which they formed.
Palaeogeography
The study of the ancient landforms – the positions of the continents, the climates, and the environmental conditions at different periods of geological time.
Systematics
The study of the diversity of organisms and their relationships to one another.
Taxonomy
The practice of naming different organisms on the basis of their relationship.
Biogeography
The study of what animals and plants are found in different places, and why they occur there.
Sedimentology
The study of the formation of sediments and sedimentary rocks, in which fossils are found.
