natural history

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun The study and description of organisms and natural objects, especially their origins, evolution, and interrelationships.
• noun A collection of facts about the development of a natural process or entity.
• noun A work or treatise containing such facts.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun The study of all living things, especially their origins, evolution and interrelationships.
• noun The study of all natural phenomena.
• noun A treatise or similar work that summarizes the known facts of either of the above.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun the scientific study of plants or animals (more observational than experimental) usually published in popular magazines rather than in academic journals