The number of biology-related issues in our society is growing constantly. This book helps readers digest a wealth of scientific information with relevant references and examples. Includes new Links to Life feature–ends each chapter on a relevant note with short, informally written segments on familiar topics, such as “Health Food.” Contains Earth Watch, Health Watch, and Scientific Inquiry Essays that introduce readers to the exploration of key environmental and health-related issues. Features a striking illustration program with consistent, strategic use of color, revised multi-part figures, and updated labels and captions. A fascinating reference for anyone interested in learning more about biological issues in our world.

Terry and Gerry Audesirk grew up in New Jersey, where they met as undergraduates. After marrying in 1970, they moved to California, where Terry earned her doctorate in marine ecology at the University of Southern California and Gerry earned his doctorate in neurobiology at the California Institute of Technology. As postdoctoral students at the University of Washington's marine laboratories, they worked together on the neural bases of behavior, using a marine mollusk as a model system.

Terry and Gerry are now professors of biology at the University of Colorado at Denver, where they have taught introductory biology and neurobiology since 1982. In their research lab, funded by the National Institutes of Health, they investigate the mechanisms by which neurons are harmed by low levels of environmental pollutants.

Terry and Gerry share a deep appreciation of nature and of the outdoors. They enjoy hiking in the Rockies, running near their home in the foothills west of Denver, and attempting to garden at 7000 feet in the presence of hungry deer and elk. They are long-time members of many conservation organizations. Their daughter, Heather, has added another focus to their lives.

Bruce E. Byers, a midwesterner transplanted to the hills of western Massachusetts, is a professor in the biology department at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He's been a member of the faculty at UMass (where he also completed his doctoral degree) since 1993. Bruce teaches introductory biology courses for both nonmajors and majors; he also teaches courses in ornithology and animal behavior.

A lifelong fascination with birds ultimately led Bruce to scientific exploration of avian biology. His current research focuses on the behavioral ecology of birds, especially on the function and evolution of the vocal signals that birds use to communicate. The pursuit of vocalizations often takes Bruce outdoors, where he can be found before dawn, tape recorder in hand, awaiting the first songs of a new day.

Brief Contents

1      An Introduction to Life on Earth  1

Unit One

The Life of a Cell  

2      Atoms, Molecules, and Life  

3      Biological Molecules  

4      Cell Structure and Function  

5      Cell Membrane Structure and Function

6      Energy Flow in the Life of a Cell  

7      Capturing Solar Energy: Photosynthesis  

8      Harvesting Energy: Glycolysis and Cellular Respiration  

Unit Two

Inheritance  

9      DNA: The Molecule of Heredity  

10    Gene Expression and Regulation  

11    The Continuity of Life: Cellular Reproduction  

12    Patterns of Inheritance  

13    Biotechnology  

Unit Three

Evolution  

14    Principles of Evolution  

15    How Organisms Evolve  

16    The Origin of Species  

17    The History of Life  

18    Systematics: Seeking Order Amidst Diversity  

19    The Diversity of Prokaryotes and Viruses

20    The Diversity of Protists

21    The Diversity of Plants  

22    The Diversity of Fungi  

23    Animal Diversity I: Invertebrates  

24    Animal Diversity II: Vertebrates  

Unit Four

Behavior and Ecology  

25    Animal Behavior  

26    Population Growth and Regulation  

27    Community Interactions  

28    How Do Ecosystems Work? 

29    Earth’s Diverse Ecosystems

30    Conserving Life on Earth 

Unit Five

Animal Anatomy and Physiology  

31    Homeostasis and the Organization of the Animal Body  

32    Circulation  

33    Respiration  

34    Nutrition and Digestion  

35    The Urinary System  

36    Defenses Against Disease  

37    Chemical Control of the Animal Body: The Endocrine System  

38    The Nervous System and the Senses  

39    Action and Support: The Muscles and Skeleton  

40    Animal Reproduction 

41    Animal Development  

Unit Six

Plant Anatomy and Physiology  

42    Plant Anatomy and Nutrient Transport  

43    Plant Reproduction and Development  

44    Plant Responses to the Environment