Biology: Concepts and Connections, 6/e continues to be the most accurate, current, and pedagogically effective  book on the market. This extensive revision builds upon the book’s best-selling success with exciting new and updated features. KEY TOPICS: THE LIFE OF THE CELL, The Chemical Basis of Life, The Molecules of Cells, A Tour of the Cell, The Working Cell, How Cells Harvest Chemical Energy, Photosynthesis: Using Light to Make Food, The Cellular Basis of Reproduction and Inheritance, Patterns of Inheritance, Molecular Biology of the Gene, How Genes Are Controlled, DNA Technology and Genomics, How Populations Evolve, The Origin of Species, Tracing Evolutionary History,  The Origin and Evolution of Microbial Life: Prokaryotes and Protists, Plants, Fungi, and the Colonization of Land,  The Evolution of Invertebrate Diversity,The Evolution of Vertebrate Diversity, Unifying Concepts of Animal Structure and Function,  Nutrition and Digestion, Gas Exchange, Circulation, The Immune System, Control of Body Temperature and Water Balance,  Hormones and the Endocrine System,  Reproduction and Embryonic Development,  Nervous Systems, The Senses, How Animals Move, Plant Structure, Reproduction, and Development, Plant Nutrition and Transport, Control Systems in Plants, The Biosphere: An Introduction to Earth's Diverse Environments,  Behavioral Adaptations to the Environment, Population Ecology, Communities and Ecosystems, Conservation and Restoration Biology. For all readers interested in learning the basics of biology.

The authors have thoroughly updated each of the book's eight units to reflect the existing progress in our understanding of life at its many levels, from molecules to ecosystems. Examples of updated content include the Human Genome Project, the revolution in systematics, HIV as a research model in evolutionary biology, the role of cell-signaling pathways in plant responses, new frontiers in neurobiology, and experimental approaches that are advancing ecology. To assure accurate representation of each field of biology, a team of stellar specialists has worked with the authors in updating every unit.

An innovative design breakthrough ensures that the art is as current as the content. Guided Tour diagrams explicitly guide readers through the more challenging figures, succinctly explaining key structures, functions, and steps of processes within the figure, reducing the need to look back and forth between legend and art. It's as if an instructor were looking over the reader's shoulder and clarifying each part of a figure Guided Tour commentary is set in blue, making it easy to differentiate these explanations from ordinary labels and keeping the figure itself clear and uncluttered. For college instructors and students.

Neil A. Campbell taught general biology for over 30 years and with Dr. Reece coauthored Biology, now in its eighth edition and the most widely used text for biology majors. His enthusiasm for sharing the fun of science with students stemmed from his own undergraduate experience. He began at Long Beach State College as a history major, but switched to zoology after general education requirements “forced” him to take a science course. Following a B.S. from Long Beach, he earned an M.A. in zoology from UCLA and a Ph.D. in plant biology from the University of California, Riverside. He published numerous articles on how certain desert plants thrive in salty soil and how the sensitive plant (Mimosa) and other legumes move their leaves. His diverse teaching experiences included courses for non-biology majors at Cornell University, Pomona College, and San Bernardino Valley College, where he received the first Outstanding Professor Award in 1986. For many years, Dr. Campbell was a visiting scholar in the Department of Botany and Plant Sciences at UC Riverside, which recognized him as the university’s Distinguished Alumnus for 2001. In addition to Biology, Dr. Campbell coauthored Essential Biology and Essential Biology with Physiology. Neil Campbell died shortly after the initial planning of this revision. While he is greatly missed by his many friends throughout the biology community, his coauthors remain inspired by his visionary dedication to education and committed to searching for ever better ways to engage students in the wonders of biology.

Jane B. Reece has worked in biology publishing since 1978, when she joined the editorial staff of Benjamin Cummings. Her education includes an A.B. in biology from Harvard University (where she was initially a philosophy major), an M.S. in microbiology from Rutgers University, and a Ph.D. in bacteriology from the University of California, Berkeley. At UC Berkeley and later as a postdoctoral  fellow in genetics at Stanford University, her research focused on genetic recombination in bacteria. Dr. Reece taught biology at Middlesex County College (New Jersey) and Queensborough Community College (New York). During her 12 years as an editor at Benjamin Cummings, she played a major role in a number of successful textbooks. She is a coauthor of Biology, Essential Biology, and Essential Biology with Physiology.

Martha R. Taylor has been teaching biology for over 30 years. She earned her B.A. in biology from Gettysburg College. After teaching biology in high school and community college, she went on to earn her M.S. and Ph.D. in science education from Cornell University. She was assistant director of the Office of Instructional Support at Cornell for seven years. She has taught introductory biology for both majors and nonmajors at Cornell University for many years. Based on her experiences working with students in classrooms, laboratories, and tutorials, Dr. Taylor is committed to helping students create their own knowledge of and appreciation for biology. She has been the author of the Student Study Guide for all eight editions of Biology, by Drs. Campbell and Reece.

Eric J. Simon is an assistant professor of biology at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire. He teaches introductory biology to both science majors and non-science majors, as well as upper-level courses in genetics, microbiology, and molecular biology. Dr. Simon received a B.A. in biology and computer science and an M.A. in biology from Wesleyan University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Harvard University. Currently, he is working toward an M.S.Ed. in educational psychology. His research focuses on innovative ways to use technology to improve teaching and learning in the science classroom, particularly for non-science majors.  Dr. Simon is also a coauthor of Essential Biology and Essential Biology with Physiology.

Jean L. Dickey is a professor of biology at Clemson University. She had no idea that science was interesting until her senior year in high school, when a scheduling problem landed her in advanced biology. Abandoning plans to study English or foreign languages, she enrolled in Kent State University as a biology major. After receiving her B.S. in biology, she went on to earn a Ph.D. in ecology and evolution from Purdue University. Since joining the faculty at Clemson in 1984, Dr. Dickey has specialized in teaching non-science majors, including a course designed for pre-service elementary teachers and workshops for in-service teachers. She also developed an investigative laboratory curriculum for general biology and is the author of Laboratory Investigations for Biology.

1. Biology: Exploring Life

I. THE LIFE OF THE CELL

2. The Chemical Basis of Life

3. The Molecules of Cells

4. A Tour of the Cell

5. The Working Cell

6. How Cells Harvest Chemical Energy

7. Photosynthesis: Using Light to Make Food

II. CELLULAR REPRODUCTION AND GENETICS

8. The Cellular Basis of Reproduction and Inheritance

9. Patterns of Inheritance

10. Molecular Biology of the Gene

11. How Genes Are Controlled

12. DNA Technology and Genomics

III. CONCEPTS OF EVOLUTION

13. How Populations Evolve

14. The Origin of Species

15. Tracing Evolutionary History

IV. THE EVOLUTION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

16. The Origin and Evolution of Microbial Life: Prokaryotes and Protists

17. Plants, Fungi, and the Colonization of Land

18. The Evolution of Invertebrate Diversity

19. The Evolution of Vertebrate Diversity

V. ANIMALS: FORM AND FUNCTION

20. Unifying Concepts of Animal Structure and Function

21. Nutrition and Digestion

22. Gas Exchange

23. Circulation

24. The Immune System

25. Control of Body Temperature and Water Balance

26. Hormones and the Endocrine System

27. Reproduction and Embryonic Development

28. Nervous Systems

29. The Senses

30. How Animals Move

VI. PLANTS: FORM AND FUNCTION

31. Plant Structure, Reproduction, and Development

32. Plant Nutrition and Transport

33. Control Systems in Plants

VII. ECOLOGY

34. The Biosphere: An Introduction to Earth's Diverse Environments

35. Behavioral Adaptations to the Environment

36. Population Ecology

37. Communities and Ecosystems

38. Conservation Biology