Table of Contents

Unit 1: Science, Chemistry, and Cells
1. Scientific Study of Life
2. The Chemistry of Life
3. Cells
4. The Energy of Life
5. Photosynthesis
6. How Cells Release Energy
Unit 2: Biotechnology, Genetics, and Inheritance
7. DNA Structure and Gene Function
8. DNA Replication and Cell Division
9. Sexual Reproduction and Meiosis
10. Patterns of Inheritance
11. DNA Technology
Unit 3: Evolution and Diversity
12. Forces of Evolutionary Change
13. Evidence of Evolution
14. Speciation and Extinction
15. Evolution and Diversity of Microbial Life
16. Evolution and Diversity of Plants
17. Evolution and Diversity of Animals
Unit 4: Ecology
18. Populations
19. Communities and Ecosystems
20. Preserving Biodiversity
Unit 5: Plant Physiology
21. Plant Form and Function 22. Reproduction and Development of Flowering PlantsUnit 6: Animal Physiology23. Animal Tissues and Organ Systems
24. The Nervous System and the Senses
25. The Endocrine System
26. The Skeletal and Muscular Systems
27. The Circulatory and Respiratory Systems
28. The Digestive and Urinary Systems
29. The Immune System
30. Animal Reproduction and Development

About the Author

Mariï¿lle Hoefnagels is an associate professor in the Department of Biology and the Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology at the University of Oklahoma, where she teaches courses in introductory biology, mycology, and science writing. She has received the University of Oklahoma General Education Teaching Award and the Longmire Prize (the Teaching Scholars Award from the College of Arts and Sciences). She has also been awarded honorary memberships in several student honor societies. Dr. Hoefnagels received her BS in environmental science from the University of California at Riverside, her MS in soil science from North Carolina State University, and her PhD in plant pathology from Oregon State University. Her dissertation work focused on the use of bacterial biological control agents to reduce the spread of fungal pathogens on seeds. In addition to authoring Biology: The Essentials and Biology: Concepts and Investigations, her recent publications have focused on creating investigative teaching laboratories and integrating technology into introductory biology classes. She also maintains a blog on teaching nonmajors biology, and she frequently gives presentations on study skills and related topics to student groups across campus.