Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Define ecology and the four levels of ecological researchDescribe examples of the ways in which ecology requires the integration of different scientific disciplinesDistinguish between abiotic and biotic components of the environmentRecognize the relationship between abiotic and biotic components of the environment

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Explain the characteristics of and differences between exponential and logistic growth patternsGive examples of exponential and logistic growth in natural populationsDescribe how natural selection and environmental adaptation led to the evolution of particular life history patterns

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Discuss how human population growth can be exponentialExplain how humans have expanded the carrying capacity of their habitatRelate population growth and age structure to the level of economic development in different countriesDiscuss the long-term implications of unchecked human population growth

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe how life history patterns are influenced by natural selectionExplain different life history patterns and how different reproductive strategies affect species’ survival

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe how ecologists measure population size and densityDescribe three different patterns of population distributionUse life tables to calculate mortality ratesDescribe the three types of survivorship curves and relate them to specific populations

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Give examples of how the carrying capacity of a habitat may changeCompare and contrast density-dependent growth regulation and density-independent growth regulation, giving examplesGive examples of exponential and logistic growth in wild animal populationsDescribe how natural selection and environmental adaptation leads to the evolution of particular life-history patterns

Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts.

A short stereoscopic 3D science story video introducing Antarctica's Weddell seals and two of the scientists who study the population ecology of this southernmost mammal on Earth. The stereo 3D is in side-by-side 3D format, and can be viewed using Virtual Reality goggles or a 3D display/TV. Features Weddell seal moms and pups, and on-location interviews with project lead scientist Dr. Jay Rotella and Jesse DeVoe, MS. Video produced by Mary Lynn Price. More info at WeddellSealScience.com.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"EnvironmentalDNA capture is helping researchers do the seemingly impossible: track the numerous plants and animals that call natural waters home. But fishing for so-called eDNA can be precarious work. Each step of the process, from water sampling to DNA detection, is a point of entry for contaminants or of loss for sample material. Now, a new standard could be in the making. Self-preserving and partially biodegradable, this new filtration system eliminates data-compromising steps from eDNA capture while ensuring long-term sample preservation and generating less plastic waste. In standard eDNA collection, a motorized or hand-powered pump is used to force a water sample through a DNA-capturing membrane. The filter housing is then opened and, using sterilized forceps, the membrane is carefully transferred to a vial. Finally, ethanol is added to preserve the captured eDNA while its transported to a lab for sequencing or PCR detection..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.