Book Preface

Biology is an enormous subject, one that can seem overwhelming to students and scientists alike. Moreover, discoveries are being made at an unprecedented pace—from new kinds of small RNA molecules to the Neanderthal genome, from new biofuels to communities of organisms thriving beneath vast glaciers, from emerging infectious diseases to cancer vaccines. As a result, a general biology course faces a daunting challenge: to keep students from suffocating under this challenge by providing a strong foundation for understanding both current knowledge and new developments in the context of underlying biological concepts.

Key Concepts and Unifying Themes

In each chapter of this textbook, a framework of three to six carefully chosen Key Concepts provide context for supporting details, helping students distinguish the “forest” from the “trees.” The numbered Key Concepts are presented at the beginning of the chapter and then serve as headings for each chapter section. Concept Check Questions at the end of each section provide a hierarchical framework for self-assessment that builds students’ confidence and then challenges them to push the limits of their understanding with several types of critical thinking questions. The Summary of Key Concepts at the end of the chapter refocuses students on the main points. CAMPBELL BIOLOGY also helps students organize and make sense of what they learn on a grander scale by emphasizing evolution and other unifying themes that pervade biology. These themes are introduced in Chapter 1 and integrated throughout the book.

Brief Contents

1. The Chemistry of Life
2. The Cell
3. Genetics
4. Mechanisms of Evolution
5. The Evolutionary History of Biological Diversity
6. Plant Form and Function
7. Animal Form and Function
8. Ecology

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