Biology 2e is designed to cover the scope and sequence requirements of a typical two-semester biology course for science majors. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. Biology includes rich features that engage students in scientific inquiry, highlight careers in the biological sciences, and offer everyday applications. The book also includes various types of practice and homework questions that help students understand—and apply—key concepts. The 2nd edition has been revised to incorporate clearer, more current, and more dynamic explanations, while maintaining the same organization as the first edition. Art and illustrations have been substantially improved, and the textbook features additional assessments and related resources.

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Discuss exponential human population growth
Explain how humans have expanded the carrying capacity of their habitat
Relate population growth and age structure to the level of economic development in different countries
Discuss the long-term implications of unchecked human population growth

Paul Andersen explores population dynamics of the human population. The population has show exponential growth since the industrial revolution and all countries will eventually move through the demographic transition. [11:14]

Paul Andersen explains how the world population has undergone exponential growth since the industrial revolution. Predicting the future world population is difficult because each country will grow at different rates. Age-structure diagrams and the demographic transition model can allow countries to plan for future growth. [10:18]

In this video segment adapted from LOKE Films and the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, students will learn how human populations in the Arctic are affected by industrial contaminants in the food chain. [3:35]

In a very short amount of time, the human population exploded and is still growing very fast. Will this lead to the end of our civilization? Kurzgesagt investigates. [6:40]

Have we used up all our resources? Have we filled up all the livable space on Earth? Paul Gilding suggests we have, and the possibility of devastating consequences, in a talk that's equal parts terrifying and, oddly, hopeful. [16:47]