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:

Identify the main characteristics of bryophytes
Describe the distinguishing traits of liverworts, hornworts, and mosses
Chart the development of land adaptations in the bryophytes
Describe the events in the bryophyte lifecycle

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

Discuss the challenges to plant life on land
Describe the adaptations that allowed plants to colonize the land
Describe the timeline of plant evolution and the impact of land plants on other living things

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

Describe the traits shared by green algae and land plants
Explain why charophytes are considered the closest algal relative to land plants
Explain how current phylogenetic relationships are reshaped by comparative analysis of DNA sequences

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

Identify the new traits that first appear in seedless tracheophytes
Discuss how each trait is important for adaptation to life on land
Identify the classes of seedless tracheophytes
Describe the life cycle of a fern
Explain the role of seedless plants in the ecosystem

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.

Compares nonvascular and vascular plants.

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Seedless plants can reproduce asexually or sexually. Some seedless plants, like hornworts and liverworts, can reproduce asexually through fragmentation. When a small fragment of the plant is broken off, it can form a new plant. Learn more about reproduction in seedless plants in this learning module produced by CK-12.

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