For non-majors and mixed-majors introductory botany (plant biology) courses.

Plant Biology focuses students on the function of plants and the role they play in our world. With evolved content and a new organization, the authors emphasize the scientific method to help students develop the critical thinking skills they need to make sound decisions throughout life. Together, the emphasis on how plants work and the development of critical-thinking skills support the authors’ goal of fostering scientific literacy.

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

1. Introduction to Plant Biology

2. Plants and People

II. Plant Structure and Function

3. Molecules and Plants

4. Cells

5. Photosynthesis and Respiration

6. DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis

7. Cell Division: Mitosis and Cytokinesis

8. Plant Structure, Growth, and Development

9. Stems

10. Roots

11. Leaves

12. Plant Behavior

III. Plant Reproduction, Genetics, and Evolution

13. Reproduction, Meiosis, and Life Cycles

14. Genetics and the Laws of Inheritance

15. Genetic Engineering

16. Biological Evolution

IV. Diversity

17. Naming and Organizing Microbes, Viruses, and Plants

18. Prokaryotes and the Origin of Life

19. Protists and the Origin of Eukaryotic Cells

20. Fungi and Lichens

21. Seedless Plants: Bryophytes, Lycophytes, and Pteridophytes

22. Gymnosperms and the Origin of Seeds

23. Angiosperm Reproduction: Flowers, Fruits, and Seeds

24. Flowering Plant and Animal Coevolution: Pollination and Seed Dispersal

V. Ecology and Plant Adaptations to the Environment

25. Principles of Ecology and the Biosphere

26. Arid Terrestrial Ecosystems

27. Moist Terrestrial Ecosystems

28. Aquatic Ecosystems

29. Human Impacts and Sustainability