The Third Edition of Biology: Science for Life  with Physiology continues to draw students into biology through engaging stories that make difficult topics more accessible and understandable.

Colleen Belk and Virginia Borden strive to make teaching and learning biology a better experience from both sides of the desk. The authors draw from their teaching experiences to create a text with a flowing narrative and innovative features that require students to become more active participants in their learning. Each chapter presents the material through a story that draws from real life examples, making the reading more engaging and accessible to today’s students. These stories strive to demystify topics found in biology. 

The Third Edition of this book features a completely re-designed art program and uses the authors’ teaching experiences to create student-centered features such as the new Savvy Reader, Visualize This, and Stop and Stretch to motivate and encourage student learning. The new A Closer Look allows instructors the opportunity to expand on certain important biological topics.

For instructors who do not cover topics related to physiology, an alternate edition of this book, Biology: Science for Life, is also available.


Table of Contents

1. Can Science Cure the Common Cold? Introduction to the Scientific Method

I. CHEMISTRY AND CELLS

2. Are We Alone in the Universe? Water, Biochemistry, and Cells

3. Diet. Cells and Metabolism

4. Life in the Greenhouse: Photosynthesis Cellular Respiration, and Global Warming

II. GENETICS

5. Cancer: DNA Synthesis, Mitosis, and Meiosis

6. Are You Only as Smart as Your Genes? Mendelian and Quantitative Genetics

7. DNA Detective: Complex Patterns of Inheritance and DNA Fingerprinting

8. Gene Expression, Mutation and Cloning: Genetically Modified Organisms

III. EVOLUTION

9. Genetically Modified Organisms: Gene Expression, Mutation, and Cloning

10. An Evolving Enemy: Natural Selection

11. Who Am I? Species and Races

12. Prospecting for Biological Gold: Biodiversity and Classification

IV. ECOLOGY

13. Is the Human Population Too Large? Population Ecology

14. Conserving Biodiversity: Community and Ecosystem Ecology

15. Where Do You Live? Climate and Biomes

V. ANIMAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

16. Organ Donation: Tissues, Organs, and Organ Systems

17. Clearing the Air: Respiratory, Cardiovascular, and Excretory Systems

18. Will Mad Cow Disease Become an Epidemic? Immune System, Bacteria, Viruses, and Other Pathogens

19. Sex Differences and Athleticism: Endocrine, Skeletal, and Muscular Systems

20. Is There Something in the Water? Reproductive and Developmental Biology

21. Attention Deficit Disorder: Brain Structure and Function

VI. PLANT BIOLOGY

22. Feeding the World: Plant Structure and Growth

23. Growing a Green Thumb: Plant Physiology