Biology: Concepts and Applications without Physiology 9th Edition

Book Preface

We wrote this book to provide an accessible and appealing introduction to the study of life. Most students who use it will not become biologists, but all can benefit from an enhanced understanding of biological processes. For example, knowing how cells and bodies work helps a person make informed decisions about nutrition, life-style, and medical care. Recognizing the breadth of biodiversity, the mechanisms by which it arises, and the ways in which species interact brings to light the threats posed by human-induced extinctions. Realizing how living and nonliving components of ecosystems interact makes it clear why human activities such as adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere puts us and other species at risk.

Our quest to educate and edify is shared by the National Geographic Society, with whom we have partnered for this edition. You will see the fruits of this partnership throughout the text—in spectacular new photographs, informative illustrations, and text features that highlight the wide variety of work supported by the society.

Features of This Edition

Setting the Stage
Each chapter opens with a dramatic two-page photo spread. A brief Links to Earlier Concepts paragraph reminds students of relevant information that has been covered in previous chapters, and concise Key Concept statements summarize the current chapter’s content. An eye-catching image that appears in icon form next to each key concept also occurs within a relevant section, as part of a visual message that threads through the chapter.

Concept spreads
The content of every chapter is organized as a series of Concepts, each explored in a section that is two pages or less. A section’s Concept is reflected in its title, which is posed as a question that the student should be able to answer after reading the text. Bulleted sentences in the Take Home Message summarize and reinforce the Concept and supporting information provided in the section.

People Matter
Our new People Matter feature illustrates the relevance of ongoing research, and also highlights the diversity of the modern scientific community. Individuals whose work is spotlighted in this feature include well-established scientists, young scientists who are just beginning their careers, and a few nonscientists; most are National Geographic Explorers or Grantees.

On-page glossar y
A new On-Page Glossary comprises boldface key terms introduced in each section. This section-by-section glossary offers definitions in alternate wording, and can also be used as a quick study aid. All glossary terms also appear in boldface in the Chapter Summary.

Emphasis on relevance
Each chapter ends with an Application section that explains a current topic in light of the chapter content. For example, in Chapter 29, students use what they just learned about neural control to understand how sports-induced concussions permanently injure the brain—which is under intense study by scientific and athletic communities at this writing. Each Application also relates to a core interest of the National Geographic Society: Education, Conservation, Exploration, Get Involved, or Sustainability.

Self-assessment tools
Many figure captions now include a Figure-It-Out Question and answer that allow students to quickly check their understanding of the illustration. At the end of each chapter, Self-Quiz and Critical Thinking Questions provide additional self-assessment material. A new chapter-end Data Analysis Activity sharpens analytical skills by asking the student to interpret data presented in graphic or tabular form. The data is related to the chapter material, and is from a published scientific study in most cases. For example, the Activity in Chapter 13 (Observing Patterns in Inherited Traits) asks the student to interpret data from an experiment revealing the suppressive effect of cystic fibrosis mutations on cellular uptake of Salmonella bacteria. This Activity continues the explanation of cystic fibrosis inheritance patterns begun in the chapter’s Application section.