Understanding Organisms: An Evolutionary, Ecological and Comparative Approach

• Introduction
• Land Acknowledgement Statement for the ROTEL Grant
• I. Introduction to Organisms
• What Defines Biological Life?
• The Diversity and Organization of Life
• Comparing Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
• The Origin of Eukaryotes
• II. How Organisms Get Energy
• Energy and Metabolism
• A Photosynthesis Primer
• Putting it Together: Metabolic Pathways
• III. Plant Form and Physiology
• The Plant Body
• Transport of Water in Plants
• Transport of Food in Plants
• IV. An Introduction to Animal Physiology
• Different Types of Respiratory Systems
• Types of Breathing
• Animal Circulatory Systems
• The Mammalian Heart
• Animal Digestive Systems
• Animal Bioenergetics
• V. Ecology
• Community Ecology
• Ecosystem Ecology
• The Carbon Cycle
• VI. Reproduction in Populations
• Modes of Reproduction
• Chromosomes and Sex Development
• Sex Development in Humans
• VII. Mechanisms of Evolution
• Variation in Populations
• Population Genetics
• Adaptive Evolution
• Non-Adaptive Evolution
• Evidence for Evolution
• VIII. Evolutionary Patterns
• Defining Species
• Formation of New Species
• Phylogenetic Trees
• Reconstructing Evolutionary Relationships
• Grant Information

Understanding organisms—their evolution, ecology and body systems— is at the heart of this free and open resource geared toward introductory-level college biology majors. This text has been adapted and curated with a lens toward representation and inclusivity. Student engagement is encouraged through ample graphics, embedded media and linked supplementary resources throughout, as well as interactive, responsive H5P practice activities.