Since we live in an urban environment with many trees, shrubs, and flower plantings this course is designed so that each student will always be able to walk down the street and have some familiarity with their environs. To that end, each student will learn to identify approximately 50-60 trees and shrubs and know them by their common name, scientific name and family, as well as some annuals and perennials commonly used as bedding plants. Students will learn some basic the botanical concepts, which are used in, plant identification, such as botanical structural features used in phylogeny and taxonomy of plants. In addition to this, students will get an overview of the ecological and economic aspects specific to urban botany.

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 and describe the properties of life
Describe the levels of organization among living things
Recognize and interpret a phylogenetic tree
List examples of different subdisciplines in biology