This course aims to teach students about the evolutionary history, ecology, and behavior of humans and other primates, while also providing information on a range of topics including the history of evolutionary thought, natural selection, basic genetics, and elementary skeletal anatomy. No prior courses in anthropology or evolutionary biology are required.

Bio. 013: Writing in the Sciences - Human Origins is an OER syllabus for a College Writing 2 course that develops student writing for different audiences, following the trajectory of how scientists work: Scientists Writing for themselves (a field journal); Scientists writing for other scientists (a review article); Scientists writing for society (an essay for Natural History Magazine).

Biology 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 clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts.

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:

Describe the features that characterized the earliest animals and approximately when they appeared on earth
Explain the significance of the Cambrian period for animal evolution and the changes in animal diversity that took place during that time
Describe some of the unresolved questions surrounding the Cambrian explosion
Discuss the implications of mass animal extinctions that have occurred in evolutionary history

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Define species and describe how scientists identify species as different
Describe genetic variables that lead to speciation
Identify prezygotic and postzygotic reproductive barriers
Explain allopatric and sympatric speciation
Describe adaptive radiation

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Describe pathways of species evolution in hybrid zones
Explain the two major theories on rates of speciation

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Describe how scientists developed the present-day theory of evolution
Define adaptation
Explain convergent and divergent evolution
Describe homologous and vestigial structures
Discuss misconceptions about the theory of evolution

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Compare homologous and analogous traits
Discuss the purpose of cladistics
Describe maximum parsimony

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Discuss the need for a comprehensive classification system
List the different levels of the taxonomic classification system
Describe how systematics and taxonomy relate to phylogeny
Discuss a phylogenetic tree's components and purpose

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Describe horizontal gene transfer
Illustrate how prokaryotes and eukaryotes transfer genes horizontally
Identify the web and ring models of phylogenetic relationships and describe how they differ from the original phylogenetic tree concept

Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts.