Biology

Terry and Gerry Audesirk grew up in New Jersey, where they met as undergraduates. After marrying in 1970, they moved to California, where Terry earned her doctorate in marine ecology at the University of Southern California and Gerry earned his doctorate in neurobiology at the California Institute of Technology. As postdoctoral students at the University of Washington's marine laboratories, they worked together on the neural bases of behavior, using a marine mollusk as a model system. Terry and Gerry are now professors of biology at the University of Colorado at Denver, where they have taught introductory biology and neurobiology since 1982. In their research lab, funded by the National Institutes of Health, they investigate the mechanisms by which neurons are harmed by low levels of environmental pollutants. Terry and Gerry share a deep appreciation of nature and of the outdoors. They enjoy hiking in the Rockies, running near their home in the foothills west of Denver, and attempting to garden at 7000 feet in the presence of hungry deer and elk. They are long-time members of many conservation organizations. Their daughter, Heather, has added another focus to their lives. Bruce E. Byers, a midwesterner transplanted to the hills of western Massachusetts, is a professor in the biology department at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He's been a member of the faculty at UMass (where he also completed his doctoral degree) since 1993. Bruce teaches introductory biology courses for both nonmajors and majors; he also teaches courses in ornithology and animal behavior. A lifelong fascination with birds ultimately led Bruce to scientific exploration of avian biology. His current research focuses on the behavioral ecology of birds, especially on the function and evolution of the vocal signals that birds use to communicate. The pursuit of vocalizations often takes Bruce outdoors, where he can be found before dawn, tape recorder in hand, awaiting the first songs of a new day.

 1: An Introduction to Life on Earth
UNIT ONE: THE LIFE OF A CELL

 2: Atoms, Molecules, and Life
 3: Biological Molecules
 4: Cell Membrane Structure and Function
 5: Cell Structure and Function
 6: Energy Flow in the Life of a Cell
 7: Capturing Solar Energy: Photosynthesis
 8: Harvesting Energy: Glycolysis and Cellular Respiration
UNIT TWO: INHERITANCE

 9: DNA: The Molecule of Heredity
10: Gene Expression and Regulation
11: The Continuity of Life: Cellular Reproduction
12: Patterns of Inheritance
13: Biotechnology
UNIT THREE: EVOLUTION and Diversity of Life

14: Principles of Evolution
15: How Organisms Evolve
16: The Origin of Species
17: The History of Life
18: Systematics: Seeking Order Amidst Diversity
19: The Diversity of Viruses, Prokaryotes, and Protists
20: The Diversity of Fungi
21: The Diversity of Plants
22: Animal Diversity I: Invertebrates
23: Animal Diversity II: Vertebrates
UNIT FOUR: PLANT ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

24: Plant Anatomy and Nutrient Transport
25: Plant Reproduction and Development
26: Plant Responses to the Environment
UNIT FIVE: ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

27: Homeostasis and the Organization of the Animal Body
28: Circulation
29: Respiration
30: Nutrition and Digestion
31: The Urinary System
32: Defenses Against Disease
33: Chemical Control of the Animal Body: The Endocrine System
34: The Nervous System and the Senses
35: Action and Support: The Muscles and Skeleton
36: Animal Reproduction
37: Animal Development
UNIT SIX: BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY

38: Animal Behavior
39: Population Growth and Regulation
40: Community Interactions
41: How do Ecosystems Work?
42: Earth's Diverse Ecosystems