NEW AUTHORSHIP
David Hillis of the University of Texas at Austin adds his expertise in phylogenetics and evolution to the Eighth Edition. He wrote Chapter 24, The Evolution of Genes and Genomes, and Chapter 25, Reconstructing and Using Phylogenies, and worked closely with his coauthors on substantive revisions of the other evolution chapters and the entire Diversity unit.
The Ecology unit has been carefully reorganized and rewritten with the help of May Berenbaum of the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. Based on her guidance and additional feedback from six other distinguished ecologists who also teach introductory biology, the revised Ecology unit provides more extensive and better integrated coverage of the key concerns of today’s practicing ecologists.
NEW CONTENT
Consistent with prior editions’ acclaimed focus on the process of discovery, significant new research findings are presented in the new edition. Examples:
• The latest insights on how histone modifications can activate or inactivate genes by promoting either disassembly or assembly of nucleosomes. (Section 14.4)
• The role of in vitro evolution in designing new molecules, particularly those with pharmaceutical or industrial application. (Section 24.3)
• The methods scientists use to investigate how genes, hormones, and the environment interact to shape behavior, and how the behavioral responses of animals influence both their individual fitness and the functioning of ecological communities. (Section 53.2)
NEW PEDAGOGY
Many striking new pedagogical features make the text more engaging, more accessible, and easier to review:
New Review and Reinforcement
“Recaps” encapsulate central concepts in each section and include questions to encourage immediate review.
• Chapter Summaries provide a coherent review of each chapter’s key terms and concepts and reference key figures and Web topics that will help students prepare for tests.
New Process of Science features
• Revised and new Experiment figures provide bench-level insights into applications of the scientific method. The new format uses Hypothesis, Method, Results, and Conclusions
• “Further Research” encourages students to explore related questions on their own.
• “For Investigation” problems wrapping up each chapter further stimulate students to think about the scientific process.
New Motivation
• 3 to 5 “BioBits,” interspersed in each chapter, offer intriguing and sometimes amusing asides on real-world biology.
• New chapter-opening spreads feature a story that draws students into the chapter, an outline consisting of key questions around which the chapter is organized, and “In This Chapter”—a preview and roadmap of each chapter.
New Look
• The Eighth Edition has been redesigned and reillustrated for greater visual clarity and impact.