General Biology II Course Checklist and Chapter Overview

Course Structure and Chapter Topics

Overview

This checklist outlines the chapters and topics covered in a General Biology II college course (Biology 142). The course is divided into modules, each focusing on specific areas of biology, including plant and animal diversity, physiology, and ecology. Students are required to complete assignments and exams based on these chapters, using resources such as MasteringBiology.com and the Blackboard Course Shell.

Module 1: Plant Diversity and Structure

Chapter 28: Protists

• Protists are a diverse group of mostly unicellular eukaryotic organisms.

• They play key roles in aquatic ecosystems as producers, consumers, and decomposers.

• Examples include Paramecium, Amoeba, and algae.

Chapter 29: Plant Diversity I: How Plants Colonized Land

• Explores the evolutionary transition of plants from aquatic to terrestrial environments.

• Key adaptations include the development of cuticles, stomata, and vascular tissues.

• Major groups: bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, hornworts).

Chapter 30: Plant Diversity II: The Evolution of Seed Plants

• Focuses on the evolution and diversification of seed plants.

• Seed plants include gymnosperms (e.g., pines) and angiosperms (flowering plants).

• Seeds provide protection and nourishment for the developing embryo.

Chapter 35: Vascular Plant Structure, Growth, and Development

• Examines the anatomy and physiology of vascular plants.

• Key structures: roots, stems, leaves, and reproductive organs.

• Growth is regulated by meristems and plant hormones.

Chapter 36: Resource Acquisition and Transport in Plants

• Describes how plants acquire water, minerals, and nutrients.

• Transport mechanisms include xylem (water) and phloem (sugars).

• Key equation: Water potential ($\Psi = \Psi_s + \Psi_p$) governs movement of water.

Module 2: Fungi, Angiosperms, and Animal Diversity

Chapter 31: Fungi

• Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that absorb nutrients from their environment.

• Major groups: molds, yeasts, mushrooms.

• Roles: decomposers, symbionts, pathogens.

Chapter 38: Angiosperm Reproduction and Biotechnology

• Details the reproductive strategies of flowering plants.

• Pollination, fertilization, and seed development are key processes.

• Biotechnological applications include genetic modification and crop improvement.

Chapter 39: Plant Responses to Internal and External Signals

• Explores how plants respond to environmental stimuli (light, gravity, touch).

• Plant hormones (auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins) regulate growth and development.

• Example: Phototropism is the growth of plants toward light.

Chapter 32: An Overview of Animal Diversity

• Introduces the major animal phyla and their evolutionary relationships.

• Classification based on body plans, symmetry, and developmental patterns.

• Examples: sponges, cnidarians, arthropods, vertebrates.

Module 3: Invertebrates, Vertebrates, and Animal Physiology

Chapter 33: An Introduction to Invertebrates

• Invertebrates lack a vertebral column and represent the majority of animal species.

• Key groups: mollusks, annelids, arthropods, echinoderms.

• Adaptations include specialized feeding, locomotion, and reproduction.

Chapter 34: The Origin and Evolution of Vertebrates

• Vertebrates possess a backbone and include fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

• Evolutionary milestones: jaws, lungs, amniotic eggs.

• Example: The transition from aquatic to terrestrial life in amphibians.

Chapter 40: Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function

• Examines how animal structure relates to function.

• Levels of organization: cells, tissues, organs, organ systems.

• Homeostasis maintains internal stability.

Chapter 41: Animal Nutrition

• Describes how animals obtain and process food.

• Digestive systems vary among animal groups.

• Key nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals.

Module 4: Animal Physiology and Regulation

Chapter 42: Circulation and Gas Exchange

• Explores mechanisms of transporting oxygen, nutrients, and waste.

• Circulatory systems: open vs. closed.

• Gas exchange occurs via lungs, gills, or skin.

Chapter 43: The Immune System

• Describes how animals defend against pathogens.

• Innate and adaptive immunity.

• Key cells: lymphocytes, macrophages.

Chapter 44: Osmoregulation and Excretion

• Maintaining water and salt balance is crucial for survival.

• Excretory systems: kidneys, nephridia, Malpighian tubules.

• Example: Human kidney regulates blood osmolarity.

Chapter 45: Hormones and the Endocrine System

• Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate physiology and behavior.

• Endocrine glands: pituitary, thyroid, adrenal.

• Feedback mechanisms control hormone levels.

Module 5: Animal Reproduction, Nervous System, and Ecology

Chapter 46: Animal Reproduction

• Reproductive strategies: sexual vs. asexual reproduction.

• Fertilization: internal vs. external.

• Developmental stages: zygote, embryo, fetus.

Chapter 49: Nervous Systems

• Organization of nervous systems: central and peripheral.

• Neurons transmit electrical and chemical signals.

• Example: Reflex arcs in vertebrates.

Chapter 48: Neurons, Synapses, and Signaling

• Neurons are specialized cells for communication.

• Synapses are junctions where neurons communicate.

• Key equation: Resting membrane potential ($V_m = V_{inside} - V_{outside}$).

Chapter 50: Sensory and Motor Mechanisms

• Describes how animals sense and respond to their environment.

• Sensory receptors detect stimuli; motor systems produce movement.

• Example: Muscle contraction via actin and myosin interaction.

Chapter 52: An Introduction to Ecology

• Ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

• Levels: organism, population, community, ecosystem, biosphere.

• Example: Energy flow and nutrient cycling in ecosystems.

Exam Structure

Exam	Chapters Covered
Exam 1	28, 29, 30, 35, 36
Exam 2	31, 38, 39, 32
Exam 3	33, 34, 40, 41
Exam 4	42, 43, 44, 45
Exam 5	46, 49, 48, 50, 52

Additional info:

• This checklist serves as a guide for assignment completion and exam preparation.

• Students should use the e-Text and Study Area in MasteringBiology.com for detailed content review.

• Due dates and assignment details are managed via Blackboard and MasteringBiology.com.