Biology: The Science of Life and Diversity

Biology, till recently, was offered to the students as Botany and Zoology and was being taught as two different subjects. This approach did not expose the students to the dynamic vibrancy of Natural Sciences and the interdependence of plant and animal life to sustain life on this planet. This treatment is getting changed now and it is presented as an integrated discipline to highlight the unifying concepts of life.

During the last five to six decades, biology has undergone a tremendous change with explosion of knowledge in the fields of molecular biology, genetics, environment and biodiversity, with focus on the role of biology in food production, environment protection, diagnosis and control of diseases and large scale production of products useful to mankind through biotechnology.

The purpose of this text is to provide an understanding of the fundamental and basic concepts underlying the field of biology in a simple manner and at the same time exposing the students to the wonderful aspects of life and providing them a platform for further in-depth study of the subject. Covering a broad spectrum of scientific concepts, the text is designed to build a strong foundation for students at the undergraduate level.

Salient features of the book

                •             Written in a simple precise language.

                •             Text with well defined illustrations, which complement the explanation in the text.

                •             Work of many scientists given and the text gives due recognition to the methods used to make discoveries.

                •             Key terms used in each chapter explained.

                •             Each chapter ends with probing study questions, designed to test the understanding of the main ideas presented in the text.

Origin of Life • Evolution • Cell as a Unit of Life • Cell Cycle: Mitosis and Meiosis • Microscopy • Chemistry of Life  •Water and Life • Carbon and Life • Biomolecules—Structure and Function • Metabolism and Energy    • Five Kingdom Classification • Systematics and Phylogeny • Biodiversity • Hierarchy of Biological Organization and Ecological Concepts • Nutrition • Growth and Reproduction  • Structural and Functional Organization of Genomes • Regulatory Networks • Recombinant DNA Technology and Transgenic Microbes, Plants and Animals • Tissue Culture—Applications