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Explore the fundamental principles of life sciences through this comprehensive 14-hour General Biology II course covering evolution, biodiversity, organismal structure and function, and ecology. Begin with the nature of science and biological organization before delving deep into evolutionary theory, examining Darwin's groundbreaking ideas and the extensive evidence supporting evolution through artificial selection, drug-resistant bacteria, homologous structures, fossil records, and genomic data. Master population genetics using the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium equation and understand how evolutionary forces drive change in populations. Investigate the history of life on Earth, from estimating planetary age and the origin of life to prokaryotic diversification, endosymbiosis, and the evolution of multicellularity. Trace the colonization of land by plants and the rise of animal diversity, including major extinction events and adaptive radiations. Study plant and animal structure and function across multiple organ systems including digestive, nervous, endocrine, musculoskeletal, respiratory, circulatory, excretory, immune, reproductive, and integumentary systems. Conclude with ecological principles spanning organismal, population, community, landscape, and global scales, examining species interactions, ecological disturbance, energy flow in ecosystems, and conservation biology concepts including innovative approaches like Pleistocene rewilding.
