By the end of this section, you will be able to:Discuss the challenges to plant life on landDescribe the adaptations that allowed plants to colonize the landDescribe the timeline of plant evolution and the impact of land plants on other living things

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the traits shared by green algae and land plantsExplain the reasons why Charales are considered the closest relative to land plantsUnderstand that current phylogenetic relationships are reshaped by comparative analysis of DNA sequences

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the important difference between the life cycle of amphibians and the life cycles of other vertebratesDistinguish between the characteristics of Urodela, Anura, and ApodaDescribe the evolutionary history of amphibians

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the evolutionary history of birdsDescribe the derived characteristics in birds that facilitate flight

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Name and describe the distinguishing features of the three main groups of mammalsDescribe the proposed line of descent that produced mammalsList some derived features that may have arisen in response to mammals’ need for constant, high-level metabolism

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the main characteristics of amniotesExplain the difference between anapsids, synapsids, and diapsids, and give an example of eachIdentify the characteristics of reptilesDiscuss the evolution of reptiles

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the derived features that distinguish primates from other animalsExplain why scientists are having difficulty determining the true lines of descent in hominids

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe how viruses were first discovered and how they are detectedDiscuss three hypotheses about how viruses evolvedRecognize the basic shapes of virusesUnderstand past and emerging classification systems for viruses

This 28-minute video lesson provides an introduction to DNA. [Biology playlist: Lesson 6 of 71].

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Identify new technologies for describing biodiversityExplain the legislative framework for conservationDescribe principles and challenges of conservation preserve designIdentify examples of the effects of habitat restorationDiscuss the role of zoos in biodiversity conservation

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Define biodiversityDescribe biodiversity as the equilibrium of naturally fluctuating rates of extinction and speciationIdentify historical causes of high extinction rates in Earth’s history

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Explain the characteristics of and differences between exponential and logistic growth patternsGive examples of exponential and logistic growth in natural populationsDescribe how natural selection and environmental adaptation led to the evolution of particular life history patterns

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Give examples of how the carrying capacity of a habitat may changeCompare and contrast density-dependent growth regulation and density-independent growth regulation, giving examplesGive examples of exponential and logistic growth in wild animal populationsDescribe how natural selection and environmental adaptation leads to the evolution of particular life-history patterns

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Define species and describe how species are identified as differentDescribe genetic variables that lead to speciationIdentify prezygotic and postzygotic reproductive barriersExplain allopatric and sympatric speciationDescribe adaptive radiation