The following is a list of key biological concepts by topic area that all Biology 111/112 courses should explore.  These key concepts were approved by the General Biology Steering Committee (2004), and are meant to be a guide for both instructors and students as to the fundemental biological concepts which students should master by the end of each course.  These concepts do not preclude instructors from exploring other topics, or these topics in more detail, but instead should act as a guide to those essential concepts which should be addressed across all sections of each course. 

Feel free to make this web site available to your students as a final exam study guide for the course. 

• Exploring Life
  
• Basics of Chemistry
• Water's Life Supporting Properties
  
• Organic molecules
• Cell Form & Function
  
• Energetics, Enzymes and Metabolism
  
• Cellular Respiration
• Photosynthesis
• The Cell Cycle
• Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles
  
• Mendelian Genetics
• The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance
• The Molecular Basis of Inheritance
• From Gene to Protein
• Regulation of Gene Expression
  
• Viruses
  
• Biotechnology
• Genomes and Their Evolution - under construction
  

• Darwinian Evolution & other Evolutionary Processes
  
• Origin of Species

• Plant Diversity
  
• Plant Structure, Growth and Development
  
• Vascular Plant Transport
• Soil and Plant Nutrition
• Angiosperm Reproduction
• Plant Responses to Internal and External Signals
  

• Basics of Animal Form and Function
  
• Animal Nutrition
• Circulation and Gas Exchange
• Immune System
• Osmoregulation and Excretion
  
• Endocrine System
• Animal Reproduction
• Animal Development
• Nervous System, Neural Signaling
  
• Sensory and Motor Systems