" We will cover fundamentals of ecology, considering Earth as an integrated dynamic system. Topics include coevolution of the biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere and oceans; photosynthesis and respiration; the hydrologic, carbon and nitrogen cycles. We will examine the flow of energy and materials through ecosystems; regulation of the distribution and abundance of organisms; structure and function of ecosystems, including evolution and natural selection; metabolic diversity; productivity; trophic dynamics; models of population growth, competition, mutualism and predation. This course is designated as Communication-Intensive; instruction and practice in oral and written communication provided. Biology is a recommended prerequisite."

BI101A is a survey course that introduces the discipline of cellular biology, exploring topics including the scientific method, parts of a cell, and how cells function. This book focuses on putting those topics into an appropriate context for students who are not biology majors.

Overview of photosynthesis. What photosynthesis accomplishes, why it's important, and how the light-dependent and light-independent reactions work together. Photosynthesis is usually represented by the equation 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light --> C6H12O6 + 6 O2. During this process, organisms such as plants go through the light-dependent and light-independent reactions to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugars and oxygen. Created by Sal Khan.

How and where photosynthesis evolved in the ancestors of cyanobacteria (along with a discussion of endosymbiosis).