Peter Raven – författare

Written primarily for 16-19 year old students, this primer aims to extend students' knowledge and inspire them to take their school-level learning further. It explores topics that are familiar from the curriculum and also introduces new ideas, giving students a first taste of the study of biology beyond school-level and demonstrating how concepts frequently encountered at school are relevant to and applied in current research. This is the ideal text to support students who are considering making the transition from studying biology at school to university. This primer introduces students to key elements of the endocrine system, including the structure and function of the major types of hormones. It explores the role of hormones in disease, in development, in reproduction and in behaviour. Although humans are its main focus, it draws on illuminating examples from a range of other species, including sex changes and aggression in fish, metamorphosis in amphibians, induction of ovulation in different species, and bonding behaviour in birds.The final section of the book looks at ways in which hormones can be used in medicine and agriculture, and can be abused to enhance sporting performance and weight loss.This primer will expand the breadth and depth of student understanding of the endocrine system, its variety, and its huge importance.

Written primarily for 16-to-19-year-old students, this primer provides a highly accessible overview of key elements of reproduction in humans and a wide range of animals and plants.Reproduction Biology introduces the main approaches and strategies that organisms use to reproduce and ensure the survival of their young, including sexual and asexual reproduction, ways of attracting pollinators or mates, and parenting behaviours. It explains why different species have evolved completely different strategies to ensure their reproductive success by placing these strategies in the context of the specific challenges that they help overcome. The primer also highlights the impact of emerging environmental challenges, such as climate change and plant diseases, and considers cutting-edge research that offers new opportunities in the field of human reproduction, such as the development of new forms of contraception. Key features- Oxford Biology Primers are the only resource to introduce prospective and current students of undergraduate-level bioscience to a range of topics from this dynamic experimental science, enticing readers to study further- Its titles directly support two key transitions in the student journey: from school to undergraduate-level study, and from undergraduate to independent researcher- Its modular format offers a high degree of flexibility, with teachers being able to draw on specific volumes that augment the post-16 curriculum, university lecturers being able to draw on specific volumes at different stages of the undergraduate curriculum, and with materials from the series being available for access in both print and digital formats- Reproduction Biology is available for students and institutions to purchase in a variety of formats: the e-book and Science Trove offer a mobile experience and convenient access along with functionality tools, navigation features, and links that offer extra learning support. For more information about e-books, please visit www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/ebooks

The rapidly increasing human pressure on the biosphere is pushing biodiversity into the sixth mass extinction event in the history of life on Earth. The organisms being exterminated are integral working parts of our planet's life support system, and their loss is permanent. Like climate change, this irreversible loss has potentially devastating consequences for humanity. As we come to recognise the many ways in which we depend on nature, this can pave the way for a new ethic that acknowledges the importance of co-existence between humans and other species. Biological Extinction features chapters contributed by leading thinkers in diverse fields of knowledge and practice, including biology, economics, geology, archaeology, demography, architecture and intermediate technology. Drawing on examples from various socio-ecological systems, the book offers new perspectives on the urgent issue of biological extinction, proposing novel solutions to the problems that we face.

The rapidly increasing human pressure on the biosphere is pushing biodiversity into the sixth mass extinction event in the history of life on Earth. The organisms being exterminated are integral working parts of our planet's life support system, and their loss is permanent. Like climate change, this irreversible loss has potentially devastating consequences for humanity. As we come to recognise the many ways in which we depend on nature, this can pave the way for a new ethic that acknowledges the importance of co-existence between humans and other species. Biological Extinction features chapters contributed by leading thinkers in diverse fields of knowledge and practice, including biology, economics, geology, archaeology, demography, architecture and intermediate technology. Drawing on examples from various socio-ecological systems, the book offers new perspectives on the urgent issue of biological extinction, proposing novel solutions to the problems that we face.