ESSENTIAL BIODIVERSITY

Essential Biodiversity is an Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook in support of a one-semester lecture plus lab course in eukaryotic biodiversity at the 100/200 level. This free and adaptable resource describes the state of the field as of mid-2024 and surveys the four clades of eukaryotic “supergroups.” It particularly emphasizes the diversity of major animal phyla and causes of infectious disease in humans and domestic animals. The text features up-to-date, streamlined, and intuitive cladograms constructed using evidence-based best practice methods, which help students avoid common pitfalls in interpreting trees. It includes detailed, accessible dissection figures and guides, with a wealth of original, Creative Commons-licensed, and public domain images facilitating functional anatomy interpretation. The laboratory components feature guided inquiry and active learning exercises, challenging students to integrate concepts as they examine specimens. The text is now in a second edition and has improved student access to high-quality academic materials at several universities and high schools.

FREE DOWNLOAD LINK & QR CODE

CLICK HERE to download a free .pdf of the text (88 MB).

SELECTED ILLUSTRATIONS

SICB POSTER

CLICK HERE to view a .pdf poster presentation describing Essential Biodiversity 2.0, presented at the 2025 annual meeting (Atlanta, GA) of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.