As a university lecturer in the UK for 15 and a biology teacher after that I was frustrated with the teaching materials that were available to support my teaching and my students. So I decided to write my own. This is one of three volumes that cover the whole EDEXCEL iGCSE course. It targets teaching up to the age of 16 in biology in the UK.
Of all of the biology courses I have taught, the iGCSE courses delivered by Edexcel and AQA are two of the best. They are a brilliant springboard for any pupil wishing to study biology further at A level, IB or biology at ages 16-18 prior to university. Alas the UK GCSEs are, generally, really a big disappointment and inadequate preparation for further studies in biology in my opinion. But this ebook will support and expand the reading of aspects of most of these courses too.
For readers in other countries such as the US I have put a detailed list of the contents covered by this volume so that it can be seen what is offered here.
This ebook and the two associated other volumes (General and Animal Biology) cover all of the topics for the Edexcel iGCSE and most of the topics covered by the AQA iGCSE in biology.
This book specifically covers the topics directly linked to Plant biology.
It covers the following topics;
Photosynthesis
Gas exchange
Photosynthesis
Plant respiration
Mineral ions and plants
Plant transport
Diffusion, osmosis, and active transport
Vascular tissue
Transpiration and water uptake
Movement of sugars in the phloem
Plant reproduction
Sexual reproduction
Asexual reproduction
Germination and growth
Increasing agricultural productivity
Agriculture and plants
Plant pests
Chemical signals in plants
Phototropism
Geotropism
Auxins
Ecology
Ecosystems, populations and communities
Feeding relationships (food chains etc)
Carbon, nitrogen and water cycle
Human impact on the environment
Coping with a growing population
Global warming, acid rain, carbon monoxide and pesticide pollutants
Pollution with fertilizers and sewage
I have strived to ensure the text is as accurate and clear as possible with as many accompanying diagrams as possible. I will over time adjust texts or write new chapters depending on feedback I receive for these volumes.
Where appropriate I have included animations or movies. I have usually used animations as they seem to be the best way to present information.
At the end of each chapter I have included a series of questions to test the user on the chapter. I have tried to keep the cost to a minimum to broaden the appeal of these ebooks.
Also available are ebooks to cover the General Biology and Animal Biology of these courses.
If these books sell well I have a series of UK A level and IB textbooks that will soon follow and be published here.
Dr Peter Scott
