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Pillars of evolution : fundamental principles of the eco-ecolutionary process /
This text changes the conceptual hierarchy between biology and evolution, providing new insights into biology and philosophy. It introduces the science of 'evology' and defines its six core themes of mechanics, dynamics, pattern, structure, function and scale.
| Clasificación: | Libro Electrónico |
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| Autores principales: | , |
| Formato: | Electrónico eBook |
| Idioma: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Oxford :
Oxford University Press,
2011.
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| Colección: | Oxford biology.
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| Temas: | |
| Acceso en línea: | Texto completo |
Tabla de Contenidos:
- 1. Introduction. Why study evolution? ; The map of evolution ; Pillars of evolution
- 2. Mechanics. Overview ; Introduction: the scale of mechanism ; Random change ; Systematic change ; Quantitative inheritance: a full understanding of mechanics must include an assessment of polygenic traits ; Interactions among genes and traits: trade-offs and constraints shackle adaptive evolution ; Plasticity: malleable responses are adaptive solutions to varying environments ; A challenge to the genetical theory of adaptive evolution: can developmental and behavioural plasticity force genes to follow traits? ; Mechanics of population growth and decline ; The limits of mechanics: mechanics, though essential, is an insufficient explanation for evolution ; Reflection
- 3. Function Overview. Introduction: where traits meet the environment ; The fitness-mapping function ; Fitness sets and the fitness-generating function ; The adaptive function ; Mappings ; Multiple traits ; Optimal trait values ; Reflection
- 4. Structure. Overview ; Introduction: mapping trails onto fitness ; Traits and function ; Traits, states, and strategies ; Optimization ; Constraints and reinforcement ; Structure at different scales ; The structure matrix ; Where traits fail to map onto function ; Reflection
- 5. Scale. Overview ; Introduction: backward-looking adaptation ; Shortcuts in modelling evolution ; Size and allometry ; Grain: how the scale of environment influences evolution ; Multi-level adaptation ; Prescriptions: avoiding the fallacies of simplicity and complexity ; Reflection
- 6. Dynamics. Overview ; Introduction ; Growth and decline ; Density dependence and demography ; Adaptive dynamics and the G-function ; The adaptive landscape ; Evolutionary branching ; Red Queen dynamics ; Spatial dynamics ; Bet-hedging ; Trophic interactions ; Reflection
- 7. Adaptation. Overview ; Introduction: explanations for life ; The possible, the ephemeral, and the feasible ; Epiphenomena: where are the trees? ; Maladaptation: lost expectations or promised success? ; Reflection: the thread of evolution.