Neutral Models in Biology

"'Neutral' or 'null' models have convulsed several areas of evolutionary ecology in the last decade and generated debate so caustic that it has been reported in the lay press. Surprisingly, though particular areas have been examined, there has been no general review. This volume fills the void. . . .well written and nontechnical, and the book is engaging. . . .thoughtful and provocative." --American Scientist"The book does contain a great diversity of expertise and viewpoints, from population geneticist to philosopher to ecologist, paleontologist and statistician, and from adherents to the benefits of neutral models to committed sceptics. . . .an important book." --Cladistics"'Neutral' or 'null' models have convulsed several areas of evolutionary ecology in the last decade and generated debate so caustic that it has been reported in the lay press. Surprisingly, though particular areas have been examined, there has been no general review. This volume fills the void. . . .well written and nontechnical, and the book is engaging. . . .thoughtful and provocative." --American Scientist"The book does contain a great diversity of expertise and viewpoints, from population geneticist to philosopher to ecologist, paleontologist and statistician, and from adherents to the benefits of neutral models to committed sceptics. . . .an important book." --Cladistics

• Introduction: Matthew H. Nitecki & Antoni Hoffman: Neutral models as a biological strategy; PART I: MOLECULAR AND GENETIC MODELS: James F. Crow: Neutral models in evolutionary biology - neutral models in molecular evolution; William C. Wimsatt: False models as means to truer theories; Stuart A. Kauffman: Self organization, selective adaption, and its limits - a new pattern of inference in evolution and development; PART II: ECOLOGICAL MODELS: L.B. Slobotkin: How to be objective in community studies; Paul H. Harvey: On the use of null hypotheses in biogeography; PART III: PALEONTOLOGICAL MODELS: David M. Raup: Neutral models in paleobiology; Antoni Hoffman: Neutral model of taxonomic diversification in the phanerozoic - a methodological discussion; Stephen M. Stigler: Testing hypotheses or fitting models? Another look at mass extinctions.