David W. Pfennig - Böcker

Recent discoveries in fields ranging from molecular and cell biology to ecology and evolution have given rise to 'ecological and evolutionary developmental biology' (or simply, 'eco-evo-devo'), the new science aimed at clarifying how the interplay between genes and environment shapes how organisms develop, interact, and evolve.Eco-Evo-Devo: The Environmental Regulation of Development, Health, and Evolution provides a synthetic overview of this new field, which merges evolution with ecological developmental biology. The book discusses such major themes as how multicellular organisms function, develop, and evolve as consortia of different symbiotic organisms, how many organisms can generate numerous traits depending on the environmental conditions they experience via phenotypic plasticity, and how living things have evolved several layers of inheritance that do not rely on the transmission of genes from parent to offspring. As the book details, these themes question many of our longstanding assumptions about how biology works, as well as having practical implications in preventing many diseases and mitigating biodiversity loss.Written for any undergraduate and graduate students with a basic knowledge of biology, Eco-Evo-Devo promises to stimulate new thinking about inheritance, development, ecology, evolution, and health.

Phenotypic plasticity – the ability of an individual organism to alter its features in direct response to a change in its environment – is ubiquitous. Understanding how and why this phenomenon exists is crucial because it unites all levels of biological inquiry. This book brings together researchers who approach plasticity from diverse perspectives to explore new ideas and recent findings about the causes and consequences of plasticity. Contributors also discuss such controversial topics as how plasticity shapes ecological and evolutionary processes; whether specific plastic responses can be passed to offspring; and whether plasticity has left an important imprint on the history of life. Importantly, each chapter highlights key questions for future research. Drawing on numerous studies of plasticity in natural populations of plants and animals, this book aims to foster greater appreciation for this important, but frequently misunderstood phenomenon.Key Features Written in an accessible style with numerous illustrations, including many in color Reviews the history of the study of plasticity, including Darwin’s views Most chapters conclude with recommendations for future research