The classic papers that laid the foundations of modern ecology alongside commentaries by noted ecologists.The period of 1970 to 1995 was a time of tremendous change in all areas of ecology—from an increased rigor for experimental design and analysis to the reevaluation of paradigms, new models for understanding, and theoretical advances. Edited by ecologists Thomas E. Miller and Joseph Travis, Foundations of Ecology II includes facsimiles of forty-six papers from this period alongside expert commentaries that discuss a total of fifty-three key studies, addressing topics of diversity, predation, complexity, competition, coexistence, extinction, productivity, resources, distribution, abundance, and conservation. The result is more than a catalog of historic firsts; this book offers diverse perspectives on the foundational papers that led to today’s ecological work. Like this book’s 1991 predecessor, Foundations of Ecology edited by Leslie A. Real and James H. Brown, Foundations of Ecology II promises to be the essential primer for graduate students and practicing ecologists for decades to come.

The classic papers that laid the foundations of modern ecology alongside commentaries by noted ecologists. The period of 1970 to 1995 was a time of tremendous change in all areas of ecology—from an increased rigor for experimental design and analysis to the reevaluation of paradigms, new models for understanding, and theoretical advances. Edited by ecologists Thomas E. Miller and Joseph Travis, Foundations of Ecology II includes facsimiles of forty-six papers from this period alongside expert commentaries that discuss a total of fifty-three key studies, addressing topics of diversity, predation, complexity, competition, coexistence, extinction, productivity, resources, distribution, abundance, and conservation. The result is more than a catalog of historic firsts; this book offers diverse perspectives on the foundational papers that led to today’s ecological work. Like this book’s 1991 predecessor, Foundations of Ecology edited by Leslie A. Real and James H. Brown, Foundations of Ecology II promises to be the essential primer for graduate students and practicing ecologists for decades to come.

The Triumph of Biology's Model Organisms: How Flies, Mice, and Slime Molds Became Teachers of Biology provides an exploration on how seemingly ordinary organisms-flies, mice, slime molds, and more-have become central to scientific discovery. The book addresses the need to connect the stories of these organisms to broad advances in fundamental and biomedical science, providing readers with an appreciation for how curiosity-driven research translates into practical outcomes. Spanning a diverse array of species, it examines what makes an organism a model, the evolutionary principles underlying their utility, and the blend of wisdom and luck that led to their selection.Through compelling case studies and featured scientist reflections, chapters invite readers to critically examine how model organisms are chosen and why they matter. Readers will discover the pivotal roles of classic models like Drosophila and Neurospora, the transformation of pests into research heroes, and how extreme biological features have been harnessed to solve enduring questions. This book equips advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the scientific and historical significance of model organisms.Illustrates the critical role of model organisms in biological discovery and evolutionary biologyIntegrates case studies and scientific perspectives to foster critical thinking and engagementConnects the evolutionary biology of model organisms to research applicationsHighlights the interplay of luck, design, and serendipity in scientific discovery

The Triumph of Biology's Model Organisms: How Flies, Mice, and Slime Molds Became Teachers of Biology provides an exploration on how seemingly ordinary organisms-flies, mice, slime molds, and more-have become central to scientific discovery. The book addresses the need to connect the stories of these organisms to broad advances in fundamental and biomedical science, providing readers with an appreciation for how curiosity-driven research translates into practical outcomes. Spanning a diverse array of species, it examines what makes an organism a model, the evolutionary principles underlying their utility, and the blend of wisdom and luck that led to their selection.Through compelling case studies and featured scientist reflections, chapters invite readers to critically examine how model organisms are chosen and why they matter. Readers will discover the pivotal roles of classic models like Drosophila and Neurospora, the transformation of pests into research heroes, and how extreme biological features have been harnessed to solve enduring questions. This book equips advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the scientific and historical significance of model organisms. - Illustrates the critical role of model organisms in biological discovery and evolutionary biology- Integrates case studies and scientific perspectives to foster critical thinking and engagement- Connects the evolutionary biology of model organisms to research applications- Highlights the interplay of luck, design, and serendipity in scientific discovery

Spanning evolutionary science from its inception to its latest findings, from discoveries and data to philosophy and history, this book is the most complete, authoritative, and inviting one-volume introduction to evolutionary biology available. Clear, informative, and comprehensive in scope, Evolution opens with a series of major essays dealing with the history and philosophy of evolutionary biology, with major empirical and theoretical questions in the science, from speciation to adaptation, from paleontology to evolutionary development (evo devo), and concluding with essays on the social and political significance of evolutionary biology today. A second encyclopedic section travels the spectrum of topics in evolution with concise, informative, and accessible entries on individuals from ­Aristotle and Linneaus to Louis Leakey and Jean Lamarck; from T. H. Huxley and E. O. Wilson to Joseph Felsenstein and Motoo Kimura; and on subjects from altruism and amphibians to evolutionary psychology and Piltdown Man to the Scopes trial and social Darwinism. Readers will find the latest word on the history and philosophy of evolution, the nuances of the science itself, and the intricate interplay among evolutionary study, religion, philosophy, and ­society.Appearing at the beginning of the Darwin Year of 2009—the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of the Origin of Species—this volume is a fitting tribute to the science Darwin set in motion.

The classic papers that laid the foundations of modern ecology alongside commentaries by noted ecologists.The period of 1970 to 1995 was a time of tremendous change in all areas of ecology—from an increased rigor for experimental design and analysis to the reevaluation of paradigms, new models for understanding, and theoretical advances. Edited by ecologists Thomas E. Miller and Joseph Travis, Foundations of Ecology II includes facsimiles of forty-six papers from this period alongside expert commentaries that discuss a total of fifty-three key studies, addressing topics of diversity, predation, complexity, competition, coexistence, extinction, productivity, resources, distribution, abundance, and conservation. The result is more than a catalog of historic firsts; this book offers diverse perspectives on the foundational papers that led to today’s ecological work. Like this book’s 1991 predecessor, Foundations of Ecology edited by Leslie A. Real and James H. Brown, Foundations of Ecology II promises to be the essential primer for graduate students and practicing ecologists for decades to come.

The classic papers that laid the foundations of modern ecology alongside commentaries by noted ecologists. The period of 1970 to 1995 was a time of tremendous change in all areas of ecology—from an increased rigor for experimental design and analysis to the reevaluation of paradigms, new models for understanding, and theoretical advances. Edited by ecologists Thomas E. Miller and Joseph Travis, Foundations of Ecology II includes facsimiles of forty-six papers from this period alongside expert commentaries that discuss a total of fifty-three key studies, addressing topics of diversity, predation, complexity, competition, coexistence, extinction, productivity, resources, distribution, abundance, and conservation. The result is more than a catalog of historic firsts; this book offers diverse perspectives on the foundational papers that led to today’s ecological work. Like this book’s 1991 predecessor, Foundations of Ecology edited by Leslie A. Real and James H. Brown, Foundations of Ecology II promises to be the essential primer for graduate students and practicing ecologists for decades to come.

The Triumph of Biology's Model Organisms: How Flies, Mice, and Slime Molds Became Teachers of Biology provides an exploration on how seemingly ordinary organisms-flies, mice, slime molds, and more-have become central to scientific discovery. The book addresses the need to connect the stories of these organisms to broad advances in fundamental and biomedical science, providing readers with an appreciation for how curiosity-driven research translates into practical outcomes. Spanning a diverse array of species, it examines what makes an organism a model, the evolutionary principles underlying their utility, and the blend of wisdom and luck that led to their selection.Through compelling case studies and featured scientist reflections, chapters invite readers to critically examine how model organisms are chosen and why they matter. Readers will discover the pivotal roles of classic models like Drosophila and Neurospora, the transformation of pests into research heroes, and how extreme biological features have been harnessed to solve enduring questions. This book equips advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the scientific and historical significance of model organisms.Illustrates the critical role of model organisms in biological discovery and evolutionary biologyIntegrates case studies and scientific perspectives to foster critical thinking and engagementConnects the evolutionary biology of model organisms to research applicationsHighlights the interplay of luck, design, and serendipity in scientific discovery

The Triumph of Biology's Model Organisms: How Flies, Mice, and Slime Molds Became Teachers of Biology provides an exploration on how seemingly ordinary organisms-flies, mice, slime molds, and more-have become central to scientific discovery. The book addresses the need to connect the stories of these organisms to broad advances in fundamental and biomedical science, providing readers with an appreciation for how curiosity-driven research translates into practical outcomes. Spanning a diverse array of species, it examines what makes an organism a model, the evolutionary principles underlying their utility, and the blend of wisdom and luck that led to their selection.Through compelling case studies and featured scientist reflections, chapters invite readers to critically examine how model organisms are chosen and why they matter. Readers will discover the pivotal roles of classic models like Drosophila and Neurospora, the transformation of pests into research heroes, and how extreme biological features have been harnessed to solve enduring questions. This book equips advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the scientific and historical significance of model organisms. - Illustrates the critical role of model organisms in biological discovery and evolutionary biology- Integrates case studies and scientific perspectives to foster critical thinking and engagement- Connects the evolutionary biology of model organisms to research applications- Highlights the interplay of luck, design, and serendipity in scientific discovery

Spanning evolutionary science from its inception to its latest findings, from discoveries and data to philosophy and history, this book is the most complete, authoritative, and inviting one-volume introduction to evolutionary biology available. Clear, informative, and comprehensive in scope, Evolution opens with a series of major essays dealing with the history and philosophy of evolutionary biology, with major empirical and theoretical questions in the science, from speciation to adaptation, from paleontology to evolutionary development (evo devo), and concluding with essays on the social and political significance of evolutionary biology today. A second encyclopedic section travels the spectrum of topics in evolution with concise, informative, and accessible entries on individuals from ­Aristotle and Linneaus to Louis Leakey and Jean Lamarck; from T. H. Huxley and E. O. Wilson to Joseph Felsenstein and Motoo Kimura; and on subjects from altruism and amphibians to evolutionary psychology and Piltdown Man to the Scopes trial and social Darwinism. Readers will find the latest word on the history and philosophy of evolution, the nuances of the science itself, and the intricate interplay among evolutionary study, religion, philosophy, and ­society.Appearing at the beginning of the Darwin Year of 2009—the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of the Origin of Species—this volume is a fitting tribute to the science Darwin set in motion.