The Evolution of Developmental Pathways [Hardcover]

A. S. Wilkins (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0878939164 | ISBN-13: 978-0878939169 | Publication Date: December 10, 2001 | Edition: 1

The contemporary field of evolutionary developmental biology is still a new subdiscipline of evolutionary biology, but it deals with some very old questions: how shape and form in complex organisms change during evolution. Integral to this subject are developmental genetics and molecular biology, and, increasingly, systematics, paleontology, and population genetics as well. The integration of the latter three subjects into evolutionary developmental biology is still in its early stages, however. A principal aim of this book is to introduce upper-level students and biologists in other disciplines to this field, and to present it within its larger context. <P>Despite the excitement about "evo-devo," it is a field that still lacks a set of formal principles of the sort that, for example, inform and give shape to population genetics and systematics. The second principal purpose of this book, therefore, is to suggest a useful general framework for thinking about developmental evolution. The book's organizing concept is that of the genetic pathway, the sequence of requisite genetic and molecular activities that underlie a developmental process. From this perspective, the author explores the nature of the genetic, molecular, and selectional events that alter these pathways, yielding developmental change. <P>The book is organized into three major sections. The first five chapters deal with the history of the field, the data it employs, and basic ideas that inform current research. The next three chapters are devoted to case studies in developmental evolution, starting with examples of currently favored model systems (e.g., Drosophila melanogaster) and building outward. Six subsequent chapters address questions and problems in the field and key questions for the future. Three appendices on specialized topics and a glossary complete the book.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"... one of the best textbooks currently available, and would be suitable for any advanced undergraduate or graduate Evo–Devo course." -- —Jeremy J. Gibson-Brown, The Quarterly Review of Biology<br /><br />"Wilkins has produced a lively, readable and thoughtful work ..." --—Rudolf A. Raff, Nature

"Students and professionals interested in the fields of evolution, development, or genetics as well as those drawn to the interdisciplinary field ("evo devo") that lies at their intersection will find Adam Wilkins's The Evolution of Developmental Pathways a must read." --Billie J. Swalla, Science

"Wilkins takes a relatively comprehensive look at the lively field of evo devo. His molecular developmental perspective is extended and connected more successfully to the fields of population genetics and evolution than perhaps are any previous attempts. This well-referenced (1500 references) book is accessible to researchers in the fields of population biology, ecology, paleontology, systematics, and evolution who are seriously interested in broadening and updating their understanding of molecular developmental biology." --Paula Mabee, BioScience

About the Author

ADAM WILKINS is Editor of the journal BioEssays.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 603 pages
• Publisher: Sinauer Associates; 1 edition (December 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878939164
• ISBN-13: 978-0878939169
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,144,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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