Macroevolution: Pattern and Process [Paperback]

Professor Steven M. Stanley (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 080185735X | ISBN-13: 978-0801857355 | Publication Date: May 26, 1998

In Macroevolution, Steven Stanley addresses, from a paleobiologist's perspective, the question of whether punctuated equilibria or gradualism offers the best account of the history of life. Punctuated equilibria, a view popularized by Stephen Jay Gould among others, holds that species remain evolutionarily static for long periods of time and undergo substantial genetic changes and develop new, primarily adaptive, strategies during speciation. In contrast, gradualism views large-scale changes as the result of continual and successive small-scale changes. Coming down on the side of those who favor the model of punctuated equilibria, Stanley argues that only "quantum speciation" (speciation that is rapid and radically divergent) can explain the story of life revealed in the fossil record; macroevolutionary trends, he contends, can be explained by selection among species and, to a lesser extent, by phylogenetic drift and directed speciation.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Stanley offers an imaginative treatment of almost every issue in macroevolution; by drawing on a wealth of paleontological and neontological information and on the mechanistic theory of evolution, he achieves a clear, informative, stimulating synthesis. This is perhaps the most important treatment of macroevolution in almost thirty years, and revivifies a subject too long dormant." -- Douglas J. Futuyama, American Scientist

"Not only is a wealth of evidence presented to support the model of punctuated equilibria, but Stanley's stream of refreshing insights into classic topics of evolution, such as living fossils, mass extinctions and adaptive radiations add further weight to the validity of the general model." -- Simon Conway Morris, Geological Magazine

Book Description

A paleontologist presents new evidence in favor the evolution by "punctuated equilibria."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 370 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (May 26, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080185735X
• ISBN-13: 978-0801857355
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,270,702 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Paleontology > Paleobiology

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview, December 8, 2005

By 

Sam Windbeutel, PhD, PG "Sam" (Rome, Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Macroevolution: Pattern and Process (Paperback)

This book, although somewhat dated, provides an excellent look at the broad trends of evolution through the eyes of a leading Johns Hopkins paleontologist. Stanley examines explains the modern synthesis, fossil evidence, speciation and extinction rates, quantum speciation, large-scale trends, and the dynamics of species turnover. Among the groups examined are gastropods, echinoids, corals, microfossils, graptolites, and vertebrates.

5.0 out of 5 stars AN INTERESTING (CIRCA 1979) STATEMENT BY A MAJOR "PUNCTUATED EQUILBRIA" THEORIST, June 28, 2010

By 

Steven H. Propp (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Macroevolution: Pattern and Process (Paperback)

Steven M. Stanley (born 1941) is an American paleontologist and evolutionary biologist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, who is probably best known for his empirical research documenting the evolutionary process of punctuated equilibrium in the fossil record. (His 1981 book The New Evolutionary Timetable has a more "popular" presentation of the more technical material in this 1979 book.)

He states in the Preface, "I have come to believe that paleontological data tell us things about evolution that have not gained general acceptance through the collective biologic effort known as the Modern Synthesis. The fossil record, in certain places and for certain purposes, is more instructive in the field of evolution than many have believed. Here, perhaps, is the fundamental message of this book."

He states, "the role of paleontology in evolutionary research has been defined narrowly because of a false belief, tracing back to Darwin and his early followers, that the fossil record is woefully incomplete. Actually, the record is of sufficiently high quality to allow us to undertake certain kinds of analysis meaningfully at the level of the species. Such analysis shows that many ideas now enjoying widespread support among biologists are in need of re-examination." (pg. 1)

He states, "the fossil records offers little promise for extensive documentation of quantum speciation." (Pg. 47) With regard to the bear-to-panda transition, he suggests, "In fact, it seems possible that a single event of quantum speciation accomplished the transition." (pg. 138)

Stanley is actually supportive of the views of Richard Goldschmidt (The Material Basis of Evolution: Reissued (Silliman Milestones in Science), stating, "Goldschmidt was ostracized by adherents of the Modern Synthesis. His ideas were considered utterly non-Darwinian. It must be appreciated, however, that, if correct, his views today would easily be accomodated within the punctuational model, albeit in its most extreme form." (Pg. 193)

He strongly makes the point, "much ingenuity has gone into the devising of hypotheses to account for the prevelance of sex. The fact that such ingenuity has been required engenders the suspicion that something is amiss.... The simple fact is that the gradualistic model as not been able, comfortably, to accomodate sexuality.... Moreover, there is evidence that many asexual higher organisms are by no means maladaptive." (pg. 220)