Losos J.B. (ed.) The Princeton Guide to Evolution

Princeton University Press, 2013. — 877 p.For more than 150 years, since the publication of On the Origin of Species, biologists have focused on understanding the evolutionary chronicle of diversification and extinction, and the underlying evolutionary processes that have produced it. Although progress in evolutionary biology has been steady since Darwin’s time, developments in the last 20 years have ushered in a golden era of evolutionary study in which biologists are on the brink of answering many of the fundamental questions in the field.
These advances have come from a confluence of technological and conceptual innovations. In the laboratory, the rapid and inexpensive sequencing of large amounts of DNA is producing a wealth of data on the genomes of many species; comparisons of these genomes are allowing scientists to pinpoint the specific genetic changes that have occurred over the course of evolution. In parallel, spectacular fossil discoveries have filled many of the most critical gaps in our documentation of the evolutionary pageant, detailing how whales evolved from land-living animals, snakes from their four-legged lizard forebears, and humans from our primate ancestors. In addition, providing the data that Darwin could only imagine, field biologists are now tracking populations, directly documenting natural selection as it occurs, and monitoring the resulting evolutionary changes that occur from one generation to the next.
At the same time, evolutionary biology is making an impact throughout human society. Many current issues— such as the rise of new diseases, the increased resistance of pests and microorganisms to efforts to control them, and the effect of changing environmental conditions on natural populations—revolve around aspects of natural selection and evolutionary change. Many disparate areas of modern life—medicine, the legal system, computing—increasingly employ evolutionary thinking and use methods developed in evolutionary biology. Paradoxically, even as our understanding of evolution and its importance to society has never been greater, substantial proportions of the population in a number of countries—most notably the United States and Turkey—dispute the scientific findings of evolutionary biologists and resist the teaching of evolution in schools.
This volume follows on the success of The Princeton Guide to Ecology, edited by Simon Levin. Published in 2009, the ecology guide has proven valuable to a wide range of readers, from professional ecologists and graduate students to land planners, economists, and social scientists. With this model in mind, we set out to produce a guide that would be accessible and useful to students and scientists in evolutionary biology and related disciplines, as well as to anyone with a serious interest in evolution. What makes this volume stand out is the breadth and depth of our 107 chapters, each written by authorities in their respective field. In addition, the articles balance accessibility with depth of analysis, making the Guide a valuable reference for a broad audience. Certainly, some articles are more technical than others, but readers can easily select chapters appropriate for their interests and expertise.
The Guide is divided into eight sections. The introductory section includes four chapters covering the basics of evolution: what it is, the history of its study, the evidence for its occurrence, and a basic primer of genetic and phenotypic variation. The following seven sections cover the major areas of evolutionary biology, each beginning with a synoptic overview by the section editor. Section II: Phylogenetics and the History of Life, covers the history of life and how it is studied. It includes chapters on the evolution of each of the major forms of life, as well as on the study of life’s history through the examination of the fossil record and the construction of phylogenetic trees that detail the relationships among species and higher taxa. Section III: Selection and Adaptation, moves to evolutionary processes, focusing on natural selection, the presumed primary driver of evolutionary change. Section IV: Evolutionary Processes, covers gene flow, genetic drift, and nonrandom mating. Section V: Genes, Genomes, Phenotypes, examines the link between genes and phenotypes and how they evolve, focusing on the rapid growth of knowledge and continuing research in genetics and developmental biology and the relationships of these fields to evolutionary biology. Section VI: Speciation and Macroevolution, moves the focus to the species level and above, emphasizing the origin of species—that is, speciation—and evolutionary change that drives large-scale changes in the history of life through time, such as the rise of particular taxa and the extinction of others. Section VII: Evolution of Behavior, Society, and Humans, focuses on behavioral and social interactions that occur within species, including competition for mating success (referred to as sexual selection) and the evolution of traits such as parental care, communication, and altruism. Although chapters in this section are broad in taxonomic scope, many have particular relevance to human biology. Finally, Section VIII: Evolution and Modern Society, addresses how evolutionary biology directly affects the health and welfare of humans today.Section I Introduction
What Is Evolution?
The History of Evolutionary Thought
The Evidence for Evolution
From DNA to Phenotypes
Section II Phylogenetics and the History of Life
Interpretation of Phylogenetic Trees
Phylogenetic Inference
Molecular Clock Dating
Historical Biogeography
Phylogeography
Concepts in Character Macroevolution: Adaptation, Homology, and Evolvability
Using Phylogenies to Study Phenotypic Evolution: Comparative Methods and Tests of Adaptation
Taxonomy in a Phylogenetic Framework
The Fossil Record
The Origin of Life
Evolution in the Prokaryotic Grade
Origin and Diversification of Eukaryotes
Major Events in the Evolution of Land Plants
Major Events in the Evolution of Fungi
Origin and Early Evolution of Animals
Major Events in the Evolution of Arthropods
Major Features of Tetrapod Evolution
Human Evolution
Section III Natural Selection and Adaptation
Natural Selection, Adaptation, and Fitness: Overview
Units and Levels of Selection
Theory of Selection in Populations
Kin Selection and Inclusive Fitness
Phenotypic Selection on Quantitative Traits
Responses to Selection: Experimental Populations
Responses to Selection: Natural Populations
Evolutionary Limits and Constraints
Evolution of Modifier Genes and Biological Systems
Evolution of Reaction Norms
Evolution of Life Histories
Evolution of Form and Function
Biochemical and Physiological Adaptations
Evolution of the Ecological Niche
Adaptation to the Biotic Environment
Section IV Evolutionary Processes
Genetic Drift
Mutation
Geographic Variation, Population Structure, and Migration
Recombination and Sex
Genetic Load
Inbreeding
Selfish Genetic Elements and Genetic Conflict
Evolution of Mating Systems: Outcrossing versus Selfing
Section V Genes, Genomes, Phenotypes
Molecular Evolution
Genome Evolution
Comparative Genomics
Evolution of Sex Chromosomes
Gene Duplication
Evolution of New Genes
Evolution of Gene Expression
Epigenetics
Evolution of Molecular Networks
Evolution and Development: Organisms
Evolution and Development: Molecules
Genetics of Phenotypic Evolution
Dissection of Complex Trait Evolution
Searching for Adaptation in the Genome
Ancient DNA
Section VI Speciation and Macroevolution
Species and Speciation
Speciation Patterns
Geography, Range Evolution, and Speciation
Speciation and Natural Selection
Speciation and Sexual Selection
Gene Flow, Hybridization, and Speciation
Coevolution and Speciation
Genetics of Speciation
Speciation and Genome Evolution
Adaptive Radiation
Macroevolutionary Rates
Macroevolutionary Trends
Causes and Consequences of Extinction
Species Selection
Key Evolutionary Innovations
Evolution of Communities
Section VII Evolution of Behavior, Society, and Humans
Genes, Brains, and Behavior
Evolution of Hormones and Behavior
Game Theory and Behavior
Sexual Selection and Its Impact on Mating Systems
Sexual Selection: Male-Male Competition
Sexual Selection: Mate Choice
Evolution of Communication
Evolution of Parental Care
Cooperation and Conflict: Microbes to Humans
Cooperative Breeding
Human Behavioral Ecology
Evolutionary Psychology
Evolution of Eusociality
Cognition: Phylogeny, Adaptation, and By-Products
Evolution of Apparently Nonadaptive Behavior
Aging and Menopause
Section VIII Evolution and Modern Society
Evolutionary Medicine
Evolution of Parasite Virulence
Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
Evolution and Microbial Forensics
Domestication and the Evolution of Agriculture
Evolution and Conservation
Directed Evolution
Evolution and Computing
Linguistics and the Evolution of Human Language
Cultural Evolution
Evolution and Notions of Human Race
The Future of Human Evolution
Evolution and Religion
Creationism and Intelligent Design
Evolution and the Media