Download or read book Asymmetry Developmental Stability and Evolution written by Anders Pape MØller and published by Oxford University Press, UK. This book was released on 1997-11-27 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why does nature love symmetry? In Asymmetry, Developmental Stability and Evolution, M--oslash--;ller and Swaddle analyse the evolutionary implications of symmetry. They advance and explain their theory that asymmetry is related to genetic stability and fitness, and that symmetric individuals appear to have quantifiable and significant advantages over their asymmetric counterparts. When assessing potential mates or competitors, animals may be able to use symmetry as an honest indication of quality. This interdisciplinary book, with its associated Web-site, will be of interest to students and researchers in the fields of ecology, evolutionary biology, genetics, and animal behaviour. - ;Why does nature love symmetry? In Asymmetry, Developmental Stability and Evolution, M--oslash--;ller and Swaddle analyse the evolutionary implications of symmetry. They advance and explain their theory that symmetry is related to genetic stability and fitness, and that symmetric individuals appear to have quantifiable and significant advantages over their asymmetric counterparts. When assessing potential mates or competitors, animals may be able to use symmetry as an honest indication of quality. This interdisciplinary book, with its associated Web-site, will be of interest to students and researchers in the fields of ecology, evolutionary biology, genetics, and animal behaviour. -

Download or read book Developmental Instability Its Origins and Evolutionary Implications written by T.A. Markow and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Developmental Instability: Its Origins and Evolutionary Implications is a collection of papers and transcribed discussions from a conference held in Tempe, Arizona in June 1993. The papers represent a wide range of contributions, from the empirical to the theoretical, and include methods for measuring developmental instability across a variety of taxa and traits. This volume presents contrasting views on how to assess developmental instability as well as on the relationship of instability to genotypic factors, environmental factors and the action of natural and sexual selection. Readers will derive a working knowledge of the best way to assess developmental instability and will be able to design future work in an authoritative way.

Download or read book Asymmetry Developmental Stability and Evolution Developmental stability and mode of selection written by Anders Pape Møller and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Developmental Instability written by Michal Polak and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2003 with total page 488 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The field of developmental instability has generated a large amount of controversy recently, mostly because of fierce disagreement over the genetic basis of fluctuating asymmetry and its role in mate selection. This book is a timely and innovative critical evaluation of a burgeoning field. The book explores the premise that complex organismal, ecological and evolutionary processes can be understood as emergent properties of the "epigenetic machine," that is, the mechanisms fundamental to all organisms responsible for building and organizing phenotypes from information translated from DNA.

Download or read book Advances in Morphometrics written by Leslie F. Marcus and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-11 with total page 575 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is based on the NATO Advanced Study Institute, "Advances in Mor phometries" held in 11 Ciocco, Tuscany, Italy from July 18-30, 1993, and directed by Leslie F. Marcus. The "Advances in Morphometries" ASI was advertised in Nature and a number of professional journals. Announcements were sent to relevant institutions and departments throughout the world. Because NATO required that the majority of attendees be from NATO countries, the 71 persons attending represented nine NATO countries, four eastern European countries, now recognized as equal partners for AS Is, and a few participants from non-NATO countries. Participants were all active scholars in different disciplines within biology, as well as computer science, statistics, geology and paleontology. Their experience ranged from that of graduate students to senior faculty, as well as one emeritus scholar. A complete list of the those attending and their addresses, phone and FAX numbers and, where available, e-mail addresses is given in the participants list. All the local arrangements were made by Marco Corti and Anna Loy of the University of Rome "Ia Sapienza. " They made the initial contact with the II Ciocco conference center and then arranged for computer and Xerox rentals, design of logos, organization of posters, and publication of poster abstracts.

Download or read book Variation written by Benedikt Hallgrímsson and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2011-05-04 with total page 594 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection was based on the observation that there is variation between individuals within the same species. This fundamental observation is a central concept in evolutionary biology. However, variation is only rarely treated directly. It has remained peripheral to the study of mechanisms of evolutionary change. The explosion of knowledge in genetics, developmental biology, and the ongoing synthesis of evolutionary and developmental biology has made it possible for us to study the factors that limit, enhance, or structure variation at the level of an animals' physical appearance and behavior. Knowledge of the significance of variability is crucial to this emerging synthesis. Variation situates the role of variability within this broad framework, bringing variation back to the center of the evolutionary stage. Provides an overview of current thinking on variation in evolutionary biology, functional morphology, and evolutionary developmental biology Written by a team of leading scholars specializing on the study of variation Reviews of statistical analysis of variation by leading authorities Key chapters focus on the role of the study of phenotypic variation for evolutionary, developmental, and post-genomic biology

Download or read book Handedness and Brain Asymmetry written by Marian Annett and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2013-04-15 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Brain asymmetry for speech is moderately related to handedness but what are the rules? Are symmetries for hand and brain associated with characteristics such as intelligence, motor skill, spatial reasoning or skill at sports? In this follow up to the influential Left, Right Hand and Brain (1985) Marian Annett draws on a working lifetime of research to help provide answers to crucial questions. Central to her argument is the Right Shift Theory - her original and innovative contribution to the field that seeks to explain the relationships between left-and right-handedness and left-and right-brain specialisation. The theory proposes that handedness in humans and our non-human primate relations depends on chance but that chance is weighted towards right-handedness in most people by an agent of right-hemisphere disadvantage. It argues for the existence of a single gene for right shift (RS+) that evolved in humans to aid the growth of speech in the left hemisphere of the brain. The Right Shift Theory has possible implications for a wide range of questions about human abilities and disabilities, including verbal and non verbal intelligence, educational progress and dyslexia, spatial reasoning, sporting skills and mental illness. It continues to be at the cutting edge of research, solving problems and generating new avenues of investigation - most recently the surprising idea that a mutant RS+ gene might be involved in the causes of schizophrenia and autism. Handedness and Brain Asymmetry will make fascinating reading for students and researchers in psychology and neurology, educationalists, and anyone with a keen interest in why people have different talents and weaknesses.

Download or read book The Ecology of Adaptive Radiation written by Dolph Schluter and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2000-08-31 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Adaptive radiation is the evolution of diversity within a rapidly multiplying lineage. It can cause a single ancestral species to differentiate into an impressively vast array of species inhabiting a variety of environments. Much of life's diversity has arisen during adaptive radiations. Some of the most famous recent examples include the East African cichlid fishes, the Hawaiian silverswords, and of course, Darwin's Gal--aacute--;pagos finches,. This book evaluates the causes of adaptive radiation. It focuses on the 'ecological' theory of adaptive radiation, a body of ideas that began with Darwin and was developed through the early part of the 20th Century. This theory proposes that phenotypic divergence and speciation in adaptive radiation are caused ultimately by divergent natural selection arising from differences in environment and competition between species. In The Ecology of Adaptive Radiation the author re-evaluates the ecological theory, along with its most significant extensions and challenges, in the light of all the recent evidence. This important book is the first full exploration of the causes of adaptive radiation to be published for decades, written by one of the world's best young evolutionary biologists.

Download or read book Animal Signals written by Yngve Espmark and published by Tapir Academic Press. This book was released on 2000 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can we explain the peacock's beautiful tail decorations, or the wonderful song of the nightingale? Why are some smells nice and others nasty? How do animals signal their intentions and qualities to potential partners? How do offspring tell parents about their needs? Are signals tuned to the environment, and to the mental abilities of receivers? Essential for understanding how animals cope with their ecological and social environment, the study of animal signals is one of the most active research areas in evolutionary biology. Understanding the signalling systems of nature has wide-ranging relevance including biological conservation and human communication. Written by international scientists, this is a comprehensive overview of the fascinating diversity of animal signals and signalling functions. Combining reviews and research, the book is aimed at both students and professional scientists.

Download or read book Evolution Driven by Organismal Behavior written by Rui Diogo and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-03-08 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book proposes a new way to think about evolution. The author carefully brings together evidence from diverse fields of science. In the process, he bridges the gaps between many different--and usually seen as conflicting--ideas to present one integrative theory named ONCE, which stands for Organic Nonoptimal Constrained Evolution. The author argues that evolution is mainly driven by the behavioral choices and persistence of organisms themselves, in a process in which Darwinian natural selection is mainly a secondary--but still crucial--evolutionary player. Within ONCE, evolution is therefore generally made of mistakes and mismatches and trial-and-error situations, and is not a process where organisms engage in an incessant, suffocating struggle in which they can't thrive if they are not optimally adapted to their habitats and the external environment. Therefore, this unifying view incorporates a more comprehensive view of the diversity and complexity of life by stressing that organisms are not merely passive evolutionary players under the rule of external factors. This insightful and well-reasoned argument is based on numerous fascinating case studies from a wide range of organisms, including bacteria, plants, insects and diverse examples from the evolution of our own species. The book has an appeal to researchers, students, teachers, and those with an interest in the history and philosophy of science, as well as to the broader public, as it brings life back into biology by emphasizing that organisms, including humans, are the key active players in evolution and thus in the future of life on this wonderful planet.

Download or read book The Evolution of Senescence in the Tree of Life written by Richard P. Shefferson and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-02-23 with total page 445 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The existing theories on the evolution of senescence assume that senescence is inevitable in all organisms. However, recent studies have shown that this is not necessarily true. A better understanding of senescence and its underlying mechanisms could have far-reaching consequences for conservation and eco-evolutionary research. This book is the first to offer interdisciplinary perspectives on the evolution of senescence in many species, setting the stage for further developments. It brings together new insights from a wide range of scientific fields and cutting-edge research done on a multitude of different animals (including humans), plants and microbes, giving the reader a complete overview of recent developments and of the controversies currently surrounding the topic. Written by specialists from a variety of disciplines, this book is a valuable source of information for students and researchers interested in ageing and life history traits and populations.

Download or read book The Symbolic Species The Co evolution of Language and the Brain written by Terrence W. Deacon and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 1998-04-17 with total page 532 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A work of enormous breadth, likely to pleasantly surprise both general readers and experts."—New York Times Book Review This revolutionary book provides fresh answers to long-standing questions of human origins and consciousness. Drawing on his breakthrough research in comparative neuroscience, Terrence Deacon offers a wealth of insights into the significance of symbolic thinking: from the co-evolutionary exchange between language and brains over two million years of hominid evolution to the ethical repercussions that followed man's newfound access to other people's thoughts and emotions. Informing these insights is a new understanding of how Darwinian processes underlie the brain's development and function as well as its evolution. In contrast to much contemporary neuroscience that treats the brain as no more or less than a computer, Deacon provides a new clarity of vision into the mechanism of mind. It injects a renewed sense of adventure into the experience of being human.

Download or read book Physiological Genetics written by John G. Scandalios and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2014-04-24 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Physiological Genetics is a compilation of developments, contributed by experts in the field of physiological genetics. The articles contained in the book covers various accounts of developments in the field. The book starts with an introductory chapter describing genetic factors in developmental gene regulation, followed by discussions on enzyme differentiation, hormonal control of gene expression, biochemical genetics of morphogenesis, cytoplasmic male sterility in maize, plant somatic cell genetics, and the population dynamics of genetic polymorphism. Physiologists, biologists, geneticists, and students will find a valuable reference material.

Download or read book Evolutionary Social Psychology written by Jeffry A. Simpson and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2014-02-25 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What a pity it would have been if biologists had refused to accept Darwin's theory of natural selection, which has been essential in helping biologists understand a wide range of phenomena in many animal species. These days, to study any animal species while refusing to consider the evolved adaptive significance of their behavior would be considered pure folly--unless, of course, the species is homo sapiens. Graduate students training to study this particular primate species may never take a single course in evolutionary theory, although they may take two undergraduate and up to four graduate courses in statistics. These methodologically sophisticated students then embark on a career studying human aggression, cooperation, mating behavior, family relationships, or altruism with little or no understanding of the general evolutionary forces and principles that shaped the behaviors they are investigating. This book hopes to redress that wrong. It is one of the first to apply evolutionary theories to mainstream problems in personality and social psychology that are relevant to a wide range of important social phenomena, many of which have been shaped and molded by natural selection during the course of human evolution. These phenomena include selective biases that people have concerning how and why a variety of activities occur. For example: * information exchanged during social encounters is initially perceived and interpreted; * people are romantically attracted to some potential mates but not others; * people often guard, protect, and work hard at maintaining their closest relationships; * people form shifting and highly complicated coalitions with kin and close friends; and * people terminate close, long-standing relationships. Evolutionary Social Psychology begins to disentangle the complex, interwoven patterns of interaction that define our social lives and relationships.

Download or read book Genetic Homeostasis Classic Reprint written by I. Michael Lerner and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2018-10-04 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Genetic Homeostasis Other types Of evidence, which contribute to the problem but which will be considered here in less detail include. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Download or read book Oxford Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology written by Robin Ian MacDonald Dunbar and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2007 with total page 722 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With contributions from over 50 experts in the field, this book provides an overview of the latest developments in evolutionary psychology. In addition to well studied areas of investigation, it also includes chapters on the philosophical underpinnings of evolutionary psychology, comparative perspectives from other species, and more.

Download or read book The Handbook of Historical Economics written by Alberto Bisin and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2021-04-21 with total page 1002 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Handbook of Historical Economics guides students and researchers through a quantitative economic history that uses fully up-to-date econometric methods. The book's coverage of statistics applied to the social sciences makes it invaluable to a broad readership. As new sources and applications of data in every economic field are enabling economists to ask and answer new fundamental questions, this book presents an up-to-date reference on the topics at hand. Provides an historical outline of the two cliometric revolutions, highlighting the similarities and the differences between the two Surveys the issues and principal results of the "second cliometric revolution" Explores innovations in formulating hypotheses and statistical testing, relating them to wider trends in data-driven, empirical economics