Evolution From Molecules to Ecosystems

Less than 150 years have elapsed since the publication of Darwin's seminal work on evolution by natural selection, yet in this short period of time evolutionary theory has transformed our thinking in all aspects of human endeavor. The rapid progress that has been made, particularly in the last decades, is reflected in this book, which illustrates many key advances in the field and provides a sampler of the diversity of questions and research approaches that constitute the modern study of evolution. With contributions from leading experts, "Evolution: From Molecules to Ecosystems" addresses issues ranging from the fate of mutations to the origin of new genes, from mechanisms of speciation to patterns of radiation after mass extinctions, from recent migrations to ancient relationships, from symbiosis to virulent disease, and from the origin of play to perceptions of beauty. The book is designed to be advanced and up-to-date, but at the same time accessible and relevant to readers from the fields of genetics, ecology, animal behavior, anthropology and evolutionary biology. It will be particularly useful as a companion text for introductory and upper level courses in evolutionary biology.

THE GENETIC MACHINERY OF EVOLUTION. Near neutrality and its implications for evolution. Inferring the action of natural selection from DNA sequence comparisons: data from Drosophila. Rates and effects of deleterious mutations and their evolutionary consequences. Gene duplication and evolution. The evolution of gene regulation: approaches and implications. Genomics and evolution: the path ahead. MOLECULAR VARIATION AND EVOLUTION. The evolution of virulence in AIDS viruses. Evolution and population structure of parasitic protozoa: the Plasmodium model. The evolution of endosymbiosis in insects. THE ECOLOGICAL AND BIOGEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT OF EVOLUTIONARY CHANGE. Evolutionary ecology: natural selection in freshwater systems. Evolutionary and ecological genetics of cyclical parthenogens. The timing of sex in cyclical parthenogenetic rotifers. From ecosystems to molecules: cascading effects of habitat persistence on dispersal strategies and the genetic structure of populations. Using molecules to understand the distribution of animal and plant diversity. SPECIATION AND MAJOR EVOLUTIONARY EVENTS. Allopatric speciation: not so simple after all. Introgression and hybrid speciation via transposition. Cooperation and conflict during the unicellular-multicellular and prokaryotic-eukaryotic transitions. Molecular evidence on the origin of and the phylogenetic relationships among the major groups of verebrates. Mass extinctions and evolutionary radiations. BEHAVIOR, EVOLUTION AND HUMAN AFFAIRS. Play: how evolution can explain the most mysterious behavior of all. The evolutionary psychology of human physical attraction and attractiveness. Genome views on human evolution. Could there be a Darwinian account of human creativity?

Andres Moya Professor of Genetics, Cavanilles Institute for Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain Born: Valencia, Spain 1956 Enrique Font Associate Professor of Zoology, Cavanilles Institute for Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Zoology, University of Valencia, Spain Born: Valencia, Spain 1959