This book is aimed at students taking courses on evolution in
universities and colleges. Its approach and its structure are very
different from previously-published evolution texts. The core theme in
this book is how evolution works by changing the course of embryonic and
post-embryonic development. In other words, it is an evolution text that
has been very much influenced by the new approach of evolutionary
developmental biology, or 'evo-devo'.
Key themes include the following: developmental repatterning; adaptation
and coadaptation; gene co-option; developmental plasticity; the origins
of evolutionary novelties and body plans; and evolutionary changes in
the complexity of organisms. As can be seen from this list, the book
includes information across the levels of the gene, the organism, and
the population. It also includes the issue of mapping developmental
changes onto evolutionary trees. The examples used to illustrate
particular points range widely, including animals, plants and fossils.
"I have really enjoyed reading this book. One of the strengths of the
book is the almost conversational style. I found the style easy to read,
but also feel that it will be invaluable in teaching. One of our tasks
in university level teaching is to develop students' critical thinking
skills. We need to support them in their intellectual development from a
"just the facts" approach to being able to make critical judgements
based on available evidence. The openness and honesty with which Arthur
speaks to uncertainty in science is refreshing and will be a baseline
for discussions with students."
-Professor Patricia Moore, Exeter University
"This book, written as an undergraduate text, is a really most
impressive book. Given the burgeoning interest in the role of
developmental change in evolution in recent times, this will be a very
timely publication. The book is well structured and, like the author's
other books, very well written. He communicates with a clear, lucid
style and has the ability to explain even the more difficult concepts in
an accessible manner."
---Professor Kenneth McNamara, University of Cambridge
The companion site can be found at www.wiley.com/go/arthur/evolution.
Here you download all figures from the book, captions, tables, and table
of contents.
