Genetic Constraints on Adaptive Evolution

ISBN-13: 9783642727726 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 188 str.

Volker Loeschcke

Opis

Genetic constraints on adaptive evolution can be understood as those genetic aspects that prevent or reduce the potential for natural selection to result in the most direct ascent of the mean phenotype to an optimum. The contributions to this volume emphasize how genetic aspects in the transmission of traits constrain adaptive evolution. Approaches span from quantitative, population, ecological to molecular genetics. Much attention is devoted to genetic correlations, to the maintenance of quantitative genetic variation, and to the intimate relation between genetics, ecology, and evolution. This volume addresses all evolutionary biologists and explains why they should be wary of evolutionary concepts that base arguments purely on phenotypic characteristics.

Spis treści

Introduction: Genetic Constraints on Adaptive Evolution and the Evolution of Genetic Constraints.- 1 A Quantitative Genetic Perspective on Adaptive Evolution.- 2 Genetic Correlations: The Quantitative Genetics of Evolutionary Constraints.- 3 Genetic Constraints on the Evolution of Phenotypic Plasticity.- 4 Reflections on the Genetics of Quantitative Traits with Continuous Environmental Variation.- 5 Three Approaches to Trade-Offs in Life-History Evolution.- 6 Pleiotropy in Dynamical Parameters of Models on the Evolution of Simple Phenotypes.- 7 Constraints in Selection Response.- 8 Nonrandom Patterns of Mutation are Reflected in Evolutionary Divergence and May Cause Some of the Unusual Patterns Observed in Sequences.- 9 Genetic Constraints on Plant Adaptive Evolution.