Evolution / Evolutionary biology Books
The University of Chicago Press Ecology and Evolution in the Tropics A
Book SynopsisIn essays that survey the burgeoning field of tropical herpetology, former students and associates pay tribute to Jay Savage's four decades of mentoring. The result is a book unlike any other available in tropical herpetology.
£112.10
The University of Chicago Press Darwins Finches Readings in the Evolution of a
Book SynopsisTwo species come to mind when one thinks of the Galapagos Islands - the giant tortoises and Darwin's fabled finches. This title collects the illuminating and scientifically significant writings on the finches of the Galapagos to teach the fundamental principles of evolutionary theory and to provide a historical record of scientific debate.
£47.50
The University of Chicago Press Cognitive Ecology
Book SynopsisExamines how the environment shapes the way an animal processes information and makes decisions, and how constraints imposed on nervous systems affect an animal's activities. To help answer these questions, this text integrates evolutionary ecology and cognitive science.
£42.75
The University of Chicago Press Rereading the Fossil Record
Book SynopsisPresents a historical account of the origin, rise, and importance of paleobiology. The author shows how the movement was conceived and promoted by a group of paleontologists and examines the intellectual, disciplinary, and political dynamics involved in the ascendency of paleobiology. It offers insight on data-driven approaches in recent science.Trade Review"An exceptional book, Rereading the Fossil Record draws wisely and appreciatively on the work of fellow historians of science. But it stands on its own as a major contribution that will interest biologists, historians more generally (it's not only good history, it's about history), and philosophers alike." (Science)
£31.00
The University of Chicago Press Trying Biology
Book SynopsisFeatures the history of biology textbook publishing, education reforms in Tennessee, and progressive school reform across the country. This volume sheds light on the trial and the historical relationship of science and religion in America. It explores how the textbook industry created fresh books and presented them as "responses" to the trial.Trade Review"A masterful reevaluation of the infamous 'Monkey Trial' of 1925.... Engagingly written.... Beyond its important insights into how issues in the textbook industry and matters of curriculum policy shaped the Scopes trial, Trying Biology offers an oft-needed reminder of the need to interrogate critically the claims of historical actors." (History of Education Quarterly)
£20.00
The University of Chicago Press Shaking the Tree
Book SynopsisNature has published news about the history of life ever since its first issue in 1869. This work brings together 19 review articles written for Nature over the past decade. Topics include major extinction events, homeotic genes and body plans and the origin and evolution of the primates.
£30.40
The University of Chicago Press Articulating the World Conceptual Understanding
Book Synopsis
£31.00
The University of Chicago Press Teaching Evolution in a Creation Nation History
Book SynopsisNo fight over what gets taught in American classrooms is more heated than the battle over humanity's origins. For more than a century we have argued about evolutionary theory and creationism (and its successor theory, intelligent design), yet we seem no closer to a resolution than we were in Darwin's day. In this thoughtful examination of how we teach origins, historian Adam Laats and philosopher Harvey Siegel offer crucial new ways to think not just about the evolution debate but how science and religion can make peace in the classroom. Laats and Siegel agree with most scientists: creationism is flawed, as science. But, they argue, students who believe it nevertheless need to be accommodated in public school science classes. Scientific or not, creationism maintains an important role in American history and culture as a point of religious dissent, a sustained form of protest that has weathered a century of broadand often dramaticsocial changes. At the same time, evolutionary theory
£19.00
The University of Chicago Press Infinite Nature
Book SynopsisArgues that environmentalism will never achieve its goals unless it sheds its fundamentalist logic. This work explores some of the myriad perspectives, from the scientific understandings proffered by anthropology, evolution, and ecology, to the promise of environmental responsibility offered by technology and economics.Trade Review"In Infinite Nature, Bruce Hull seeks to open the frozen American dialogue about the environment. Nature is unfathomably complex, leading to multiple perspectives on how humans should relate to it. Rather than continuing environmental fundamentalism and deadlock, Hull seeks to end innocence and build responsibility by developing the shared understanding of perspectives that is needed for reasoned negotiation of desired futures. This is a bold book that ventures across a wide spectrum of disciplines and does so with extraordinary depth in each area." - J. Douglas Wellman, North Carolina State University"
£31.00
The University of Chicago Press Debating Darwin
Book SynopsisCharles Darwin is easily the most famous scientist of the modern age, and his theory of evolution is constantly referenced in many contexts by scientists and nonscientist alike. And yet, despite how frequently his ideas are evoked, there remains a surprising amount we don't know about the father of modern evolutionary thinking, his intellectual roots, and the science he produced. Debating Darwin seeks to change that, bringing together two leading Darwin scholars Robert J. Richards and Michael Ruse to engage in a spirited and insightful dialogue, offering their interpretations of Darwin and their critiques of each other's thinking. Examining key disagreements about Darwin that continue to confound even committed Darwinists, Richards and Ruse offer divergent views on the origins and nature of Darwin and his ideas. Ruse argues that Darwin was quintessentially British and that the roots of his thought can be traced back to the eighteenth century, particularly to the Industrial Revolution and thinkers such as Adam Smith and Thomas Robert Malthus. Ruse argues that when these influences are appreciated, we can see how Darwin's work in biology is an extension of their theories. In contrast, Richards presents Darwin as a more cosmopolitan, self-educated man, influenced as much by French and particularly German thinkers. Above all, argues Richards, it was Alexander von Humboldt who both inspired Darwin and gave him the conceptual tools that he needed to find and formulate his evolutionary hypotheses. Together, the authors show how the reverberations of the contrasting views on Darwin's influences can be felt in theories about the nature of natural selection, the role of metaphor in science, and the place of God in Darwin's thought. Revealing how much there still is to investigate and interrogate about Darwin's ideas, Debating Darwin contributes to our understanding of evolution itself. The book concludes with a jointly authored chapter that brings this debate into the present, focusing on human evolution, consciousness, religion, and morality. This will be powerful, essential reading for anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of modern-day evolutionary science and philosophy.
£26.00
The University of Chicago Press Evolutionary Paleobiology
Book SynopsisRepresenting current research in evolutionary paleobiology, this book provides an overview of this rapidly changing field. Contributors to this volume present results of original research and aim to provide directions for future studies.
£42.75
The University of Chicago Press Evolutionary Patterns Growth Form and Tempo in
Book SynopsisThis text demonstrates the rich variety of clues to evolution that can be gleaned from the fossil record. Contributors explore modes of development, the tempo of speciation and extinction, and macroevolutionary patterns and trends.
£42.75
The University of Chicago Press Evolution Made to Order
Book SynopsisIn the mid-twentieth century, American plant breeders, frustrated by their dependence on natural variation in creating new crops and flowers, eagerly sought technologies that could extend human control over nature. Their search led them to celebrate a series of strange tools: an x-ray beam directed at dormant seeds; a drop of chromosome-altering colchicine on a flower bud; a piece of radioactive cobalt in a field of growing crops. According to scientific and popular reports of the time, these mutation-inducing methods would generate variation on demand, in turn allowing breeders to genetically engineer crops and flowers to order. Creating a new crop or flower would soon be as straightforward as innovating any other modern industrial product. In Evolution Made to Order, Helen Anne Curry traces the history of America's pursuit of tools that could speed up evolution. Focusing on three key technologies x-rays, colchicine, and radioisotopes it is an immersive journey through the scientific and social worlds of mid-century genetics and plant breeding and a compelling exploration of American cultures of innovation. As Curry reveals, the creation of genetic technologies was deeply entangled with other areas of technological innovation from electromechanical to chemical to nuclear. Providing vital historical context for current worldwide ethical and policy debates over genetic engineering, Evolution Made to Order is an important study of biological research and innovation in America that will interest modern biotechnologists, biologists, and breeders, as well as historians of science and technology.
£76.00
The University of Chicago Press Evolutionary Theory
Book SynopsisThe natural world is infinitely complex and hierarchically structured, with smaller units forming the components of progressively larger systems: molecules make up cells, cells comprise tissues and organs that are, in turn, parts of individual organisms, which are united into populations and integrated into yet more encompassing ecosystems. In the face of such awe-inspiring complexity, there is a need for a comprehensive, non-reductionist evolutionary theory. Having emerged at the crossroads of paleobiology, genetics, and developmental biology, the hierarchical approach to evolution provides a unifying perspective on the natural world and offers an operational framework for scientists seeking to understand the way complex biological systems work and evolve. Coedited by one of the founders of hierarchy theory and featuring a diverse and renowned group of contributors, this volume provides an integrated, comprehensive, cutting-edge introduction to the hierarchy theory of evolution. From sweeping historical reviews to philosophical pieces, theoretical essays, and strictly empirical chapters, it reveals hierarchy theory as a vibrant field of scientific enterprise that holds promise for unification across the life sciences and offers new venues of empirical and theoretical research. Stretching from molecules to the biosphere, hierarchy theory aims to provide an all-encompassing understanding of evolution and with this first collection devoted entirely to the concept will help make transparent the fundamental patterns that propel living systems.
£31.00
The University of Chicago Press How Life Began Evolutions Three Geneses
Book SynopsisElucidates three origins, or geneses, of life - bacteria, cells, and multicellular organisms - and shows how evolution has sculpted life to its biodiversity through four main events: mutation, recombination, natural selection, and geologic cataclysm. This book emphasizes the role of unions in organizing life.Trade Review"Meinesz offers a wonderful tale of how one scientist's tenacity and enthusiasm may bring to light not only the degradation of natural systems but also weaknesses in our approach to science.... Meinesz's elegant and courageous story resembles an epic feat rather than just a narrative. It shows how science survived because of the author's enthusiasm and love, for his work and the biota he studies." - Joseph-Maria Gill, Science"
£24.00
The University of Chicago Press Darwins Evolving Identity
Book Synopsis
£41.80
The University of Chicago Press Land Bridges
Book SynopsisLand bridges are the causeways of biodiversity. When they form, organisms are introduced into a new patchwork of species and habitats, forever altering the ecosystems into which they flow; and when land bridges disappear or fracture, organisms are separated into reproductively isolated populations that can evolve independently. More than this, land bridges play a role in determining global climates through changes to moisture and heat transport and are also essential factors in the development of biogeographic patterns across geographically remote regions. In this book, paleobotanist Alan Graham traces the formation and disruption of key New World land bridges and describes the biotic, climatic, and biogeographic ramifications of these land masses' changing formations over time. Looking at five land bridges, he explores their present geographic setting and climate, modern vegetation, indigenous peoples (with special attention to their impact on past and present vegetation), and geologic history. From the great Panamanian isthmus to the boreal connections across the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans that allowed exchange of organisms between North America, Europe, and Asia, Graham's sweeping, one-hundred-million-year history offers new insight into the forces that shaped the life and land of the New World.
£41.80
The University of Chicago Press Culture and the Course of Human Evolution
Book SynopsisAn argument for the role of culture in human evolution, arguing that the leaps we made can only really be understood if we explore the role of culture in their development.
£24.00
The University of Chicago Press Bryozoan Evolution
Book SynopsisThe authors argue that the growth pattern and form of the colony in many bryozoans is an adaptive strategy rather than a stable genetic character. Bryozoan Evolution is profusely illustrated and has a bibliography of over 400 titles. It will find an appreciative audience of paleontologists, invertebrate zoologists, and ecologists thanks to its innovative and detailed evaluations of the roles of ecology, adaptive and functional morphology, life histories, biomechanics, developmental constraints, and chance on the evolution of the marine taxa of this speciose group.--Russel L. Zimmer, Science This book is an excellent source of information on the functional morphology and variety of colonial architecture in bryozoans, very well illustrated, and worth reading at least twice.-Robert L. Anstey, Paleobiology Even as one of the converted, I found the book a stimulating combination of paleobiology and ecology. In many ways it is a 'teaser'-the authors suggest a number of interesting hypotheses, and can test only some of them. Perhaps most important, McKinney and Jackson provide a plethora of fascinating ideas and examples that demonstrate the potential of this group of animals, and that should stimulate more work.-Michael S. Keough, TREE This stimulating book is sure to promote further interest in bryozoans. It will appeal to biologists and paleontologists alike.-Paul Taylor, Times Higher Education Supplement
£30.40
The University of Chicago Press Plant Allometry The Scaling of Form and Process
Book SynopsisAllometry, the study of the growth rate of an organism's parts in relation to the whole, has produced various results in research on animals. This text applies allometry to studies of the evolution, morphology, physiology and reproduction of plants.
£42.75
The University of Chicago Press The Evolutionary Biology of Plants
Book SynopsisProvides a comprehensive synthesis of modern evolutionary biology as it relates to plants. This text recounts the saga of plant life from its origins to the radiation of the flowering plants. Through computer-generated walks it shows how living plants might have evolved.
£28.00
The University of Chicago Press Tangled Trees Phylogeny Cospeciation and
Book SynopsisTangled Trees presents various methodological and theoretical approaches, ranging from the parsimony approach to 'jungles' and Bayesian statistical models. This volume will be of interest to researchers in a wide variety of fields from parasitology to evolutionary biology.
£38.00
The University of Chicago Press Making Sense of Evolution The Conceptual
Book SynopsisMaking Sense of Evolution explores contemporary evolutionary biology, focusing on the elements of theoriesselection, adaptation, and speciesthat are complex and open to multiple possible interpretations, many of which are incompatible with one another and with other accepted practices in the discipline. Particular experimental methods, for example, may demand one understanding of selection, while the application of the same concept to another area of evolutionary biology could necessitate a very different definition. Spotlighting these conceptual difficulties and presenting alternate theoretical interpretations that alleviate this incompatibility, Massimo Pigliucci and Jonathan Kaplan intertwine scientific and philosophical analysis to produce a coherent picture of evolutionary biology. Innovative and controversial, Making Sense of Evolution encourages further development of the Modern Synthesis and outlines what might be necessary for the continued refinement of this evolving field.
£30.40
The University of Chicago Press Sewall Wright and Evolutionary Biology Science
Book SynopsisProvine's thorough and thoroughly admirable examination of Wright's life and influence, which is accompanied by a very useful collection of Wright's papers on evolution, is the best we have for any recent figure in evolutionary biology.Joe Felsenstein, NatureIn Sewall Wright and Evolutionary Biology . . . Provine has produced an intellectual biography which serves to chart in considerable detail both the life and work of one man and the history of evolutionary theory in the middle half of this century. Provine is admirably suited to his task. . . . The resulting book is clearly a labour of love which will be of great interest to those who have a mature interest in the history of evolutionary theory.-John Durant, ;ITimes Higher Education Supplement;X
£38.00
The University of Chicago Press Phyllostomid Bats
Book SynopsisTrade Review"When reading a book like this magnificent new volume from the University of Chicago Press, Phyllostomid Bats: A Unique Mammalian Radiation, it’s important to understand the usage in the title: the radiation being discussed here is out-filing and endless tiny, fussy adaptations that a group of species can make to a variety of ecological and behavioral niches. As the book’s editors point out right away, the marquee example of adaptive radiation will probably always be Darwin’s famous finches, but in any case of animal adaptation, bats, specifically microchiroptera (the little bats, not the big flying foxes), some of the most successful creatures in evolutionary story, will always merit extra attention. . . . Phyllostomid Bats, although abstruse and nerdy in the extreme, is a wonderful intaglio of the sheer ferocious inventiveness of evolution. These leaf-nosed bats have radiated out to fill and exploit every conceivable niche where food and breeding might be found; in their endless forms—and in the wearily predictable ways they’re threatened in the twenty-first century—they are, among other things, fascinating bellwethers. And readers who might have a bat aficionado on their gift-recipient list? Well, their course is clear this book-season." * Open Letters Review *"Over two-hundred species of leaf-nosed bats range from the southern United States to northern Argentina and feature a wide range of diets (insects, vertebrates, blood, pollen, nectar, and fruit). This diverse family of bats demonstrates adaptive radiation patterns similar to those found among Darwin’s finches and Australian marsupials. Fleming, Dávalos, and Mello edited this nicely produced scholarly work, which features contributions from over forty contributing authors. Twenty-four chapters cover phylogeny and evolution, general biology, feeding habits, ecology, and conservation status. This volume comprehensively updates previous work on this family of bats (the most recent overview having been published during the 1970s), with new scholarship focusing especially on phylogeny. It is a fairly technical volume but will still be accessible to general readers interested in these bats. The book is illustrated by figures and tables appearing throughout the text, along with a section devoted to color plates. References at the conclusion of each chapter include literature published during the past two decades. Subject and taxonomic indexes complete the volume. This work would be a suitable addition to all college biology collections. Recommended." * Choice *“Phyllostomid Bats is a well-referenced and scholarly text, coauthored by a selection of experts in the field. Well-written, generally engaging, and . . . largely accessible to more general readers, it affords an intriguing discussion of evolutionary biology and ecology, providing a fascinating glimpse into the lives of this unique group of animals. This comprehensive, up-to-date reference work will be of considerable interest to evolutionary biologists, ecologists, conservationists, and bat biologists, as well as to lay readers with more than just a passing interest in the natural history and biology of bats.” * NSS News *"This recently published book on phyllostomids provides a comprehensive compendium on various aspects of this family and does not disappoint. It is a well-edited volume with twenty-four chapters written by eminent specialists delivering a notable work in the field of bat biology. Most impressive is how authors integrate natural history with experimental biology thereby broadening the perspective of readers and stimulating new research hypotheses. . . . Although I could only mention a few aspects of this excellent volume in this short review, there are many more facets that readers will enjoy. This book is a worthy purchase and I commend the many authors who each provided new insights into the biology of this fascinating group of mammals." * Quarterly Review of Biology *“Phyllostomid Bats is an excellent, comprehensive compendium of the latest research on this fascinating group. The book reflects how this incredibly diverse clade can be a model system for advancing our understanding of fundamental aspects of evolution and ecology of not just bats, but also of other organisms. The language is accessible to both budding biologists and veteran researchers looking to dip their toes into a new field, and it will surely be an indispensable volume to bat researchers everywhere.” -- Susan M. Tsang, research associate, Department of Mammalogy, American Museum of Natural History“Phyllostomid Bats: A Unique Mammalian Radiation (edited by Theodore H. Fleming, Liliana M. Dávalos, and Marco A. R. Mello) is an outstanding book. The diversity of detailed information is exceptional. The book’s twenty-four chapters provide an in-depth look at these astonishing bats. The book will be an exceptional addition to the libraries of bat biologists, evolutionary biologists, and those who are intrigued by diversity. I am glad that I have already ordered my copy.” -- M. Brock Fenton, Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario (Canada), coeditor of “Bat Ecology” and coauthor of “Bats: A World of Science and Mystery”“These are timely and eagerly anticipated reviews of the huge volume of research carried out in recent decades on this diverse and fascinating family of bats.” -- Paul Racey, Regius Professor of Natural History (Emeritus), University of Aberdeen, Scotland“Phyllostomid Bats is certainly worthwhile, as we have learned a good deal about this family in the last forty years or so (since the previous review of the whole family). From interesting speculation on the correlation between sexual dimorphism and mating systems in bats to a very nice summary of conservation threats and more importantly, perhaps, a good overview of some of the actions being taken in response, this book will serve the bat community well, and will be used by anyone studying this family in the future.” -- Don E. Wilson, curator emeritus of vertebrate zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian InstitutionTable of ContentsSection 1 Introduction 1 Overview of This Book Theodore H. Fleming, Liliana M. Dávalos, and Marco A. R. Mello 2 Setting the Stage: Climate, Geology, and Biota Theodore H. Fleming Section 2 Phylogeny and Evolution 3 Phylogeny, Fossils, and Biogeography: The Evolutionary History of Superfamily Noctilionoidea (Chiroptera: Yangochiroptera) Norberto P. Giannini and Paúl M. Velazco 4 Diversity and Discovery: A Golden Age Andrea L. Cirranello and Nancy B. Simmons 5 Fragments and Gaps: The Fossil Record Nancy B. Simmons, Gregg F. Gunnell, and Nicolas J. Czaplewski 6 Phylogenetics and Historical Biogeography Liliana M. Dávalos, Paúl M. Velazco, and Danny Rojas 7 Adapt or Live: Adaptation, Convergent Evolution, and Plesiomorphy Liliana M. Dávalos, Andrea L. Cirranello, Elizabeth R. Dumont, Stephen J. Rossiter, and Danny Rojas 8 The Evolution of Body Size in Noctilionoid Bats Norberto P. Giannini, Lucila I. Amador, and R. Leticia Moyers Arévalo Section 3 Contemporary Biology 9 Structure and Function of Bat Wings: A View from the Phyllostomidae Sharon M. Swartz and Justine J. Allen 10 The Relationship between Physiology and Diet Ariovaldo P. Cruz-Neto and L. Gerardo Herrera M. 11 Sensory and Cognitive Ecology Jeneni Thiagavel, Signe Brinkløv, Inga Geipel, and John M. Ratcliffe 12 Reproduction and Life Histories Robert M. R. Barclay and Theodore H. Fleming 13 Patterns of Sexual Dimorphism and Mating Systems Danielle M. Adams, Christopher Nicolay, and Gerald S. Wilkinson Section 4 Trophic Ecology 14 The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Paradox of the Generalist Predators Claire T. Hemingway, M. May Dixon, and Rachel A. Page 15 Vampire Bats John W. Hermanson and Gerald G. Carter 16 The Ecology and Evolution of Nectar Feeders Nathan Muchhala and Marco Tschapka 17 The Frugivores: Evolution, Functional Traits, and Their Role in Seed Dispersal Romeo A. Saldaña-Vázquez and Theodore H. Fleming Section 5 Population and Community Ecology 18 Roosting Ecology: The Importance of Detailed Description Armando Rodríguez-Durán 19 Population Biology Theodore H. Fleming and Angela M. G. Martino 20 Community Ecology Richard D. Stevens and Sergio Estrada-Villegas 21 Network Science as a Framework for Bat Studies Marco A. R. Mello and Renata L. Muylaert 22 Contemporary Biogeography Richard Stevens, Marcelo M. Weber, and Fabricio Villalobos Section 6 Conservation 23 Challenges and Opportunities for the Conservation of Brazilian Phyllostomids Enrico Bernard, Mariana Delgado-Jaramillo, Ricardo B. Machado, and Ludmilla M. S. Aguiar 24 Threats, Status, and Conservation Perspectives for Leaf-Nosed Bats Jafet M. Nassar, Luis F. Aguirre, Bernal Rodríguez-Herrera, and Rodrigo A. Medellín Contributors Index
£53.20
The University of Chicago Press Evolution of Vertebrate Design
Book SynopsisThe Evolution of Vertebrate Design is a solid introduction to vertebrate evolution, paleontology, vertebrate biology, and functional, comparative anatomy. Its lucid style also makes it ideal for general readers intrigued by fossil history. Clearly drawn diagrams illustrate biomechanical explanations of the evolution of fins, jaws, joints, and body shapes among vertebrates. A glossary of terms is included. A luminous text is matched by lucid drawings rationally placed...A great teaching monograph, the book will charm lay readers of fossil history. For virtually every college & public collection.--Scitech Book News
£24.00
The University of Chicago Press The Shape of Life
Book SynopsisIn "Embryos, Genes, and Evolution", Raff and his co-author proposed a synthesis of developmental and evolutionary biology. In this book, Raff analyzes the rise of this experimental discipline and lays out research questions, hypotheses and approaches to guide its development.
£35.15
The University of Chicago Press Darwin and the Emergence of Evolutionary Theories
Book Synopsis
£46.55
The University of Chicago Press Species Diversity in Ecological Communities
Book SynopsisLooks at biodiversity in its broadest geographical and historical contexts. The authors use new theoretical developments, analyses and case studies to explore the large-scale mechanisms that generate and maintain diversity.
£40.85
The University of Chicago Press The Evidence for Evolution
Book SynopsisHow do we know that species change? Has there really been enough time for evolution to operate? This title details the evidence for evolution. It covers different levels of evolution, from within-species changes, which are much less challenging to see and believe, to much larger ones, say, from fish to amphibian, or from land mammal to whale.Trade Review"A well-written and timely book. Rogers has the unique ability to present complicated and seemingly illogical ideas in a very coherent way." (Christina Richards, University of South Florida)"
£23.00
University of Chicago Press The Robots Rebellion Finding Meaning in the Age of Darwin
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£20.43
The University of Chicago Press Evolution and the Machinery of Chance Philosophy
Book SynopsisTrade Review“This book will interest readers looking for the most recent discussions and finer points of current thinking about evolution. Those with a technical background in the mathematics of probability and statistics will find parts of this book especially informative, but those preferring to skip the technicalities will discover plenty that illuminates the ‘machinery of change’ behind evolution without the mathematics. . . . Highly recommended.” * Choice *“Abrams’s exciting new book aims to correct fundamental mistakes that have bedeviled philosophical thinking about evolutionary fitness and natural selection for forty-some years. Using information about the empirical procedures that scientists deploy and focusing on population-environment systems rather than on single organisms, he throws new light on natural selection as a probabilistic and causal influence on evolution.” -- Elliott Sober, author of The Design Argument“Abrams gives an illuminating discussion of fundamental concepts in evolutionary studies from the sometimes opposing views of the philosophy of biology and evolutionary biology. He treats the foundational ideas of probability, fitness, and population with a clearly personal view but with clarity and a command of the literature in both philosophy and biology. I found his introduction of population-environment systems to be both provocative and compelling. The book will have a permanent place on my shelves.” -- Bruce Weir, author of Genetic Data Analysis“A must-read for philosophers of biology who want to continue to participate in debates about the nature of fitness and probability in evolutionary theory. Abrams has accomplished what he set out to do: elaborate and defend a particular way of understanding fitness and probability that illuminates the causal role of natural selection and fitness in evolutionary theory.” -- Christopher Stephens, coeditor of Philosophy of Biology“Marshall Abrams’s erudite analysis of fitness is motivated by his view that philosophy of science enhances understanding by tackling issues that working evolutionary biologists can avoid. Practitioners can avoid the issues because they study specific outcomes that take place among many other possibilities. Abrams generalizes this idea into what he calls population-environment systems based on complex interacting components that can yield various possible outcomes depending on chance. Yet he is sympathetic with everyday researchers who must use imprecise and flexible language to describe things with still inchoate understanding—as evidenced by Barbara McClintock’s once telling me that she knew how transposable elements worked long before she could put it into words.” -- Daniel L. Hartl, coauthor of How Life WorksTable of ContentsPreface Introduction 0. Background on Probability and Evolution Part I. Laying the Foundation 1. Population-Environment Systems 2. Causal Probability and Empirical Practice 3. Irrelevance of Fitness as a Causal Property of Token Organisms 4. Roles of Environmental Variation in Selection Part II. Reconstructing Evolution and Chance 5. Populations in Biological Practice: Pragmatic Yet Real 6. Real Causation in Pragmatic Population-Environment Systems 7. Fitness Concepts in Measurement and Modeling 8. Chance in Population-Environment Systems 9. The Input Measure Problem for MM-CCS Chance 10. Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes References Index
£85.00
The University of Chicago Press Evolution and the Machinery of Chance
Book SynopsisAn innovative view of the role of fitness concepts in evolutionary theory. Natural selection is one of the factors responsible for changes in biological populations. Some traits or organisms are fitter than others, and natural selection occurs when there are changes in the distribution of traits in populations because of fitness differences. Many philosophers of biology insist that a trait's fitness should be defined as an average of the fitnesses of individual members of the population that have the trait. Marshall Abrams argues convincingly against this widespread approach. As he shows, it conflicts with the roles that fitness is supposed to play in evolutionary theory and with the ways that evolutionary biologists use fitness concepts in empirical research. The assumption that a causal kind of fitness is fundamentally a property of actual individuals has resulted in unnecessary philosophical puzzles and years of debate. Abrams came to see that the fitnesses of traits that arTrade Review“This book will interest readers looking for the most recent discussions and finer points of current thinking about evolution. Those with a technical background in the mathematics of probability and statistics will find parts of this book especially informative, but those preferring to skip the technicalities will discover plenty that illuminates the ‘machinery of change’ behind evolution without the mathematics. . . . Highly recommended.” * Choice *“Abrams’s exciting new book aims to correct fundamental mistakes that have bedeviled philosophical thinking about evolutionary fitness and natural selection for forty-some years. Using information about the empirical procedures that scientists deploy and focusing on population-environment systems rather than on single organisms, he throws new light on natural selection as a probabilistic and causal influence on evolution.” -- Elliott Sober, author of The Design Argument“Abrams gives an illuminating discussion of fundamental concepts in evolutionary studies from the sometimes opposing views of the philosophy of biology and evolutionary biology. He treats the foundational ideas of probability, fitness, and population with a clearly personal view but with clarity and a command of the literature in both philosophy and biology. I found his introduction of population-environment systems to be both provocative and compelling. The book will have a permanent place on my shelves.” -- Bruce Weir, author of Genetic Data Analysis“Marshall Abrams’s erudite analysis of fitness is motivated by his view that philosophy of science enhances understanding by tackling issues that working evolutionary biologists can avoid. Practitioners can avoid the issues because they study specific outcomes that take place among many other possibilities. Abrams generalizes this idea into what he calls population-environment systems based on complex interacting components that can yield various possible outcomes depending on chance. Yet he is sympathetic with everyday researchers who must use imprecise and flexible language to describe things with still inchoate understanding—as evidenced by Barbara McClintock’s once telling me that she knew how transposable elements worked long before she could put it into words.” -- Daniel L. Hartl, coauthor of How Life WorksTable of ContentsPreface Introduction 0. Background on Probability and Evolution Part I. Laying the Foundation 1. Population-Environment Systems 2. Causal Probability and Empirical Practice 3. Irrelevance of Fitness as a Causal Property of Token Organisms 4. Roles of Environmental Variation in Selection Part II. Reconstructing Evolution and Chance 5. Populations in Biological Practice: Pragmatic Yet Real 6. Real Causation in Pragmatic Population-Environment Systems 7. Fitness Concepts in Measurement and Modeling 8. Chance in Population-Environment Systems 9. The Input Measure Problem for MM-CCS Chance 10. Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes References Index
£28.00
The University of Chicago Press On the Origin of Phyla
Book SynopsisInvestigates the origins of life's diversity and integrates data from molecular genetics, evolutionary developmental biology, embryology, comparative morphology, and paleontology into an analysis of interest to scholars from any of these fields. This book examines the sorts of evidence that can be gleaned from fossils, molecules, and morphology.Trade Review"A magisterial compendium.... Valentine offers a judicious evaluation of an astonishing array of evidence." - Richard Fortey, New Scientist "Truly a magnum opus, On the Origin of Phyla has already taken its place as one of the classic scientific texts of the twentieth century, affecting the work of paleontologists, morphologists, and developmental, molecular, and evolutionary biologists for decades to come." - Ethology, Ecology & Evolution "Valentine is one of the Renaissance minds of our time.... Darwin wisely called his best-known work On the Origin of Species; the origin of the phyla is an even stickier problem, and Valentine deserves credit for tackling it at such breadth.... A magnificent book." - Stefan Bengtson, Nature"
£40.00
The University of Chicago Press Ecological Morphology Integrative Organismal
Book SynopsisEcological morphology examines the relation between an animal's anatomy and physiology - its form and function - and how the animal has evolved in, and can inhabit, a particular environment. This book provides a synthesis of major concepts in this field.
£40.85
The University of Chicago Press Evolution and the Genetics of Populations Volume
Book SynopsisWright's views about population genetics and evolution are so fundamental and so comprehensive that every serious student must examine these books firsthand. . . . Publication of this treatise is a major event in evolutionary biology.-Daniel L. Hartl, BioScience
£52.25
Columbia University Press Genetics and the Origin of Species
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsOrganic Diversity Gene Mutation Mutation as a Basis for Racial and Specific Differences Chromosomal Changes Variation in Natural Populations Selection Polyploidy Isolating Mechanisms Hybrid Sterility Species as Natural Units Literature Index
£38.25
Columbia University Press Human Culture A Moment in Evolution
Book Synopsis'
£84.75
Columbia University Press Extinction and Phylogeny
Book SynopsisComprising research papers in evolutionary and systematic biology, this text encompasses chapters concerning the recovery of information from living biota, and takes into account the limitations of sampling and the steady rate of contemporary extinction of taxa.
£67.20
Columbia University Press Interactions
Book SynopsisArgues against the reductionist tendencies in Darwinism known as genetic reductionism. The authors explore the biological underpinnings of social systems from invertebrates to mammals, particularly humans.Table of Contents1. Contemporary Evolutionary Perspectives 2. Darwinism and Ultra-Darwinism 3. Entities, Systems, and Processes in the Organic Realm 4. Biotic Consequences of Organismic Reproduction 5. Organismic Economics and Biotic Organizaition 6. The Biology of Sociality 7. Human Sociality
£64.00
Columbia University Press Our Earliest Ancestors
Book SynopsisTracing mankind's evolution from the birth of life on Earth three billion years ago to the emergence of modern human beings, this volume explains how the field of evolutionary study has been aided by research in comparative anatomy and molecular biology.Table of ContentsHumanity and us; a long story, briefly told; prosimians - types and collateral branches; Africa - the original home?; Micoene lady; the fork in the road; hominids before homo; animals and humans; the ape-man; humans in the European Ice Age; us; the present and the future.
£46.75
Columbia University Press Early Life on Earth Nobel Symposium No 84
Book SynopsisLeading chemists, geologists, palaeontologists and biologists contribute to this study of the most basic origins of life on Earth. They explore the origin of life during the Archean Eon, the maturation of life during the Proterozoic and the diversification of life that marks the Phanerozoic.
£67.20
Columbia University Press Genetics of Natural Populations
Book SynopsisA discussion of the life and wok of Theodosius Dobzhansky and an assessment of the current research that has the origins in his findings and contributions.
£93.60
Columbia University Press Mammoths Sabertooths and Hominids
Book SynopsisThis book covers mammalian evolution from the aftermath of the dinosaur extinction to the glacial climax of the Pleistocene epoch, from early lemur-like primates to giant cold-climate adapted mega-mammals, such as the woolly mammoth or mastodon.Trade ReviewAn exceptionally valuable, scholarly, yet widely accessible broad outline of the dazzling evolutionary history of the mammalian faunas and selected lineages during the Age of Mammals, the Cenozoic...an important contribution for those paleontologists and zoologists who are not mammal specialists, yet have wide-ranging interests in macroevolution. Very highly recommended. Choice A rich paleontological panorama...What struck me most forceably about the work is the magnitude of chance experienced by the region over this period. Times Literary Supplement An excellent balance of coverage between different lineages--and impressive achievement in and of itself... This is a very successful study, which tackles a difficult task with admirable deftness. Journal of Mammology Full of interesting matter...a vital aid in assisting the nonexpert reader to see the big picture. -- Tim Flannery Science An important resource for specialists who wish to know the latest about European mammal evolution, because so much has changed since [Bjorn] Kurten (1971)... Agusti has done an excellent job of bringing these latest developements into the text and integrating them with the great increase in our understanding of European tectonics as well. Earth Science History A fine book for all who have an interest in mammals, whether extant species or fossil species. Nicely done. Northeastern Naturalist It is always a pleasure to review a book that is accurate, easy to read and beautifully illustrated. -- Peter Andrews Journal of Mammalian EvolutionTable of ContentsPreface The Paleocene: The Dark Epoch The Eocene: Reaching the Climax The Oligocene: A Time of Change The Early to Middle Miocene: When the Continents Collide The Late Miocene: The Beginning of the Crisis The Pliocene: The End of a World The Pleistocene: The Age of Humankind Index
£31.50
Columbia University Press Evolving Eden An Illustrated Guide to the
Book SynopsisLinking the evidence of the past with that of the present, this illustrated guide examines the evolution of the mammalian fauna of Africa over the course of more than 30 million years of primate presence. It also covers such topics as the physical evolution of the African continent and the biological evolution of its mammalian fauna.Trade ReviewThis is an important book. -- John Laurence Kelland American Reference Books Annual This artistic and scholarly triumph belongs in all academic libraries...Highly recommended. Choice A fascinating read and a visual feast, this book lays the foundation for a deeper appreciation of contemporary African wildlife. Ethnology, Ecology & Evolution This book can be recommended for its illustrations alone... Add to this extensive research and explanations and you have an excellent book on the evolution of African large mammals. E-Streams Important for present-day conservationalists who want to protect this "Garden of Eden." -- Asad R. Rahmani Hornbill [It] fills an obvious gap in the popular scientific literature... It is a worthy addition to any fossil fan's library. Fossil NewsTable of Contents1. Dating, Continental Drift, Climate Change, and the Motor of Evolution 2. The Background to Mammalian Evolution in Africa 3. African Mammals, Past and Present 4. Fossil Sites in Africa 5. The Evolving African Mammalian Fauna Epilogue Further Reading Index
£27.00
Columbia University Press Dogs
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAn easy-to-read text, accompanied by Anton's marvelous illustrations... Recommended. Choice A definitive, readable treatment of the evolution of the canine clan. Fossil News Sets a new standard... With Anton's imagery, Wang and Tedford's Dogs is nothing short of wonderful. American Paleomtologist A must-read for dog junkies. -- H.J. Kirchhoff Toronto Globe & Mail Nothing short of wonderful. -- Richard A. Kissel American PaleontologistTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments 1. Dogs: Methods of Study and the Place of Dogs in Nature 2. The Origin of Canids and Other Doglike Carnivorous Mammals 3. Diversity: Who Is Who in the Dog Family 4. Anatomy and Function: How the Parts Work 5. Hunting and Social Activity 6. Changing Environments and Canid Evolution 7. Going Places: Braving New Worlds 8. Domestic Dogs Appendix: Canid Species and Classification Glossary Further Reading Index
£22.00
Columbia University Press Hermaphroditism A Primer on the Biology Ecology
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis book provides a basic, nontechnical introduction to sexual systems for a wide audience of readers. Choice Avise's book is truly what is expected from a primer, and ought to be read by all researchers interested in hermaphroditism, perhaps even more botanists than zoologists. -- Philippe Jarne The Quarterly Review of Biology Finally!...This new book, for the first time, assembles our state-of-the-art understanding of the biology of hermaphrodite gender expression, and makes the current research agenda on these fascinating organisms broadly accessible to both scientists and (under-)graduate students... -- Nils Anthes EcologyTable of ContentsPreface The Phenomenon of Dual Sexuality Hermaphroditism in Fiction Hermaphroditism in the Real World 1. Two Sexes in One Maleness and Femaleness Anisogamy and the Separate-sex Condition Sex Ratios in Separate-sex Taxa Sex Ratios in Hermaphroditic Taxa Hermaphroditism Versus Separate Sexes Summary 2. Dual-sex Plants Terminology Alternative Sexual Systems: Natural History and Examples Cosexuality Versus Dioecy Selfing Versus Outcrossing Sexual Selection in Plants Summary 3. Dual-sex Invertebrates Biological Examples Sex Determination and Pseudohermaphroditism Evolutionary Histories: Gonochorism and Hermaphroditism Selfing Versus Outcrossing Sex Allocation in Simultaneous Hermaphrodites Sex Allocation in Sequential Hermaphrodites Conclusions About Sex Allocation Theory Sexual Selection Summary 4. Dual-sex Vertebrates Sexual Flexibility Sequential Hermaphroditism Adaptive Significance of Alternative Modes Simultaneous Hermaphroditism Summary Glossary References Cited Index
£64.00
Columbia University Press Bringing Fossils to Life
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis well-written, well-illustrated book comprehensively covers the science of paleontology, running the gamut from the history of different aspects of the field to technical discoveries and taxonomic information. It is perfectly aimed at a student audience and belongs in the libraries of all professional (and amateur) paleontologists. -- Bruce S. Lieberman, University of Kansas Paleontological Institute Highly recommended. Choice Substantive, well illustrated, and engaging. [Bringing Fossils to Life] serves to introduce a field that illuminates not only our past but also important aspects of our future. -- Catherine Badgley Quarterly Review of Biology Prothero's textbook...is very welcome as it gives not only for students but for every geologist a nice and up-to-date overview of the wide field of paleobiology... An excellent, well written and nicely illustrated textbook. PriscumTable of ContentsPrefaceTo the Student: Why Study Fossils?PART I: THE FOSSIL RECORD: A WINDOW ON THE PAST 1. The Fossil Record What is a Fossil? How Does an Organism Become a Fossil? What Factors Affect the Fossilization Potential of an Organism? What Factors are Required for Extraordinary Preservation? How Good is the Fossil Record? Conclusions2. Variation in Fossils Theme: Variation; How do Organisms vary during their Lifespans? How do Populations of Organisms Vary? Conclusions3. Species and Speciation4. Systematics Why Systematics? Evolution and Classification; Competing Systematic Philosophies; Molecular Systematics; Codes of Systematic Nomenclature; Conclusions5. Evolution The Evolution of Evolution; The "Evolutionary Synthesis"; Challenges to the Neo-Darwinian Synthesis; Evolution and the Fossil Record; Conclusions6. Extinction7. Functional Morphology Form and Function; Theoretical Morphology; Functional Hypotheses as Testable Science; Case Studies in Functional Morphology; Conclusions8. Paleoecology Ecology and Paleoecology; Ecological Relationships; Environmental Limiting Factors; Direct Paleoecological Evidence; Some Ecological Ideas that have been Applied (and Misapplied) to the Fossil Record; Evolutionary Paleoecology; Conclusions9. Biogeography Organisms in Space and Time; Ecological Biogeography; Historical Biogeography; Conclusions10. Biostratigraphy Faunal Succession; Biostratigraphic Zonations; Factors controlling Fossil Distributions; Biostratigraphic Sampling; The Time Significance of Biostratigraphic Events; North American Land Mammal "Ages" and Biochronology; Resolution, Precision, and Accuracy; Index Fossils and the Global Biostratigraphic Standard; ConclusionsPART II: LIFE OF THE PAST AND PRESENT 11. Life's Origins and Early Evolution Concocting the "Primordial Soup"; Mud and Mosh Pits, Kitty Litter and Fool's Gold; Life is a Commune; The Earliest Fossils; Cambrian "Explosion"-or "Short Fuse"?; Why did Life Change So Slowly Before the Cambrian?; Rocks, Hox, and Molecular Clocks.12. Micropaleontology: Fossil Protistans Introduction; The Kingdoms of Life; Systematics; Foraminifera; Radiolaria; Diatoms; Coccolithophores13. Colonial Life: Sponges, Archaeocyathans, and Cnidarians14. The Lophophorates: Brachiopods and Bryozoans15. Jointed Limbs: The Arthropods16. Kingdom of the Seashell: The Molluscs Introduction; Systematics; Mollusc Origins and Diversification; Gastropods; Bivalves; Cephalopods17. Spiny Skins: The Echinoderms18. Dry Bones: Vertebrates and their Relatives Introduction; The Road to Amphioxus; Getting a Head: The Craniates; Jaws: The Gnathostomes; Fish Bones The Osteichthyans; Lobe Fins: The Sarcopterygians; Four on the Floor: The Tetrapods; Land Eggs: The Amniotes; Feathered Dinosaurs: The Birds; Furry Folk: Synapsids and Mammals19. Fossilized Behavior: Trace Fossils20. Traces of Earth's Green Mantle: Paleobotany Introduction; Plant Taphonomy; The First Photosynthetic Organisms; The Plant Kingdom; Vascular Plants; Tracheophytes; Naked Seeds: The Gymnosperms; Flower Power: The Angiosperm Revolution; Floras through Time GlossaryBibliographyIndex
£133.60
