Population Biology

Ecological and Evolutionary Viewpoints
Softcover Nachdruck of the original 1. Auflage 1990
ISBN: 978-3-642-74476-1
Verlag: Springer

Buch, Englisch, 456 Seiten, Paperback, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 721 g

Fascinated by the diversity of living organisms, humans have always been curious about its origin. Darwin was the first to provide the scholary and persuasive thesis for gradual evolution and speciation under natural selection. Although we now have much information on evolution, we still don't understand it in detail. Many questions still remain open due to the complexity and multiplicity of interacting factors. Several approaches mainly arising from population ecology and genetics are presented in this book in order to help understand genetic variation and evolution.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Jain, S. K.

Wöhrmann, K.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1 Genetic Variation: Prerequisite and Consequence of Evolution.- DNA, the Basis of Inheritance.- Factors Causing Variation in DNA.- Population Genetic Consequences of Transposable Elements.- Evolution of Genome Size.- Gene Activity.- Recombination.- Phenotype-Genotype Transformation and the Role of Polygenic Analyses of Variation.- 2 Natural Selection: Measures and Modes.- Differential Survival of Zygotes.- Differential Fertility of Adults.- Deviations from Random Mating.- Sexual Selection and Nonrandom Mating.- The Estimation of Fitness Values.- Selection with Overlapping Generations.- Fitness Maximization.- Selection and the Biotic Environment.- 3 Mating Systems and Evolutionary Genetics.- Direct Estimation of the Mating System.- Population Genetic Consequences of the Mating System.- Factors Affecting the Mating System.- Overview.- 4 Population Structure and Process in Evolution.- Evolution and Population Structure.- Population Structure with Strictly Neutral Genetic Variation.- Natural Selection and Population Subdivision.- 5 Genetic Diversity and the Ecology of Asexual Populations.- Asexual Modes of Reproduction.- Genotypic Diversity in Asexual Populations.- Phenotypic Variation.- The Ecology of Clones.- Summary and Conclusions.- 6 Variation and Selection in Plant Populations.- Spatial Patterns of Variation.- Genetic Variation in Breeding Systems.- Breeding Systems and Variation Surveys in Limnanthes spp.- Variation in Different Species Groups.- Molecular and Morphological Variation.- Kinds and Intensities of Natural Selection.- Variation and Evolution of Life Histories.- Breeding Systems vs Life Histories.- Variation, Selection, and Adaptation.- Concluding Remarks.- 7 Patterns of Species Divergence and Genetic Theories of Speciation.- The Problem of Species Formation.- Genetic Structure of Species.- Genetic Divergence Between Species.- The Nature of Genetic Variation and Theories of Speciation.- Genetic Mechanisms of Speciation in Plants vs. Animals.- Speciation, Adaptation, and Macroevolution.- Conclusions.- 8 The Evolution of Life Histories.- The Ecological and Demographic Background.- The Genetics of Life Histories.- Environmental Complications.- Discussion: The Genetical Ecology of Life Histories.- 9 The Methods of Genetical Ecology Applied to the Study of Evolutionary Change.- Some Basic Concepts.- Resemblance Between Relatives.- Genotype-Environment Interactions.- Discussion.- Conclusions.- 10 In Search of Optima: Equilibrium Models of Phenotypic Evolution.- Optimization Models in Evolutionary Biology.- The Value, Problems, and Future of Optimization Models.- 11 Coevolution at Two Trophic Levels.- Coevolution in Action.- Indirect Evidence: Phylogenetic and Fossil.- Genetics of Host-Parasite Interactions.- Mathematical Models.- 12 Evolution and Competition.- Density Regulation and Intraspecific Competition.- Intraspecific and Interspecific Competition.- The Role of Parameters in Population Growth Models.- Exploitative Competition for Discrete Biotic Resources.- Exploitative Competition in a Spectrum of Biotic Resources.- Genotypic Variation in Resource Use.- Evolution of Exploitative Competition.- Symmetric Competition.- Polymorphism and Exploitative Competition.- Invasion and the Build-Up of Competitive Guilds.- 13 Evolution and Mutualism.- Population Dynamics.- Myrmecochory, Seed Predation, and Competition.- The Evolution of Mutualism.- Epilog.- References.