The Evolution of Developmental Pathways (Paperback)

Although the field of evolutionary developmental biology is relatively new, it deals with some of the oldest questions in evolutionary biology: how shape and form in complex organisms change during evolution. Developmental genetics and molecular biology (and, increasingly, systematics, paleontology, and population genetics) are integral to this subject.

The Evolution of Developmental Pathways provides both an introduction to the field for upper-level students and biologists in other disciplines, and a useful framework for thinking about developmental evolution. The book's organizing concept is that of the genetic pathway, the sequence of requisite genetic and molecular activities that underlie a developmental process. From this perspective, the author explores the nature of the genetic, molecular, and selectional events that alter these pathways, yielding developmental change.

The book is organized into three major sections. The first five chapters deal with the history of the field, the data it employs, and basic ideas that inform current research. The next three chapters are devoted to case studies in developmental evolution, starting with examples of currently favored model systems (e.g., Drosophila melanogaster) and building outward. Six subsequent chapters address questions and problems in the field and key questions for the future. Three appendices on specialized topics and a glossary complete the book.