The scale independence of evolution

@article{citeulike:2822970, abstract = {SUMMARY In this paper, I argue that the ultimate causes of morphological, and hence developmental, evolution are scale independent. In other words, micro- and macroevolutionary patterns show fundamental similarities and therefore are most simply explained as being caused by the same kinds of evolutionary forces. I begin by examining the evolution of single lineages and argue that dynamics of adaptive evolution are the same for bacteria in test-tube evolution experiments and fossil lineages. Similarly, I argue that the essential features of adaptive radiations large and small can be attributed to conventional forces such as mutation and diversifying natural selection due to competition. I then address recent claims that the molecular features of metazoan development are the result of clade-level selection for evolvability, and suggest that these features can be more easily explained by conventional individual-level selection for the suppression of deleterious pleiotropic effects. Finally, I ask what must be known if we are to understand the ultimate causes of molecular and developmental diversity.}, author = {Leroi, Armand M. }, citeulike-article-id = {2822970}, doi = {10.1046/j.1525-142x.2000.00044.x}, journal = {Evolution \& Development}, keywords = {evolution, scale}, number = {2}, pages = {67--77}, posted-at = {2008-05-22 13:43:35}, priority = {2}, title = {The scale independence of evolution}, url = {http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1525-142x.2000.00044.x}, volume = {2}, year = {2000} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:2822970 L3 - citeulike-article-id:2822970 TI - The scale independence of evolution JF - Evolution & Development VL - 2 IS - 2 SP - 67 EP - 77 N2 - SUMMARY In this paper, I argue that the ultimate causes of morphological, and hence developmental, evolution are scale independent. In other words, micro- and macroevolutionary patterns show fundamental similarities and therefore are most simply explained as being caused by the same kinds of evolutionary forces. I begin by examining the evolution of single lineages and argue that dynamics of adaptive evolution are the same for bacteria in test-tube evolution experiments and fossil lineages. Similarly, I argue that the essential features of adaptive radiations large and small can be attributed to conventional forces such as mutation and diversifying natural selection due to competition. I then address recent claims that the molecular features of metazoan development are the result of clade-level selection for evolvability, and suggest that these features can be more easily explained by conventional individual-level selection for the suppression of deleterious pleiotropic effects. Finally, I ask what must be known if we are to understand the ultimate causes of molecular and developmental diversity. KW - evolution KW - scale AU - Leroi, Armand PY - 2000/// UR - http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1525-142x.2000.00044.x ER -