CRC Press Phenotypic Plasticity & Evolution: Causes, Consequences, Controversies (Evolutionary Cell Biology)

Phenotypic plasticity – the ability of an individual organism to alter its features in direct response to a change in its environment – is ubiquitous. Understanding how and why this phenomenon exists is crucial because it unites all levels of biological inquiry. This book brings together researchers who approach plasticity from diverse perspectives to explore new ideas and recent findings about the causes and consequences of plasticity. Contributors also discuss such controversial topics as how plasticity shapes ecological and evolutionary processes; whether specific plastic responses can be passed to offspring; and whether plasticity has left an important imprint on the history of life. Importantly, each chapter highlights key questions for future research. Drawing on numerous studies of plasticity in natural populations of plants and animals, this book aims to foster greater appreciation for this important, but frequently misunderstood phenomenon. Key Features Written in an accessible style with numerous illustrations, including many in color Reviews the history of the study of plasticity, including Darwin’s views Most chapters conclude with recommendations for future research Review "Anyone interested in the nature of living organisms and their adaptive evolution will be stimulated by reading this book."–– Mary Jane West-Eberhard (Foreword)   "This authoritative compilation brings together top thinkers on phenotypic plasticity and synthesizes the many ways that it profoundly influences evolution. Plasticity has been too often dismissed as mere 'environmental noise,' but these chapters bring rich and diverse perspectives to one volume and explain how plasticity arises and how understanding plasticity is fundamental to understanding evolutionary patterns and processes."–– Mohamed Noor, Duke University   "This book is ‘must-read’ for anyone interested in phenotypic plasticity. The editor and authors have done an excellent job as the treatment is bang up to date with a fully comprehensive coverage. In this era of major challenges from climate change, an understanding of the evolution and ecology of phenotypic plasticity has become ever more pressing and highly relevant to whether species will be able to cope with its consequences. The most valuable and attractive features of the book include an exceptionally thorough assessment of controversial ideas involving the genetics and evolution of plasticity and sections in each chapter entitled ‘suggestions for future research’."–– Paul Brakefield FRS, University of Cambridge, UK   "This is a much needed book. This volume makes clear that nothing in evolution makes sense except in the light of selectable variation, and that this variation arises through the alliances woven between genomic and environmental agents during development. This should be mandatory reading for anyone concerned with mechanisms of evolution." –– Scott F. Gilbert, Swarthmore College   "Bringing together leading theoretical and empirical scientists, this volume provides a comprehensive treatment of the mechanisms underlying phenotypic plasticity and how this knowledge illuminates our understanding of evolution. Among other triumphs, it fulfills the promise of genomics as an engine of discovery for mechanistic biology, evolutionary biology, and their integration. A most worthy successor to West-Eberhard’s Developmental Plasticity and Evolution." –– Gene E. Robinson, Department of Entomology and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign About the Author David W. Pfennig is a professor of biology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and a Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer. He is broadly interested in evolutionary biology, ecology, behavior, and developmental biology and is author (with Karin Pfennig) of Evolution’s Wedge: Competition and the Origins of Diversity. His work has been featured on The National Geographi