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The Geometry of Evolution: Adaptive Landscapes and Theoretical Morphospaces

Hardback

Main Details

Title The Geometry of Evolution: Adaptive Landscapes and Theoretical Morphospaces
Authors and Contributors      By (author) George R. McGhee
Physical Properties
Format:Hardback
Pages:212
Dimensions(mm): Height 233,Width 158
Category/GenreGenetics (non-medical)
3D graphics and modelling
ISBN/Barcode 9780521849425
ClassificationsDewey:576.8015118
Audience
Professional & Vocational

Publishing Details

Publisher Cambridge University Press
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publication Date 7 December 2006
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

The metaphor of the adaptive landscape - that evolution via the process of natural selection can be visualized as a journey across adaptive hills and valleys, mountains and ravines - permeates both evolutionary biology and the philosophy of science. The focus of this 2006 book is to demonstrate to the reader that the adaptive landscape concept can be put into actual analytical practice through the usage of theoretical morphospaces - geometric spaces of both existent and non-existent biological form - and to demonstrate the power of the adaptive landscape concept in understanding the process of evolution. The adaptive landscape concept further allows us to take a spatial approach to the concepts of natural selection, evolutionary constraint and evolutionary development. For that reason, this book relies heavily on spatial graphics to convey the concepts developed within these pages, and less so on formal mathematics.

Author Biography

George McGheeis Professor of Paleobiology in the Department of Geological Sciences at Rutgers University, New Jersey. He is a past Fellow of the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research in Vienna, Austria.

Reviews

'Theoretical morphology needs to become mainstream and find its purpose ... This book has established an extremely solid foundation ...' American Journal of Human Biology