Uncovering the principles governing the origin and fate of biodiversity is the central goal of modern biology. The first edition (2014) of this novel textbook drew on more than two decades of research in microbial experimental evolution to provide a sketch of a general, empirically grounded theory of biodiversity and the first synthetic treatment of experimental evolution. It has since become an indispensable resource to research laboratories around the world as an essential introduction to the field. However, the science has moved on considerably over the last decade and an updated and expanded treatment of the subject is now timely. Three developments bearing directly on the issue of the nature of biodiversity now deserve particular attention and inclusion: (1) The introduction of high-throughput tools to capture the detailed dynamics of genetic variation are revealing that adaptation is a far more complex process than previously anticipated; (2) A rapidly expanding literature on adaptation and diversification in the kinds of physically complex, multispecies assemblages thought to characterize natural communities; and (3) A growing literature on the evolution of novelty and innovation that takes advantage of the unique features of microbial evolution experiments to study both the ecology and genetics of this process. In this second edition the author updates existing analyses with more recent work, expands on existing chapters to include the most important new ideas, and incorporates three new chapters (parallel and convergent evolution; the evolution of novelty and innovation; coevolution), detailing their respective contributions to our improved understanding of adaptation and diversification. Experimental Evolution and the Nature of Biodiversity is an accessible, upper level textbook aimed principally at graduate students and practising researchers interested in the evolution of biodiversity, particularly through the lens of experimental evolution.

This book presents 20 selected contributions to the 18th Evolutionary Biology Meeting, which took place in September 2014 in Marseille. They are grouped under the following major themes: · Genotype to Phenotype · Genetic Mechanisms of Diversification · Evolutionary Mechanisms · Speciation and Biodiversity The aims of these annual meetings in Marseille are to bring together leading evolutionary biologists and other scientists who employ evolutionary biology concepts, e.g. for medical research, and to promote the exchange of ideas and encourage interdisciplinary collaborations. Offering an up-to-date overview of recent advances in the field of evolutionary biology, this book represents an invaluable source of information for scientists, teachers and advanced students.

The 7-volume Encyclopedia of Biodiversity, Second Edition maintains the reputation of the highly regarded original, presenting the most current information available in this globally crucial area of research and study. It brings together the dimensions of biodiversity and examines both the services it provides and the measures to protect it. Major themes of the work include the evolution of biodiversity, systems for classifying and defining biodiversity, ecological patterns and theories of biodiversity, and an assessment of contemporary patterns and trends in biodiversity. The science of biodiversity has become the science of our future. It is an interdisciplinary field spanning areas of both physical and life sciences. Our awareness of the loss of biodiversity has brought a long overdue appreciation of the magnitude of this loss and a determination to develop the tools to protect our future. Second edition includes over 100 new articles and 226 updated articles covering this multidisciplinary field— from evolution to habits to economics, in 7 volumes The editors of this edition are all well respected, instantly recognizable academics operating at the top of their respective fields in biodiversity research; readers can be assured that they are reading material that has been meticulously checked and reviewed by experts Approximately 1,800 figures and 350 tables complement the text, and more than 3,000 glossary entries explain key terms

Encyclopedia of Microbiology, Fourth Edition, Five Volume Set gathers both basic and applied dimensions in this dynamic field that includes virtually all environments on Earth. This range attracts a growing number of cross-disciplinary studies, which the encyclopedia makes available to readers from diverse educational backgrounds. The new edition builds on the solid foundation established in earlier versions, adding new material that reflects recent advances in the field. New focus areas include `Animal and Plant Microbiomes’ and ‘Global Impact of Microbes`. The thematic organization of the work allows users to focus on specific areas, e.g., for didactical purposes, while also browsing for topics in different areas. Offers an up-to-date and authoritative resource that covers the entire field of microbiology, from basic principles, to applied technologies Provides an organic overview that is useful to academic teachers and scientists from different backgrounds Includes chapters that are enriched with figures and graphs, and that can be easily consulted in isolation to find fundamental definitions and concepts

The processes by which the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolizes carbon sources by both fermentation and respiration have been studied for more than a century. Yeast metabolism has been used both industrially, for the production of important molecules such as ethanol, and as a model for basic scientific research. Applied scientists have studied yeast metabolism to create and optimize novel metabolic phenotypes not naturally found in Saccharomyces yeasts. In parallel, basic scientists have used yeast as a model to understand fundamental processes such as evolutionary adaptation, as well as the pathways of carbon metabolism themselves. There are many unanswered questions in both of these fields, some of which I have addressed in this work. With respect to the industrial importance of yeast, I asked whether there are naturally existing Saccharomyces yeasts that can metabolize the five-carbon sugars important for lignocellulosic ethanol production (such as xylose), and, if so, what is the genetic basis for their phenotypes? Having characterized natural genetic variation in xylose metabolism, I also wanted to understand something more fundamental about how carbon metabolism can adapt, including the molecular nature of adaptations to selection on a limiting carbon source. Specifically, I asked what is the niche breadth of, and are there genetic trade-offs in, yeast that have been evolved under glucose-limitation? I have used a combination of classical genetics, physiology, and high-throughput genomics to answer these two questions. I have discovered novel xylose-utilizing Saccharomyces yeasts and have shed considerable light on the genetic basis for their phenotypes. In addition, I have discovered at least one trade-off for adaptation to limiting glucose, namely that amplification of the hexose-transporter genes HXT6 and HXT7 causes reduced fitness in carbon-rich environments. These two projects highlight two major spheres of Saccharomyces research, and they provide key answers to outstanding questions in both fields.

Experimental approaches to evolution provide indisputable evidence of evolution by directly observing the process at work. Experimental evolution deliberately duplicates evolutionary processes—forcing life histories to evolve, producing adaptations to stressful environmental conditions, and generating lineage splitting to create incipient species. This unique volume summarizes studies in experimental evolution, outlining current techniques and applications, and presenting the field’s full range of research—from selection in the laboratory to the manipulation of populations in the wild. It provides work on such key biological problems as the evolution of Darwinian fitness, sexual reproduction, life history, athletic performance, and learning.

The first volume in the "Long Term Ecological Research Network" series, this book summarizes the state of knowledge about biodiversity in drylands, and seeks to identify questions and strategies for future research and to lay out guidelines for management of biodiversity in desert and semi desert regions.

The annual Evolutionary Biology Meetings in Marseilles serve to gather leading evolutionary biologists and other scientists using evolutionary biology concepts, e.g. for medical research. The aims of these meetings are to promote the exchange of ideas and to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations. This book collects 19 selected contributions presented at the 15th meeting, which took place in September 2011. It starts with a description of the life and work of J.B.S. Haldane, a remarkable evolutionary biologist of the 20th century. The remaining chapters are grouped under the following three themes: · New Concepts in Evolutionary Biology · Macroevolution: Mechanisms and Trends · Genome Evolution Offering an up-to-date overview of recent results in the field of evolutionary biology, this book is an invaluable source of information for scientists, teachers and advanced students.

Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Biology, Four Volume Set is the definitive go-to reference in the field of evolutionary biology. It provides a fully comprehensive review of the field in an easy to search structure. Under the collective leadership of fifteen distinguished section editors, it is comprised of articles written by leading experts in the field, providing a full review of the current status of each topic. The articles are up-to-date and fully illustrated with in-text references that allow readers to easily access primary literature. While all entries are authoritative and valuable to those with advanced understanding of evolutionary biology, they are also intended to be accessible to both advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Broad topics include the history of evolutionary biology, population genetics, quantitative genetics; speciation, life history evolution, evolution of sex and mating systems, evolutionary biogeography, evolutionary developmental biology, molecular and genome evolution, coevolution, phylogenetic methods, microbial evolution, diversification of plants and fungi, diversification of animals, and applied evolution. Presents fully comprehensive content, allowing easy access to fundamental information and links to primary research Contains concise articles by leading experts in the field that ensures current coverage of each topic Provides ancillary learning tools like tables, illustrations, and multimedia features to assist with the comprehension process