Cambridge University Press
978-0-521-84942-5 - The Geometry of Evolution: Adaptive Landscapes and Theoretical Morphospaces - by George R. McGhee Jr.
Table Of Contents

Contents



Preface page xi
 
1 The concept of the adaptive landscape 1
What is an adaptive landscape? 1
Modelling evolution in adaptive landscapes 4
 
2 Modelling natural selection in adaptive landscapes 6
Visualizing natural selection 6
Modelling directional selection 7
Modelling stabilizing selection 10
Modelling disruptive selection 13
Modelling less-than-optimum evolution 16
Evolutionary topology of adaptive landscapes 19
Why has evolution not ceased? 22
Modelling environmental and ecological change 24
 
3 Modelling evolutionary phenomena in adaptive landscapes31
Evolution in geological time 31
Modelling convergent evolution 32
Modelling iterative evolution 36
Modelling speciation by cladogenesis 38
Modelling hyperdimensionality in adaptive landscapes 45
Are adaptive landscapes of heuristic value only? 51
 
4 The concept of the theoretical morphospace 57
What is a theoretical morphospace? 57
Procedural phases of theoretical morphospace analyses 60
Creating theoretical morphospaces: an example 63
 
5 Analysing the role of adaptive evolution in theoretical morphospaces 71
Functional analysis in theoretical morphospace 71
Adaptive significance of existing and nonexistent ammonoid form 72
Adaptive significance of existing and nonexistent brachiopod form 77
Adaptive significance of existing and nonexistent plant form 82
 
6 Analysing evolutionary phenomena in theoretical morphospaces 90
Analysing evolution in geological time 90
Analysing convergent evolution in theoretical morphospace 90
Analysing iterative evolution in theoretical morphospace 96
Analysing biodiversity crises in theoretical morphospace 100
 
7 Evolutionary constraint in theoretical morphospace 108
Potential causes of empty morphospace 108
Modelling geometric constraint 109
Modelling functional constraint 111
Modelling phylogenetic constraint 112
Modelling developmental constraint 114
Analysing evolutionary constraint in theoretical morphospaces 117
Mapping geometric constraint boundaries 118
Mapping functional constraint boundaries 124
Analysing intrinsic constraints 127
Modelling the evolution of intrinsic constraints 134
Evolutionary constraint and the phenomenon of convergent evolution 144
Is the concept of phylogenetic constraint of heuristic value only? 150
 
8 Evolutionary development in theoretical morphospace 152
The concept of developmental constraint 152
Transformation theory and theoretical morphospaces 155
Epigenetic landscapes and theoretical morphospaces 159
Analysing development in theoretical morphospace 163
Theoretical developmental morphospaces? 167
How does an organism come to be? 172
 
9 There is much to be done … 174
Adaptive landscapes and theoretical morphospaces 174
Current progress in theoretical morphospace analyses 175
What more is to be done? 177
The re-emergence of the science of morphology 180
 
References 185
Index 197

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