John Maynard Smith Livres

The first edition of Maynard Smith's Evolutionary Genetics (first published in 1989) was welcomed as the first comprehensive introduction to the molecular and population aspects of evolutionary genetics, and has now become one of the definitive textbooks in the field. Aimed at advanced undergraduates in the biological sciences, the book covers basic population and quantitative genetics, evolutionary game theory, behavioral evolution, sexual selection and mating systems, speciation, and macroevolution. Theory and mathematics are clearly explained, with the aid of problems at the ends of the chapters, and the author takes care to place these within the context of questions central to current research in evolutionary biology. This Second Edition has been revised and updated throughout to reflect new findings and research interests. In the chapter on phenotypic evolution, the author incorporates new research on game theory. The discussions of sex and host-parasite interactions havebeen extensively revised and the author has added a new chapter on molecular genetics and the reconstruction of evolutionary history. Evolutionary Genetics remains the essential textbook for advanced undergraduates seeking a clear, comprehensive, and up-to-date account of the theory of evolutionary biology.

Presents, for the general readership, the novel picture of evolution proposed in the 1995 book, The major transitions in evolution.

The book explores the evolution of the theory of natural selection, highlighting how recent research and discoveries in inheritance laws have both confirmed and reshaped this foundational concept in biology. John Maynard Smith delves into the implications of these advancements, offering insights into the interplay between genetics and evolutionary theory.

Why are animal signals reliable? This is the central problem for evolutionary biologists interested in signals. Of course, not all signals are reliable; but most are, otherwise receivers of signals would ignore them. A number of theoretical answers have been proposed and empirical studies made, but there still remains a considerable amount of confusion. The authors, one a theoretician the other a fieldworker, introduce a sense of order to this chaos. A significant cause of confusion has been the tendency for different researchers to use either the same term with different meanings, or different terms with the same meaning. The authors attempt to clarify these differences. A second cause of confusion has arisen because many biologists continue to assume that there is only one correct explanation for signal reliability. The authors argue that the reliability of signals is maintained in several ways, relevant in different circumstances, and that biologists must learn to distinguish between them. In this book they explain the different theories, give examples of signalling systems to which one or another theory applies, and point to the many areas where further work, both theoretical and empirical, is required.

The book presents an innovative perspective on evolution through the lens of game theory, exploring how strategic interactions influence biological processes. Professor John Maynard Smith delves into the implications of this approach for understanding the behavior and development of species, offering a fresh framework that challenges traditional evolutionary concepts.

Dieses Buch ist ein Meilenstein auf dem Weg zu einem tieferen Verständnis evolutionärer Prozesse. Das zentrale Thema sind die großen „Übergänge“ in der Entwicklung des Lebens - Schritte, in denen die Organisation und die Art der Weitergabe genetischer Information von einer Generation zur nächsten jeweils einen grundlegenden Wandel erfuhren. Einheiten, die sich zuvor unabhängig vermehren konnten, verloren diese Fähigkeit als Teile eines größeren Ganzen. Zu jenen evolutionären Weichenstellungen zählen - nach dem Ursprung des Lebens selbst - die Entstehung der Chromosomen, das Auftreten der ersten eukaryotischen Zellen, die Entwicklung der geschlechtlichen Fortpflanzung, das Erscheinen vielzelliger Lebensformen und die Entstehung von Tiergesellschaften. Die Sprache als einzigartige Fähigkeit des Menschen markiert einen letzten großen Übergang. Damit überspannt das einzigartige Buch einen Zeitraum von vier Milliarden Jahren und ein Themenspektrum von der präbiotischen Chemie bis zur Linguistik. Das vereinheitlichende theoretische Konzept, dem die Autoren folgen, ermöglicht einen völlig neuen Blick auf den Gesamtprozeß der Evolution und seine Gesetzmäßigkeiten.