“”[This collection] is one of the most recent attempts at clarifying the concept of modularity and its implications for evolution. . . . The different contributions represent a variety of perspectives and examples of evolutionary and developmental modularity, and stand as a clear demonstration of just how difficult it can be to firmly formalize this ‘fashionable’ concept.”
–Patricia Beldade “Quarterly Review of Biology”
“A very succesful attempt to view the merging fields of development and evolution from the viewpoint of their most important joint concept: modules. . . . A very important sourcebook, not only for a deeper understanding of how development evolves, but also for ideas for new work in this central biological area.”–Jack Cohen “Biologist”
“I think that this book should be on the personal bookshelves of biologists interested in evo-devo, and that its value as a source of information and ideas will last for quite a while. . . . We get clearly presented summaries of a tremendous amount of relevant information and a lot of food for thought.”–Konrad Bachmann “Plant Systematics and Evolution”
“The authors are authorities in their respective fields . . . Reading [this book] should certainly sharpen your view of what are the interesting questions to ask.”–Hans Meinhardt “Nature” (8/26/2004 12:00:00 AM)
“A broad-ranging and up-to-date overview of what is clearly a key concept at the intersection of two disciplines, Modularity in Development and Evolution will be a valuable and timely contribution to the rapidly evolving field of evo-devo. This book represents an excellent compendium of concrete examples and case studies, illustrating the utility and application of a much-discussed concept.”Jessica Bolker, University of New Hampshire–Jessica Bolker, University of New Hampshire
“The validity and significance of modularity for evo-devo remains the subject of considerable debate, even controversy. This book offers the most comprehensive and compelling argument to date in favor of a prominentindeed, indispensablerole for modularity in the study of the relation between development and evolution. Moreover, it does so by maintaining an effective balance between theoretical considerations and empirical studies.”James Hanken, Harvard University–James Hanken, Harvard University
From the Back Cover
Modularity in Development and Evolution offers the first sustained exploration of modules from developmental and evolutionary perspectives. Contributors discuss what modularity is, how it can be identified and modeled, how it originated and evolved, and its biological significance. Covering modules at levels ranging from genes to colonies, the book focuses on their roles not just in structures but also in processes such as gene regulation. Among many exciting findings, the contributors demonstrate how modules can highlight key constraints on evolutionary processes.
A timely synthesis of a crucial topic, Modularity in Development and Evolution shows the invaluable insights modules can give into both developmental complexities and their evolutionary origins.
About the Author
Gerhard Schlosser is a scientific assistant at the Brain Research Institute, University of Bremen. He is interested in the evolution of development with a main research focus on neural development in vertebrates.
Günter P. Wagner is the Alison Richard Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University and recipient of a MacArthur Award. His interests are the theory of complex adaptations and the development and evolution of morphological characters. He most recently edited the book The Character Concept in Evolutionary Biology.
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