Evolution is a new book on evolutionary biology that elegantly synthesizes traditional evolutionary theories with contemporary concepts from genomics, developmental biology, human genetics, and other areas of molecular biology. As an innovative, interdisciplinary, and thoroughly integrated book on evolutionary biology with world-renowned author, Evolution thoroughly illuminates this major paradigm of modern science. Evolutionary principles are introduced with examples from across the spectrum of life - from ''jumping genes'' to RNA molecules, to populations of yeast and E. coli reared in the laboratory, to dung flies, lizards, and deer in their natural habitats. A section is also devoted to human evolution and diversity, merging recent insights from molecular techniques with paleontological evidence. Evolution is recommended as a primary textbook for undergraduate courses in evolution as well as for biologists seeking a clear, current, and comprehensive account of evolutionary theory and mechansms.

Evolution

Science & Math

Derek E. G. Briggs

Nicholas H. Barton

Jonathan A. Eisen

David B. Goldstein

Nipam H. Patel

Biological Sciences

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press

Since its discovery in 1909 by Charles Doolittle Walcott, then Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, the Burgess Shale in the Canadian Rocky Mountains has fascinated both scientists and the public with its plethora of weird wonders - life forms of the past so unfamiliar they cannot easily be assigned to known taxonomic groups. This century's most significant invertebrate fossil discovery, the Burgess Shale provides an unprecedented window into the explosive evolution during the Cambrian period that began about 540 million years ago, one of the most enigmatic episodes in the history of life. This book provides the first comprehensive set of illustrations of the extraordinary life forms revealed in the Burgess Shale. In addition to the more common fossilized hard skeletons, the Burgess Shale preserved the soft parts of these organisms, which provide a key to understanding the early evolution of the major groups of animals that inhabit the earth today. The Fossils of the Burgess Shale shows much remarkable detail - including digestive tracts and other internal organs - of creatures preserved in particles of mud fine enough to penetrate every crack and unevenness. The book begins with the history of exploration and research in the Burgess Shale, the geologic setting and preservation of the fossils, and a discussion of the Cambrian radiation, the period when almost all the major phyla of animals evolved. These introductory chapters are followed by 199 high-quality photographs and line drawings with detailed species accounts that describe important features of each specimen, as well as the ecology and taxonomy of each group. A complete list of all currently accepted species described from the Burgess Shale and a comprehensive bibliography follow the illustrations. The Fossil of the Burgess Shale is a compendium of fascinating Cambrian treasures that offer a rare glimpse into the nature of early life on our planet. They have figured prominently in recent evolutionary debates. The National Museum of Natural History, which houses more than 65,000 fossils collected by Walcott from the Burgess Shale, will open a new exhibition of the specimens in 1995.

The Fossils of the Burgess Shale

Douglas H. Erwin

Frederick J. Collier

Smithsonian Inst. Pr.

pp. 238, b/w photographs, "You might think a listing of the fossils found in a single site would not be all that interesting, but the Burgess Shale collection is extraordinary. For whereas most fossilization preserves hard tissues like bones, teeth, and shells, the geologic forces that formed the Burgess Shale also preserved soft tissues. The…

Earth Sciences

Smithsonian Institution Press

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Books by Derek E. G. Briggs