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The interaction between developmental bias and natural selection: from centipede segments to a general hypothesis
1Ecology Centre, University of Sunderland, UK. wallace.arthur@sunderland.ac.uk
Heredity
|September 21, 2002
Summary
Developmental bias, encompassing constraint and drive, can influence phenotypic evolution. The interaction between developmental bias and natural selection, not either alone, shapes evolutionary direction.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Developmental biology
Background:
- Neo-Darwinism traditionally viewed mutations as random influences on evolution.
- Recent research suggests developmental processes can bias evolutionary trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the role of developmental bias in phenotypic evolution.
- To explore the interaction between developmental bias and natural selection.
Main Methods:
- Review of theoretical and empirical work on developmental bias.
- Case study analysis of centipede segment number evolution.
Main Results:
- Developmental bias, including constraint and drive, can guide evolutionary change.
- The interplay of developmental bias and natural selection determines evolutionary direction.
Conclusions:
- Phenotypic variation is often developmentally structured, not random.
- Developmental bias is a significant factor in shaping the direction of evolution.