Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...

The Evidence for Evolution

The Evidence for Evolution

Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.

Genetic Drift

Genetic Drift

Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...

What is Evolutionary History?

What is Evolutionary History?

Scientists record evolutionary history by analyzing fossil, morphological, and genetic data. The fossil record documents the history of life on Earth and provides evidence for evolution. However, both fossil and living organisms offer evidence that outlines Earth’s evolutionary history.

Convergent Evolution

Convergent Evolution

Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

TRANSPOSON ABUNDANCE IN SEXUAL AND ASEXUAL POPULATIONS OF CHLAMYDOMONAS REINHARDTII.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2017

Same author

Rapid evolution of cheating mitochondrial genomes in small yeast populations.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2013

Same author

Life-history evolution and density-dependent growth in experimental populations of yeast.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2012

Same author

The yield of experimental yeast populations declines during selection.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2012

Same author

Evolutionary genetics: desperate times call for more sex.

Current biology : CB·2010

Same author

The role of sex in fungal evolution.

Current opinion in microbiology·2009

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Evolution: a collection of misfits.

Clifford Zeyl¹

¹Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, P.O. Box 7325, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA.

Current Biology : CB

|May 22, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Many genetic model species show limited interbreeding, suggesting early speciation may be more common than previously thought. This research explores if these model organisms represent typical early evolutionary divergence.

Related Experiment Videos

Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Genetics
Speciation research

Background:

Model organisms are crucial for biological research.
Recent observations indicate reduced interbreeding capabilities among different strains of common model species.
This phenomenon raises questions about the generalizability of model organism studies to natural speciation processes.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the prevalence and implications of limited interbreeding in genetic model species.
To determine if these observations represent early stages of speciation.
To assess whether model organisms are aberrations or indicative of facile speciation.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of reproductive isolation data across various genetic model species.
Review of existing literature on genetic divergence and reproductive compatibility.
Examination of evolutionary patterns in model organisms.

Main Results:

Multiple genetic model species exhibit significant barriers to interbreeding between strains.
These reproductive incompatibilities appear analogous to early-stage speciation events.
The findings suggest that the initial steps toward forming new species might be less complex than traditionally assumed.

Conclusions:

Limited interbreeding in model organisms may reflect common, early speciation pathways.
Model organisms could provide valuable insights into the fundamental mechanisms of speciation.
Further research is needed to confirm if these patterns hold true across a broader range of species.