Biological causal links on physiological and evolutionary time scales

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Biology
• Physiology
• Scientific Methodology

Background:

• Correlation between variables does not imply causation.
• Causal links can be unidirectional or bidirectional.
• Biologists may exhibit bias towards fast physiological processes over slow evolutionary ones.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a bidirectional causation model in biology involving fast physiological and slow evolutionary processes.
• To identify and analyze inference biases in biological research.
• To improve scientific reasoning by acknowledging dual causal directions.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of several biological examples demonstrating inference bias.
• Examination of codon usage optimality and gene expression.
• Investigation of gene duplication and genetic dispensability.
• Study of stem cell division and cancer risk.
• Exploration of microbiome and host metabolism interactions.
• Inclusion of a linguistics example.

Main Results:

• Identified mutual effects between fast physiological and slow evolutionary processes across diverse biological systems.
• Demonstrated a tendency for researchers to overlook slower, reverse causal pathways.
• Highlighted examples including gene expression, genetic dispensability, cancer risk, and host metabolism.

Conclusions:

• Bi-directional causation is prevalent in biology, linking physiological and evolutionary timescales.
• Awareness of inference biases can enhance scientific rigor.
• Recognizing overlooked evolutionary processes is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of biological phenomena.