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Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
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Adaptability and evolution.

Patrick Bateson1

  • 1Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

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|August 26, 2017
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Organisms can adapt to environmental changes within their lifetime, influencing offspring traits. This adaptability likely accelerated biological evolution, a concept explored since the 1870s.

Keywords:
adaptabilityenvironmentevolution

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Developmental biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Organisms possess the ability to adapt to environmental challenges during their lifespan, a trait likely present early in evolution.
  • The influence of such individual adaptability on the inherited characteristics of descendants is understudied.
  • Organisms have historically been viewed as passive agents in evolution, potentially underestimating their role.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review historical proposals on how organismal adaptability influences evolution.
  • To discuss the relevance of these proposals to contemporary evolutionary thought.
  • To highlight the potential for adaptive responses to accelerate evolutionary change.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of proposals on organismal adaptability and evolution since the 1870s.
  • Analysis of the connection between individual adaptation and inherited traits.
  • Discussion of the implications for modern evolutionary theory.

Main Results:

  • Historical theories suggest that individual adaptability can significantly impact evolutionary trajectories.
  • Acknowledging organisms as active participants can explain accelerated evolutionary rates.
  • The review consolidates various perspectives on Lamarckian-like inheritance and its evolutionary significance.

Conclusions:

  • Organismal adaptability is a crucial factor that can accelerate evolutionary processes.
  • Revisiting historical ideas on inheritance provides valuable insights into modern evolutionary mechanisms.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand the interplay between individual adaptation and long-term evolutionary change.